The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1873-03-14
lFrom the $. +. Examiner.
TIE EZRA OF CORRUPTION.


have always been noted for tho acri-
mony with which their election con-
sists have been carried on. The
charges and counter charges, abuse
and criminatory vituperation in which
politicians and newspapers have al
ways indulged during the progress of
political campaigns have been marked
FEATURES OF that freedom of discussion
upon which we have prided ourselves.
To such an extent has this style Of
personal warfare gone, that men OF
the very purest aud most invulnerable
character have dreaded nothing so
much as candidature for public office;
because, although in most cases con-
scious OF rectitude, they could scarce
ly hope to go through a canvass with
out some impairment of reputation.
All were alike subjected to this fiery
ordeal OF partisan license; but, not
withstanding the severity of the at
tacks in all cases, until of late our
noted public men, with the rarest ex-
ceptions, remained proof against any
charge of personal corruption.
Mo man dared to accuse our cd
race of public characters of selling
themselves, their party, or their coun-
try for lucre. The idea of using Off
cial trusts or influence for private
caiu never seems to have been
dreamed of by the ante-rebellion leg
islators and officials. Nearly all our
Presidents Quilted Office poorer than
when they entered it. Governors OF
States. members of the State and
Federal Legislatures, and high officers,
of all descriptions never perverted
their functions or authority for private
enrichment. Our record in this re-
spect shone brighter than that of any
other country in the world. But this
is now a matter OF history. We have
fallen in the last dozen years into q
different groove.
Whatever the faults of the leaders
of the Democratic party during the
half century or more OF their suprem
acy in the government, their lives
were ever untainted by the low and
vulgar yenal vices of their successors.
They may have been headstrong, i'm
peiuous, domineering, intolerant of
opposition. but they were never cor
rupt for coin. Their private honesty
and personal honor were conceded by
their bitterest opponents. They
treated public interests with more So
liciiude than they gave to their pri-
vate concerns. They guarded public
property with jealous eye, and be-
slowed upon the trusts conided to
their keeping the very highest degree
of care. All these old Democratic
chiefs served the public veal at pri-
vate cost, for they were invariably Sc
lected from the ranks OF those whose
vocations were lucrative, and who
could ill afford to exchange their or
dinary occupations for politics, as 4
mere matter of gain. Consequently,
when the course of events RENTED
them to private life, they found them
selves no richer by their public en-
ployment. They were an ill-reward-
ed race of men, those old politicians,
If We measure their rewards by the
gross standard set up under the new
dispensation. They only sought
fame, honor, the good of the country.
the satisfaction OF having performed
conscientiously high duties Of patriot
ism. And in justice TO their old op-
ponents. we may say, that as rule,
they differed enly on matters Of prin-
ciple or policy in government. In re-
gard to private worth, III those an
Gent days, purity and honesty were
common property Of the prominent
characters.
Let US turn from this picture OF the
old masters of American politics and
contemplate the change made appar-
ent by the recent developments of
Congressional Committees, only too
willing to let the truth remain un-
told. We are professedly political
journal, and as such subject to the i'm
putation of bias in these matters, and
although we have ever held it our
highest duty TO treat all such subjects
with the utmost fairness, regardless
of their effect on the prospects of our
party, our motives are still liable to
misconstruction by our adVersaries.-
But here is the United States EcOao-
nsist, staid, even-tempered, non-par-
tisan journal, SO justly penetrated by
the continued exposures of the rascal
ity of our public men that it feels con-
strained to say the Credit Mobilier
Investigations have shocked the moral
sense of the whole country. Men
whose names stood so high that their
SIMPLE word of honor was regarded
as sufficient to exoDerate them from
the grossest charges, are now proved
to have been even worse than they
were represented to be. Worse still,
they have added falsehood and even
perjury to corruption. The list of
persons whose names are linked with
this affair is positively startling. 1t
includes the ex-Vice- e-President and
Vice President of the United States,
Congressman and Senators. With
brazen front some Of these men deny
the charges against them and swear
that they are innocent. But the proof
is conclusive. Oakes Ames, the man
ager of the Credit Mobilier, states
that he distributed stock and paid
dividends to Senators and Congress
men with the understanding, ex-
pressed or implied, thai az an equiva-
lent, they would use their influence in
favor OF the Pacific Railroad Com
pany's schemes. And what is worse,
he proves his statements. He weaves
net of circumstantial evidence
around these Congressman, from
which it is impossible to extricate
themselves. In response to these