The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-07-25

sinter comes to experience more terrible
priyations.
Not less deplOrable is the general deg
radiation Of morals and the prevalence Of
crime and disorder. Official corruption,
axtoFtion, and dsfalcatiOn find their par
allel in private and corporate extravaganza,
and prcfigaey. In several Of
he Southern States condition Of things
exists whicli no pen can adequately de-
scribe. Every crime enumerated in the
decalogue is committed with impunity, and
as consequence society is fast relapsing
into chaos. Thus vast area Of unsur-
passed fertility which ought to add largely
TO the general prosperity is sunk into the
depths of poverty and degradation.
These evils are in great measure the
fruit Of msgovernment at Washington.
The Constitution and laws are habitually
violated. A military despotism has sup
planted the forms of civil administration.
An ignorant, imperious, and self-willed
chieftan, installing the eminence of sta
ton for the supremacy of wisdom, assumes
to control the legislation Of the country,
and subservient Congress basely submits
to the usurpation.
In fragrant defiance Of public opinion,
the President SYSTEMATICALLY appoints venal
men to positions ofthe highest dignity and
importance, and upholds them in their in.
EQUITIES with all the authority of his high
Office. If Secretary of the Treasury is
convicted Of perjury, and so forced to re-
tire from the station which he has dishon-
ored, the President transfers him to the
bench Of the Court of Claims If a noto-
rious public malefactcr is legislated out of
Office, the President makes him his boon
companion and dominates him for post
analogous to the one Of which he has Just
been deprived. When, on the eve of its
adjournment, Congress is occupied with
bill to abolish the Government of the Dis
trict Of Columbia, the President sends to
it, special message recommending an in
creased rate Of interest on certain bonds
held BY that malefactor and his accompli-
ces, the effect Of which would have been
the adding Of half million dollars to their
dishonest gains If an honest engineer
testifes under oath, before committee Of
Congress, to facts branding his tools with
infamy, the President attempts to arrest
his evidence by ruthlessly turning him out
of Office, thus perpetrating an assault upon
the privileges of coordinate branch Of
the Government which ought to have led
to his impeachment When the citizens
of sovereign State, relying upon the
guarantee in the Constitution of their
country, Of the right ITO petition the Gov
eminent for the redress of their griev-
ances," humbly approach his presence, the
President, in the interest of the indicted
thief who holds the Office of Governor in
that State, treats them in a manner which
has deprived more than one king of his
crown, If it has not brought him to the
block. Pretending to be governed by the
rules of the civil service reform, the Pres
ident appoints Postmaster in Philadel-
phia, a Collector Of Customs in Boston,
and General Appraiser in New York, to
say nothing of scores Of minor places thro'-
out the country, in the grossest violation
Of those rules.
But the President is not alone censur-
able. Rarely has Congress assembled in
the national capital from which so much
was needed, but which has proved itselfso
utterly imbccile and worthless. During a
session Of nearly seven months it has fail
ed to accomplish any legislation for the
revival Of business and the restoration of
general prosperity. Employing its time
In endless debates on the double salary
steal and investigating committees, il has
no abuse and has brought no Of.
fender to justice. No endeavor has been
made to restore lawful Government in
the States distracted and involved in blood
shed, as the result Of military or fraudu
lent elections. The men who make a
farce Of government in South Carolina
have not only escaped censure but have
been encouraged in their crimes. While
Democrats in New York were bringing to
Justice the men who had inflicted odium
and disgrace upon the Democracy, Con-
sress was withdrawing the villainies which
had been perpetrated by the leaders Of
The dominant party.
The imperative demand of patriotism in
he present crisis Of our public affairs Is
10 secure the election Of majority Of hon
est men to the next House Of Represeu-
tatives. By this means, the corruption,
crimes and infamy which lave been 50
'tudiously hidden from public view by
senal majority win be dragged into the
hall light Of day; and, what is ofin6niteIy
greater Importance, the election Of Grant
'or third term win be rendered impossi-
bic.
The time has come for honest and pa
'riotic men to waive their personal inter-
,sts and preferences, and to unite against
his Administration. The great Roman
'rator defined true public virtue to consist
n the steady sacrifice Of private interests
md passions 10 the public good. We
Ave reached crisis 10 our history which
oudly calls for such devotion The Grant
,arty hopes % continue its ascendaney by
,lacing the representatives Of two new
peterborough States in the Senate, and
o retain It's majority in tho House as well
IS In the several States. by maintaipinv