The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1874-05-17

The most important questions Whlcl
succeeded those Of the war aud reConstruC
ton we're connected with fnanCO and tbC
material interests of the nation. The Re-
publican party has never bad Gnaucia
policy. The Secretary Of the Treasury
whoever he might be, has had notions o.
bis own, more or less crude, which be ba'
tried to put into effect, But tho party il
Congress has not been united even upon
the most elementary principles Of finance
When the worst and most disgraceful OIL
financial evils, reputation, threatened the
country, it was favored by such prominent
Republicans as Morton in the West and
Butler in the East.
Nor has the Republican party had any
consistent principle of action toward the
suffering Southern States. The President
has intorfered, and without rebuke, to up
hold faction in Louisiana; while toward
South Carolina, whose troubles were due
to ignorant and corrupt Republicans, the
President aud Congress have remained
passive. Upon the whole, the Aduinis.
tratiOn and its party have now drifted into
a "Iet alone" attitude toward the Southern
communities. Yet this has not been due
to any intelligent purpose Of restraining the
Federal Government within its proper
sphere; for cnormou, and reckless strides
have been made toward Capitalization when
any immediate object seemed to call for it,
as, for example in the recent passage by
the House of a bill TO subject all railway
fares to the direct control ola governmental
board.
10 word, while upon many individual
measures the Administration and the party
in Congress have acted wisely aud well,
there has been nothing in the nature Of a
principle, a set of ideas, political creed
with which the party has Unidentified itsc'f.
As to political principles, it iS q bank
rupt.
A party in power may be Judged by an.
other standard that Of abstract ideas
namely, by its administration of affairs -
Granted that "RGpubl;caDlsm" has no lon.
ger definite meeting; it may still be ask
ed, are the Republicans managing the ma
tiOnal business welI2 1t is not necessary
to examine infinitely the record Of the last
Eve years, balancing the good deeds OIL
the Administration against its bad oncs.-
One great subject Of tho highest practical
interest now presses Accordingly upon the
public mind. 1t is not a question Of alb
stractons or Of policies 1t is the simple
matter Of honesty in public officers. Cor.
ruption in government has become an evil
as clearly marked, and we perhaps may
say as formidable, as slavery once
was 1t is the fruitful parent of all
other mischiefs, of bad legislation and
private immortality, Not only Dational
prosperity and national honor, but the
happiness and virtue Of the whole body OIL
the people, are closely concerned. Now
what is the actual position in this matter
Of the men who by Republican votes have
been given the control Of our government
To face that question is a sad and humiIia
ting thing The Sbames and scandals ot
which the last years have been so prolific
have most of them been within the Re,
publican party Philadelphia has had a
Republican Ring that rivalIed Twocd's
exploits in shamcIessness il not in magui,
tude, If the Democratic party was held
responsible for Twceds offenscs, no less
must the Republican party bear the shame
Of the plundcring ofSouth Carolina. The
Credit Mobilicr, the "salary-grab," the
Sanborn frauds, all the wretchcd sacrifices
Of public virtue, whose record makes the
cheeks Of Americans burn, have been sha.
red in by leading Republicans. Party
conventions have passed resolutions of vir.
tuous severity, but most of the offenders
have retained their full party standing. -
The man who to-day best represents The
crafty, inscriptions, shameless element in
politics sits in Congress as a RCpubIicaa
member from Massachusetts. and dictates
Executive appointments, The President
still retains, among fair minded men, bis
reputation for personal integrity. But
with that merit goes defect that almost
neutraIi2oS its practical advantages, Gen.
Cral Grant has repeatedly shown himself
incompetent to select capable or even hon.
est advisers, The conviction has forced
itself upon those who long held their be-.
lief in him, that his natural affinity is
rather for men Of a low order. The quail.
tiles which give men influence with him
ore not those that make good or safe coun-
sellers, We believe that the President
sincerely desires his government to be
pure. But the important matter Of the
country is, that he does not know how to
make it pure. His biographer will right.