Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1873-05-07

den by its despotism from press or
people, that even its army was sent
tnt0 the field at times without food
and without arms. Napoleon ruled by
bFibes, and scoffed at the notion OF
honor. The public officials by whom
hewas surrounded were oftea the least
trustworthy OF their fellow.subjects.
Even Germany, usually honest, has
shown traces OF wide system Of
fraud. The Spitzeder swindle involY-
ed the court, the Church, and the
press Of Munich In one common
shame. In economical Prussia Inn
portant railway speeulaticns recall the
memories Of Fisk and his allies. The
press OF the city Of Rome, under the
rule OF the popes, was never Suffered
IN relate the scandals Of the Church.
The press OF Spain never yeRtured to
throw any light upon the loose man
ners Of the court. Yet 1t can scarcely
be doubted that had the keen scruti-
ny OF our reporters and editors been
turned upon the secrets OF the despot-
10 rule Of Louis Napoleon, Of isabella
Of Spain, of the uitramontanes OF
Bavaria, or the clerical officials Of
Antonelli, our American Legislatures
would have seemed, In contrast, sym
bols Of purity. Our republican legis-
latures, too, are rapidly reforming
themselves, are laboring to throw OF
the corruptions enforced by slavery
and the fatal influence of uncultiva-
ted foreigners. .--r ..f-..--
Honesty, we may assure cur for
eign critics, Is almost exclusively a
republican virtue. It IL the offspring
Of the communal feeling and of patri-
otic self-denial. The conception of
honesty adorned the democracy of
Athens; aud just Aristides wandered
in tatte red robes beneath the AerOpo-
lis; the graceful Pericles boasted that
he had taken nothing from his eoun-
trymen; Phocion rejected the Mace
donian gifts; and ,sAthenian treasures
were vain of the accuracy Of their
accounts. The conception passed to
republican Rome; it was illustrated
In long line of popular rulers, to
whom bribery and corruption were
the chief offenses against the welfare
OF the people. Honesty died with
the Roman republic. The very con-
eeption Of It perished in the Middle
Ages. Savage kings ruled by rob-
berry. Unworthy popes won the
triple crown BY bribery, and enrich
ed their ambitious children by the
plumber Of the miserable people. Fa-
NOUS saints seem to have had no con-
ception Of honesty; their faith was
firm, but their moral perceptions
elouded- st. Louis plundered his
Jewish subjects, and Dominic and
IOyola incnleated the spelling of the
heretics. AT length with the Refor-
nation honesty became once more
the croWning trait ot statesmAnship.
To be 'ias honest as q Huguenotn was
the last testimony OF decaying France
TO the superiority Of public virtue. Col
bert was the last Of her honest states
men. In England the notion made
slow process; and In the iast century
-Walpole bribed whole Parliaments,
and members Of Parliament have
never since ceased to bribe their elect
Eofs. Honesty crowned with signal
lustre the founders Of the American
republic; and the heart OF the whole
nation Is, we believe, more true to-
day 70 the rigid requirements Of pub
lie virtue, Notwithstanding the Esany
lapses Of public men, than when Its
ancestors first pledged. themselves to
Its support. The community is labor
ing painfully yet ceaselessly toward 3
higher civilization. eiriiv 80 5.-rr
We do not, therefore, fear the most
stringent criticism Of foreign writers
upon our rrepubl blican purity, nor the
sometimes erroneous assaults OF our
own prsss-np0R the characters Of our
public men. We desire to conceal
nothing. e It is the duty OF the press
70 keen watch over the career az the
political leader, and publicity is the
natural safeguard Of freedom In the
strife OF parties errors win be commit
ted, severity will be often indulged.
The shadow Of suspicion converted
Into the reality Of guilt, but we be.
lieve the people and the press viii
inally be Just. And hence the charg-
Is which are 90 freely hurled against
our public servants, Of bribery. mem
dacity, corruption, will do no harm
to the honest man, and ssrYe only to
make his innocence more conspicuous;
they will help to diminish the crimes
which they Wrongf1lly impute, and
brighten the guilty from the paths Of
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