American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-07-04

vlRTUE Of TIE REPUBLICAN PRESS.
Never in the history Of political
journalism has the press of the
world battled so long and so strong
~ for measures of political honesty
aud economy as the Republican
press of today is earnestly doing.
The entire Northern press bears
so bold and Independent front
against fraud and corruption in
high places, az to defy any charge
Of party par. iality from the opposi-
ton.
We have long observed this molly
independent position of Republican
papers, but we are particularly i'm
pressed with the views given by the
New York Times in its review of the
acts of the late session of Congress,
and its scathing denunciatiOn Of
the political maelstrom in South
Carolina. We refer to this article
ON the let's of the late session, which
we publish in another column, as a
vindicafiOn of the happy state of
affairs with the press we have just
mentioned.
The Times publishes long letter
from its special South Carolina cor
respondent. showing the state of
bankruptcy and ruin in which that
fair State has been plunged by its
veuaI and corrupt legislature. Com
menting en- this letter it says:
The letter of our special corres-
pondent from Columbia, s. c., this
morning, adds one more illustration
to ths; already given of the almost
hopeless condition of that unfOrtu-
nate State. A deficit in the annual
revenue of Sj15,0OO was sought to
lie met by authorizing the issue Of
334O, 900 certificates of indebted
ness, receivable for taxes. These
the State Treasurer refuses to pay,
ON the ground that they are uncon-
stitutioual, and the court to which
the question is referred consists of
three judges, one of whom is the
father of the "robber Governor" and
one an iguOramus. Nothing but
lure good luck can, therefore, save
the treasury.
Thank heaven no such state of af-
fairs exists in Mississippi. Our
present rulers-the choice of the
whole people-have ever proved
true to their important trusts, and
peace and cOntentment dwell with
us. And ii South Carolina is not soon
returned to her former glory, it will
not be the fault of the Republican
press.
Nor Is the Times alone in denoun-
cling these crimes against the rights
of the people. The Republican
press of the country has to paper
cried out against this misappropria-
tion of power, this Wholesale steal
ing and this attempted confiscation
by taxation in this unfortunate
Stale, and all true Republican pa
pers will continue to fight this
horde Of robbers and their bastard
chieftain, Notes.-The professional
pardOner-until the ship Of state is
wrested from their vicious grasp,
and placed in the hands of honest
men.
On all matters agitated by the
late Congress, wherein the public
veal was concerned, the Republican
press was ever found OH the side of
economy and of right. We refer
with pride to the course of all the
leading Republican journals OH the
currency question. When the coun-
ell of the nation had decided to
Hood the country with an issue of
spurious currency, the Republican
press, true to its calling, true to the
interests of the people, cried out
against this unwise measure, this
hallucination of our representatives,,
appealed with one voice to the chief
executive Of the nation, and bzahim
the warning was received in all its
truthful force, the bill vetoed, and
the undying gratitude of nation
of constituents assembled in a cloud
of thanksgiving to the Presidential
scat.
Nor do the organs of Republican
ism fail to give praise when praise
is due to the nations servants.
The many acts of retrenchment and
rs'form, looking to the good of the
people and the establishment of the
government OH principles of econo-
my, have ever received their need
of commentator, but we have cited
those cases wherein unwlse meas.
ures have been denounced by the
Republican press without regard to
party relations or considerations, to
show that their mission is to pro-
feet the people, and their watch
word, HONESTY.
As the humble follower of these