New Orleans Republican., 1875-12-31
NEW ORLRANs REPUBLICAN, FRIDAY DECEMBER 81, 1876.

INV OhAHAN0 II
inquest compelled the Auditor to admi.
that the profits of five thousand dollars
on o claim known to be fraudulent, with
all the other money he received in such
transactions, went to the credit Of that
balance. 1t was not surprising, therefore,
that the Governor of New York did what
any Governor should have done under
similar ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS this
dishonest and prevaricating official.
There is another point however, in
which the misconduct of this officer should
be considered. We infer from the tone
of the papars that he was Republican.
Under this view the offense OF this officer
assumes additional gravity. He was
elected to Office as the nominee of his
party, and he owed at least the service of
an official life without reproach. An
Office is not conferred to make the private
fortune of the incumbent It should
illustrate the capacity of the appointing
power to govern well. An officer in
trusted with authority by political party
is an migrate if he shall so administer it
as TO cover his benefactors with shame for
the dishonor of his deeds. A very few
such officials may furnish such fragrant
imputations against the appointing au-
thority as to drive it from power. Who
can compute the damage done to the De-
mocracy by the frauds Of Senator Tweed !?
This centennial scoundrel may escape and
establish himself in luxury, while able
and good men of sincere principle and
undoubted love of country may be ex-
PEELED from all trust for his misdeeds
Governor Tilden has pursued Tweed as
President Grant has convicted Mcdonald,
not alone for the punishment of crime,
but each to vindicate his own administra-
ton and his own party from suspicion Of
having protected criminal.
The Republican press of New York fol-
lows the lead of the President The Utica
Herald says the defense of the Auditor is
He admits transactions which did not
comport with the dignity and the purity of
his office. He then seeks to justify them on
the theory that his motives were not bad.
The state of public morals must be low IT,
deed when this defense is ample 1t is not
yet so low as the Auditor lmagines.
1t asserts the inexorable duty of the Re-
publican party toward such malfeasance
in Office:
The Republican party, if it is to win back
the esteem of the people, must show itself
utterly opposed to just such official transac-
tlons as the Auditor confesses himself to
have participated in. 1t is the too lenient
Judgment upon such transactions which has
brought about the decentralization of our
public and administrative affairs. If we
are ever to have any reform at all, it may
as well begin with Auditor Thayer.
The Governor of Louisiana has ap-
pointed an Auditor of Public Accounts.
BE is man of good reputation, of excel
lent skill in the particular department of
finance which he has been called to ad-
His appointment is trust
bestowed on the part of the Republican
party, which stands sponsor for his deeds.
We esteem this gentleman so highly as to
know that he appreciates these response
bilities. We are satisfied that he would
not enrich himself at the cost of those to
whom he owes his opportunities. We
would vouch that he will, at the expira-
lion of his term, present not merely a fair
financial statement but that be will by
his vigilance, his integrity, and his faculty
Of business, have added to the claims of
the party which appointed him to public
To one of such intimate opportunities
for Judging of men and their devices We
can offer no advice. He knows the capi-
tai and unscrupulous ability which may
be brought to bear upon him who holds
A treasury bag. We expect him to be too
wary for surprise, and too honest for pur-
chase. He has been chosen for those
qualities. He will remember that the
people will be called ION within year to
determine whether they will continue Re-
publicans in Office, and that they will
Judge, as they ought to judge, the merits
of the party by the integrity Of its men and
themerit of its measures. The RRpUB.
IIcAN will have the same admonition for
all Republican officers. To conduct the
ensuing camI aign we require the consum-
nation of such practical reforms as the
Legislature has, unaided and
alone, placed upon the statute book. We
shall require ticket on which every man
shall present personal record above re-
proach. We wish every incumbrance sent
to the rear, and an advance along the
whole line in which no sound shall rise
above the roar of the combat save the
battle cry, "Long live the Republican
Union Of the people"