The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1874-09-09
Democratic Reputation i'm 1853.

Whatever exhibits the character or
tendency Of a PARTY in its administra-
ton of public affairs deserves the can
did reflection Of every man who de
sires that tho administration may be
honest and helpful to public interests.
II it indicates a. disposition to sacri.
foe duty to party, to set little store by
oaths that obstruct party advantages,
to connive at personal dishonesty
which has done or is hoped to do
party service, it is strong argument
against entrusting the party with
power. And if strengthened by an
other, and another, and long series
Of such abuses, it becomes irresistible.
just that irrefragable argument we
have arrayed against the Democracy
Of this State. We have concerned
ourselves little with national issues,
because there are none that can be
materially affected by an election so
largely local as that now approaching.
We have aimed almost exclusively to
illustrate the conduct of the two par
ties in local affairs, State and county,
as being the direction in which TO pur-
sue an examination that should de-
eide upon the administration of those
affairs. What may be done with the
tariff or currency does not concern
US, this fall, half so much as the way
we may reasonably expect State taxes
to be assessed, State revenue expend
ed and State interests cared for. What
we have done We have had the author
ity Of the public records for at every
| step and a. every statement, and il
makes sucn an array Of abuses, frauds
peculations and forgeries against the
local conduct of the Democracy as
may we'll defy parallel in any other
State of the Union. This party ten.
dency is exhibited not by one isolated
act of fraud or peculation, not by one
sacrifice of law and duty to party, but
by long course of such acts, repeated
year after year for seventeen years
till it establishes as confirmed habi,
of villainy and unscrupulousness az
anybody can find in 'Murrell's gang
or the London Swell Mob" II thi.
appears like strong language We ask 3
perusal Of the documentary history O
the party to show that even this is tot
mild for full justice. We do not pro
pose to repeat the summary, as it ap
peared pretty fully in the Contrast
We gave yesterday, but We cannot dis
miss TIE subject without giving few
"details OF one act of party outrage
which have been almost forgotten il
the exciting decade since their occur
renee. In 1863, as we have scvera
times noticed since the Convention O
the 18th of July, the Democracy de
| liberately repudiated the State debt
anl justified its shame by deliberat
prostitution of the Democratic Su
preme Bench. No appropriation
were made by the Democratic Legis
lature of that year, which made g.
striking display of its rebel sympa
thies. The State tax of the precedin
year, however, filled the Treasury wit
about 81 100000. Out of this was due
by solemn contract and pledge of tn
States faith, the interest on our pub
lie debt. The contract itself specific
the time and place of payment, an
there could be no uncertainty whic
needed legislative or judicial deter
mination. There was nothing to b
interpreted or settled. All was a
plain as a note in bank. The Stat
had to pay or make default, and t
q fail purposely was reputation. Wha
the effect would have been in til
midst of a desperate struggle agains
the rebels and their Democratic abe,
tors at home may be easily conceive
when we recall that the enforced fai
ure to pay, after 1S41, checked tn
States development to degree whic
all the thirty years since have hardl
compensated. A deliberate and cor
trived reputation twenty years late
and, with SO many evils waiting I
take advantage of it, would have bee
ruin. This was manifest to the Den
ocrats; and no doubt constituted til
motive of their action. To ruin the
States credit was to cripple the ma
ton in the war seriously, and to crir
pie the nation was the special objet
of all that the Democracy did durin
the summer before that winter, an
the summer succeeding, up to tn
time that its Vaccinations culminate
in the conspiracy to liberate the pri,
oncrs in Camp Morton, rob the arser
al, murder Governor Morton and il
stall Mr.. Secretary of State Athon 8
Governor under Sons of Liberty d
rection, as testified to by Mr.. Horat
Heffren, Deputy Grand Commando
of the order, and Mr.. Joseph j. BIN