The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1874-08-11

cape punishment, but often secure pro.
motion, by having his ''loyalty" paraded
before tue party, and charging his accu
sers with being "rebels- at heart" This
mantle has, however, become 80 worn by
constant use that 1t is found to be lit
tie thin in places, and the guilty do not
feel entirely comfortable under it,
As consequence Of the impaired
of this useful article, it has Of
late been found necessary to contrive
specisl vindications for particular cases.
1t is true PoLAND's libel bill was intend
cd to make a wholesale Job Of i, by las
soing and dragging to Washington jails
such editors and correspondents as form
ed habit Of telling disagreoable facts;
but somehow the thing didn't work, and
itself now stands sorely in reed of a vim
dication.
GRANT was among the arst to require
OF his party special act of vindication,
He had the San Domingo ana few 9TH
er jobs to be bols'ered up and white
washed into presentable color. HI; did
not care for> the Presidency! On no,
not he! He only wanted. to he e>..yindica-
ted" Thereuponhis party endorsed his
acts by re electing him, ,ana according. to
the vindicating theory, this proved that
his wrongs were all right.
just now it is iiawning upon, his vision
that his second term stands vastly more
in need Of vindica ion than his first, and
he has his engineers at W ,fk preparing
the machinery to run another National
Convention. About the same time it is
dawning upon his party that they have
already stretched the blanket to the tear
Ing point in trying to cover up his sins,
and they are considering whether It
would not be profitable to strip him, and
use their material where IL would do
more good.
The chances at present appear to be,
that they will economise their whitewash,
and instead Of vindicating GRANT any
more, they will pile on his back all the
sins Of the last two years and utilize him
as scape-goat.
Buteven with GRANT kicked out naked
to the tender mercies Of his enemies,
there will be no lack Of patriots seeking
vindication. There is BUTLER, for in
stance, who wants to be ,vindicated by
being elected Governor of Massachu-
sets. The embarrassment in this pro.
ject arises from the fact that if bis party
in Massachusetts, sho1ld vindicste Bur
LER, nobody on earth would, vindicate
his party in Massachusetts,. They would
be in the same distressing situation with
GRANT: He vindicated lanlaulet VII
LIAMs ald Boss SHEPHERD, but in helping
them out of the mud he got stuck in the
mire.
There is no end to Secretarys and Min.
listers AMI Congressman and Collectors
who set up claims to coat of the win
dicating whitewash, but the supply falls
far short of the demand; and, like the
CREswELL and SANBoRN and Howard
cases, it is likely to prove that too thin
an application is worse than none at all
This is one of those things which should
be we'll done, or not be attempted. 9th.
erwise the subjects Of it would appear
like MARK TwAIN's Sandwich Islanders,
who divide one suit of clothes among q
dozen OF them. One has hat, another
a coa', and another a shirt, and 50 on,
each just covered enough to attract at
tention to his nakedness.
The truth is, the Republican leaders
need entirely too much vindication. The
party is too badly out of repair to pay
for patching. To make it what it should
be would repeat the operation OF taking
an old buag-hole to the cooper. 1t would
be cheaper and better to turn them out
of the crib and upon the commons for a
while 1t would cure them of their ca
pers, and have healthy effect on their
morals. The dishonesty of men in power
is certainly remarkable, but it is not more
surprising than is the honesty Of men
not in power.
When the stealing is as good as it is
in Washington, it is absolutely necessa-
ry at frequent intervals to turn out the
dishonest sins" and turn in the honest
"outs." And whenever party requires
so much ,vindicating as do the Radicals
at the present time, it is safe to assume
that the period has arrived when the
country won't be loser by having the
'ins'' and "outs" to change places.
Written for The Spirit Of Demooracy.)
From Noble County.