Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1873-06-12

NOT W OTse but bctlers
If one could believe the Democratic
papers he would conclude that the adj
,ainlstrAtion of President Grant, and
the party of which it is the head nre the
most corrupt that ever existed in anv
country. 1t is a fayorite occupation of
these Journals, to inveigh against the
corrupt and corrnptlng tendencies Of the
nge, and to declare that the Republican
party is responsible for the whole of
this alleged general decentralization. Per-
sons not familiar with history and not
Informed as to current affairs in other
countries, and seeing too many eYinences
ut lnxity in the morals among some of
iicials, may believe this twaddIe, and
conclude that we are indeed on the down
grade; bus the faithful student of his
tory and of current affairs will not fail
20 comprehend the utter falseness Of this
.xtravagent rant about corruption, and
perceive its demagogical purpose
Unfortunately there is too loose a
scnse Of the claims of honesty not only
IN the official circles, but in all the walks
of life; but we maintain that the world
lus on the whole for centuries, been
steadily growing better rather than
worse; and that there is higher sense
Of honor to-day than ever before, and
there is more official integrity in this
country than in any other, considering
the vnstness and variety oil the trusts
md the great opportunity offered for
nalieasance and fraud Conuressnen
do some very reprehensible things, but,
considering the large number OF them
and tie almost boundess opportunity
for bribery and corruption, the wonder
Is not that we have had Credit Mohilier
and back pay scandal-that member
is here and there found whose suddenly
acquired wealth points to iligetimate
sources Of revenue. sbut that we have
Lad So few Of these scanda!ous per-
iormAnces.
Officials here and there prove recrea n
10 their trust and swindle the coyernv
inent, but these have, except in YER
lew eases, filled comparatie ely insigniti
cant positions; while we may point
with pride TO the fact that during the
whole existence OF our government, now
almost hundred years in extent, not a
single case can lie found where PRESS
dent or cabinet officer has corruptlv
made money out of his position or where
u Justice OF the Supreme Court SO far as
we now remember has been suspected OF
receiving hrihes. Partisan zeal has
swersed some Cabinet Minister, from the
path OF official duty, and caused one
President at least To commit acts that
were of questionable nature, to use no
narsher terms; but this is IA much mild
CT form OF corruption, in a strictly ETH.
cal sense, than the deliberate barterinr
Of official integrity for gold, or for pri
waite honorS or emolumcnts OF any kind
by the side OF this official record how
reads the history of England, the purest
government perhaps, of Europe? In
the reign OF the Stuarts, Offices and in.
dlclal decisions were bought and sold
openly, and with an etfronrery that
showed the wide spread denomination
ct the age. In the reign of William and
Mary, which was ushered in by a reyo,
iutIon provoked by the Gespotism and
rapacliy oil the government, bribery was
winked at by the court us a means Of
influencing the House of Commons. and
grew Immensely rich on; Of the spoils of
,"e.r Offices, and kept their III gotten
gain, toe, in not n few instances His
tory is full of such instances. which
feiute, IN the most undenlabe manner
the rash clamor thas the world is grow
,ns worse all the time, and that here we
have the worst form of corruption
There Is enough evil now, YEA far too
muen' Tut IN considering rhe subject oil
national or party corruption is is ALWAYS
best 10 know what is the exact truth
bile ~e have no words Of paII,aiion for
the evils oi the day, We have entered
his protest against he libel tha. is 90
frequently uttered upon he refurma,ory
efforts III the assertion that in spite al
them humanity is worse than eve,
before