National Republican., 1873-06-03
THH INGRATITuDE AND RALsRuOOD
OE SHAM CONSERVATISM.

The Petersburg Appeal declares that the
Radicals arc destroying the country by In
posing ruinous rates Of taxation for the bon
eft Of monopolles, jobbers, fAvoritcs, brothers
In.law, and corrupt rings in general" Il
adds that Congress Is asked to appropriate
SI0, 900, 900 for the completion Of the james
River and Kanawha canal, for excellent rca-
sons with which we agree. 1t fails to add,
however, that the Jamcs River and kanawha
Canal Company Is an exclusive organization,
having for Its object the enrichment o' GER
tain sham Conservatives, who abuse the
President and Congress, through such organs
as the Appeal by such misstatcments as we
have quoted above, and who, being human,
are ready to take advantage OF further ruin
Gus rates Of taxation" for their own benefit
Among the friends Of this measure in Con-
grcss arc men who have pcrsisIently voted
against propositions for the Internal improve
ment Of the Northwest, and now lnconslst-
entity demand aid for similar benefits to their
own section. We believe that the day Ia not
far distant when the canal win be completed,
but Its completion will bc due to the acts
Of these samo Radicals who arc the sub
jcct Of tho vilin cation Of such people
rs the writer Of the article In the Appeal,
The Conservatives, or Democrats, or what
cycr-you-may- -eall.them, had control OF the
national administration for years before the
war without developing any of the resources
Of the country, except the personal capacity
OF such men as Floyd to steal public property
In preparation for rebellion, TO stoai thou
sands Of acres OF wild lands near the Govern
mcnt reservations Of the Northwest, and to
destroy the regulations Of their political OPP
poucnts by the basest falsehoods regardi ny
their habits aud Intelligence. In short, years
Of the old regime taught the people OF the
South to look upon the people Of the North
rs "mud-sllls" and greasy and
while this lesson was being taught tho leaders
plundered at will prostitutlng every possible
power forparty preparation, using the secret
service fund Of the State Department to buy
up political opponents or keep alive needy
par .isan press, and dividing reservations like
that at Fort Smelling, Minnesota, among per-
30 AL friends. Since the Republican party,
with its ''mnd-sills" and greasy me-
chanics," has had control. great railroads
have been built, while Others are In process
o. building hirbors and rivers have been
TAade nAyigable; frce-schools have spread
their benign influences; public buildings have
been erected all over the country; the na-
tons credit under most adverse circum-
stances, has been preserved; millions Of
slaves have been freed, and an era Of
progress has been inaugurated so effective in
Its ramilcations that oven the sleepy Rip Van
Wrinkles among the old leaders Of the South
have been partially Infected with the belief
that the Government Is intended for nobler
uses than that OF party crib from which
professional politicians were wont to get their
daily food, AL this proves that the Republi-
eau party is the party VI progressive instincts
aud powers. With rare exceptions II en-
braces all the puhlic-spirlted men Of the
country. Particularly Is this assertion true
"a applied to Virginia, where the Conser-
Natiyes have had supreme control for four
years, and In which State, with all IT,
boasted intelligence, not single effort
TO amend the deplOrable results Of the
war has been made except those which
are mandatory under constitution framed
and adopted by Republicans in opposl
tion TO the combined efIoits OF sham Con
seryatlsm, discomfort and blatant treason
Witness the proceedings OF the last Legisla'
ture, which adjourned leaving the finances oi
the State In a worse condition than they ever
were before, and without the faintest eyi.
dence OF q successful effort 10 the direction
Of internal Improvement From u people
who have failed TO keep Que half oi their
pledges regarding tho rights Of those who,
10 their own midst, arc the natural allies Of
our party Of progress, these complaints
against Congress aud the Administration are
10 bad taste, aud when we remember that
President Grant Is the especial friend Of the
particular scheme referred 10, tue uniOunded
illusions 10 him are Indignantly ungrateiul,
Ir IS the PROVINCE or IorRSALIsTs to
srlueIso tho acts OF public officers, and to ad.
wise the people Of tho efficiency Of their ser
wants. Occasionally unprnciPled men, who
attach themselves to the profession which
,n... AI.,,..aa amniov this pfOyince 10 crafty