The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-11-14
De,us;on-Transsressors' Promises.

Delus;on- Transgressors PROMISES.
The Republicans, since their disastrous
. aad wide spread defeat and rouf, are making
grea, PROMISES TO do better. The promises
of bad men after detection and exposure are
very unreliable. They should never De
trusted far enough to replace the trangressor
in 4 position Of trust aud authority. PARDON
him; let him 60 and begin life, as 1t were'
anew; but leave the question OF restoring
him to confidence and trust 10 his future
conduct. The man who. neSlec,lng this eau
ton. takes the detected cheat into confidence
and trust at once will learn that the pledges
of reform of such persons are unreliable.
So /. is with the Radicals. They are
.,eaten. and so badly beaten that there is no
hone left them bot TO secure their places, II
they cir. by promising 10 avoid the sins Tor
which the people have damned them. lhesc
promises are everywhere made Every
leader who has spoken bames bis party Tor
some sin, or some error, and urges reform
bv cutting loose from bad advisers, or CUT
ting loose from bad habits aud measures.
GEORGE WILLIAM CURTIS, the editor OF HoF-
,er,s Ueehly, is a very good spokesman ior
the party. He is a Puritan b'got ana pat''-
sap. The Republican party may be well
represented by him, aud, standing before the
country as a great transgreSsor, VINO Has
vronccd communities and distracted the
country, il speaks through MIR. CURTIS thus
"The secret OF Republican n Organization
for victory in 1876 is simply return 10 tie
Renublican 1olcy and fidelity TO it. Al
ministra,ive reform, redemption OF Inc pup
Tc faith. and fair play in the southern States,
are fist;nctiyely the demand OF tue Paoilc
Intelligence and conscience"
"Oh.yes," sass he, "le,> stop pcrsecut-
in- The South and be honest" that's tue
burthen OF the song of the peuitents. Who
ever knew rogue caught roLbing the hen-
roost who didn't pledge his honor not to
steal chickens again? These pledges, 10 be-
come humane and honest, are too late. Inc
people have condemned the hypocritcs who
are making them. If they were not honest
aud jus, s. ben they had the power, who can
expect them to practice either honesty or
Justice in mere gratitude for being allowed
to hold their places: 1t is delusion-shal-
low and idle. 1t is a presumption upon the
intelligence of the people to suppose that
they will for a moment entertain the idea
that they can reform bad men by leaving
them ia Office, or convert rogue by giving
him The charge OF the mopey-chest.
The recent victory expresses the wide
spread discomfort caused by the corruptionS,
greed. and cruelties, Of the Republican par
", and By the manner they have abused the
Government of the Nation in administering
il for the good Of party. They have risen
indignantly, ard condemned one set OF men
for sins ard vices which cannot he endured.
It would be Il qualification of the Nation
were it to turn about aud record its ap.
ploya Of the men and their vices by leay-
ing them in ctlice.
There is going to be nothing Of the kind.
The tlausgIessors must he dismissed. 1t
would Re violation of logic and morality,
and Reputation of political wisdom, to re.
tain bad and untruStworthy ministers, con-
yicted and condemned, q moment after it is
possible 10 get rid OF them. The American
people are going to do no such violence to
good judgment and their own feelings.
General GRANT loosely told Governor
HENDRICKS, ave will be ready for you in
20" That will Go for joke, but the earn
est version of the remark would be that the
Republicans will be ready to make room for
the Democrats in 1876. General GRANT will
vacate the White House for his successor.
Thc o1ficc-bolders-or the partisan class of
them-will give up their desks, and there
will be general expulsion from the part-
sans paradise that will cause Il vast amount
of penitence, and of weeping, and waiting,
and cuashing of teeth.
1t is too late for the Republicans to be
honest. Their promises can never be trust
ed. They must he banished TO the politi-
clans purgatory, that there may be peace on
Garth and goodwill towards man,