New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-08-05
PARTY SELF-EXANINATfON.

Senator Morton, In his great speech aC
Terre Haute, Ind. on the 3lst OF July, took
occasion to glorfy the spirit of the Republican
marty for what he called sits self-examina-
tom the Exposure and punishment of
" corruption" and cts continued vigilance
" for self-purfcaton in doctrine and practice"
Resolutions against corruption" he said, and
very truly, care the cheap clap trap of parties
Z" all parties profess to be opposed to corrup-
ton and are ready enough to expose and
prosecute it III other parties" The Republi-
can party however, had shown its sincerity
by this best test of honesty in parties, dis
position to self examination and readiness
to correct abuses. In proof whereof he
pointed out that nearly all that is
known of corruption and bribery and
abuses of power by the adherents of the Adj
mnistrati0n has been shown by the dlllgent
selt-examinatOn of the Administration party
and the prompt exposure OF every political
delinduent who has been discovered. Against
this interpretive gift and this devout spirit
of self-sacrifce of his own party, Mr.. Morton
sets off the admitted corruption OF the oppo-
sition. Nobody he says, "belieyes that
1.-THE Democratic party is particularly sensitive
"about corruption. In fact, when 1t was Ill
"power it was noted for the industry and
"skill with which it covered up the pecula-
=" lions of its own members. Committees to
Investigate the official conduct of its own
"members were so rarely appointed by Demo-
"cratic majorities in Congress as not to be
remembered" TO all which it is easy enough
TO reply, as the party attacked doubtless VIII,
that the reason why investigating committees
hAt. 10 admin
istrati0ns was not that tho party covered up
the populations of its own members, but that
there was nothing of the Kind to be investi-
gated.
Between Mr.. M)rton's loose charges and this
general denial we do not propose to come.
As a matter of fact we do not suppose either
party is so sensitive about corruption that it
would provoke defeat or risk disaster in ex-
posing it, In saying this, however, let us be
understood as referring to the managers,
rather than the mass of either party. 1t Is
for the interest of party managers only, not
of the people on either side, to conceal politi-
cal corruption. Our objection to the gentle
mans argument is not to his arralgnment OF
the opposition for protecting itself against pub
lie opinion by concealing the delinquencies OF
its members-which is no doubt true in a
certain sense-but to the GOODNESS and COM
placency of his claim that the Republican
party has proceeded upon the principle that
self-examnation and the exposure and pun
lshment of its delinquent members are the
best guarantee for its continuance in power.
It is easy enough to say, as Mr.. Morton does,
that "the detection and exposure of the
Credit Mobilier, Sanborn, and District of
Columbia transactions were the voluntary
81 and earnest work of the Republican party"
The only pretext upon which such an asser
ton can be based, however, is the fact that
the party was in power, and the investiga-
tons could not be ordered unless some
of its representatives in Congress con-
sented to them. We submit to Mr.. MOrtOn's
cooler and more judicial sense that it was not
I" determination" that prompted any of these
Investigations, though it undoubtedly was the
conviction that to expose and punish delin-
quent members was the best guarantee for
sits continuance in power" that led to what
ever such results were obtained. If he desires
to be enlightened as to what did prompt these
Investigations we refer him to 50 much of the
speeches of Mr.. Butler Of Mass, Mr.. Patter-
son of n. H., Mr. Pomeroy of Kansas Mr..
other leading Administration statesmen, as
refers to the newspaper press of the
country. May we remind Mr. Morton
that determination did not prompt the
Credit Mobiler inquiry till after the election
of 1872 had been carried upon the strength of
the sworn denals of the leading Administra-
ton statesmen implicated in the transaction;
and that determination did not come even
then till the press of the country demanded it,
and the party leaders saw that to investigate
was "the best guarantee for their continuance
Sin powerin May we suggest further that the
Sanborn investigation, so far from being the
voluntary and earnest work of the Republic
"can party" was forced by the press, and
that instead of exposure and punishment
following the determination, the chief Of
fender was promoted to Judgeship by Re-
publican President, and confirmed by Repub-
lican Senate AS to the detection and expo
"suren of the District of Columbia transac-
"tions" being the voluntary and earnest
"work of the Republican party n-is it posi-
BILE Senator Morton did not read the Republic
can newspapers at the Capital during the inves-
tigation, and that he has not heard of BabcOck's
measurements, Cluss's removal, and Shepherds
reappOintmentf
There is seldom anything lost, it is said, by
claiming too much. Mr.. Morton seems disposed
to take the chances at any rate in this elab-
crate plea for his party. We should be glad
to believe that tho Republican party under its
present management, acting even from so low
a motive as that indicated by Mr.. Morton, to
wit, that it is "the best guarantee for its con-
"tinuance in power" did practice self-exami-
nation for the purpose of self-purifcation. But
! the Senator may count upon tho fingers Of one