Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1874-04-23
Grantisnl Abroad.

Inc Slaht cVllS Oh corruption anu
extravaganza, of ENLIGHTENMENT and
bribary in high places, of the exercise
of official functions for private gain
and wholesale speculation Of the peo-
pies money, are bad enough in their
effects upon this country. But they
do not stop short with outraging hon
est sentiment at home, and demoral-
ling the whole public service, from
top 10 bottom, throughout the Union.
Those who are struggling abroad for
the republican liberties of which the
United States are the shining exam
pie, find in the official colruptions Of
the past two or three years a counter
argument used by their antagonists for
which they are puzzled to obtain an
adequate reply. The English radical,
seeking to substitute democratic sim.
plicity and economy for the com pick
machinery and onerons cost of royal
ty, has hitherto triumphantIy poi nted
to the example OF America And I'M
til recent times America was not only
a pertinent example, but all irrcsista
bic argument in their favor The re.
publican bubble did not, after all,
burst during the war; ard thus the
radical was able to truly say that q
form OF government which coold sur,
vye such a shock could not be less
stable than the monarchies of Europe.
The impulse given 10 the republican
movement by the maintenance Of the
Union and its enterance upon ne"
career of power and prosperity, was a
great and Formidable one and only
the disgrace which has been attendant
on the career Of the present Admins
tratiOn could have weakened, the force
of the example.
1t has been the unenvlable privilege
of the Grant regime to cast a doubt,
even upon many earnest European re-
publican minds, whether such form
is indeed the best. These do not re-
fleet that Grantism is not, happily, the
normal or permanent condition of
American politics Its lax political
morality and encouragement of abso-
lutte corruption are not outgrowths Of
American Democracy, but atemporary
incident they are the ripenine Of q
misstep, the mlsSlep Of contdng to
unfit hands the Executive power the
corrective still lies in the hands of the
neople, who have proved their politi-
cal virtue over and over again. The
deliberate reputation Of the corrup-
ton which now find their nucleus at
the White House must soon follow
their startling exposure. Yet it is
worth while for lis TO observe how
salary grabs, Credit Mobiliers, Sanborn
contracts and District swindles affect
the cause of republican liberty abroad.
as well as breeding a host of evils at
home. 1t is reported from England that
the champions OF the cause there arc
disheartened by these scandals. The
Tories exultingly point to the bribery
of congressman and various trans
gressions, and rejoice over the low
estate to which Presidential office has
fallen What can the Republicans
reply ? The general effect is to dis
credit the system. while the counter
scting agencies are lost sight Of
Americans should take pride in show
ing Europe, by example, the way to a
better National life but unless the
evils under which we are suffering,
and the men who have created and
still foster them, are repudiated, and
that speedily, the danger is that we
shall be rejected us guides, and held
up rather as a warning than as an ex-
ample Boston Post.
@---------.
A RACE OF Men WHO HAVE NOT
YET LEARNED TO TALK.--On the Is