The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-12-31
Investigations.


Democratic majority in the House, thor.
oughly labor of love. If Shakespeare
was right when he said, that "the labor
we delight in, physics pain" then may
we presume that the labor of making in.
vestigations, however arduous, will be
accepted as matter OF delight purified
of all pain, by those whose anxiety is
almost fever to come to saving
knowledge of the true inwardness oi
things. We rejoice that it is SO. There
is nothing that this country SO essen
TALLY needs as thorough sitting and
shaking up in every department Of the
Government. And for that reason we
deem 1t o God-send to the country that O
Democratic majority now rules in the
House.
Investigations will be instituted Into
the condition and management of every
thing involving official trusts, whether
of high or low degree. The public
archives will be compelled to yield up
their documents and records, and the
call for "persons and papers" Will be-
come q standing order of the House.
The executive and administrative de.
partnents will be interrogated by COM
mittees, both standing and special, de-
manding of the officials--s'what have ye
done :--and why have We done it?'
But all this must be met without re-
sentiment, and must be replied to with
out reluctance. 1t is the stern mandate
OF the sovereign people to their servants
requiring them to render an account OF
their stewardship. Certainly investiga-
tions were not omitted by any former
Congress under Republican rule. But
they were friends investigating friends.
Under the natural influence of party af.
fliation there necessarily arises that fel.
low feeling that makes men wondrous
kind, and that dulls the eye of scrutiny,
and sottens, II 1t does not silence, the
voice of censure. But now the investi-
cations are to be conducted by political
opponents, whose policy will be to scru-
tinize without relenting and to de-
nounee wlthoutrestraint. And this is as
1t should be. 1t is one party compelling
the other party to be honest.
Wepresume that no one, even among
Republicahs, is SO very verdant as to
conclude that the Administration is so
pure, so perfectly without. spot or blem-
ish, as to make investiga tion an imperti-
nence. Happy day would that be for
this country when inves tigation would
reveal such purity in the administration
OF the government. But, unfortunately,
that day has not yet dawned. On the
contrary, every intelligent look.
er-on in our "Vienna" must
"-Have seen corruption boil and bubble,
Tilt ito'er run the stew: laws for all faults:
But faults 30 coantenanced, that the strong
statutes
stEnd like the forfeits in BARRIERS shop,
AS much in mock as mark.o
Upon all this, investigation should let
In the light, no matter what official may
be blasted by its beams. The Nation is
greater than any man, and it is for the
nations good that all public sores should
be probed, and all corruption exposed.
We do not mean to assert that the |
present Administration is corrupt be-
yond what others may have been in the |
past, or may again be in the future.
But he is indeed poor student of polftf 1
cal philosophy who does not know that |
any administration of any party, COM
posed Of beings less than archangels.
whichhas been in power through SO many
years OF uninterrupted majorities as has
tine Republican party, can not fail to be-
come corrupt. The tendency to corrup-
tion is inevitable and invincible in any
political party commanding long leasesl
ofpower; because all foul birds and vile
beasts and creeping vermin throng to its
strong branches to fatten and to plum.
der. 1t is against these that the full
focus ofinvestigations should be directed.
Nor DO we believe that Republicans
tn Congress or elsewhere, will feel any
reluctance in promoting any investiga-
tion the Democratic majority i'm the
House may direct. 1t would be to their
shame If they should. 1t would be con-
icseiuu VI JuuSIHtuIs Az WOulu amount
to plea of guilty. That much Of the
matter charged upon the Administration
as corrupt, has proceeded from individ-
ual hatred and ill:will. as well as
from undue partisan prejudice,
can not be denied. But that
enough remains to offer an
ample field for enterprise in the work Of
Investigation is equally certain. And
that man is neither a good citizen nor a
good Republican who would hesitate one
moment in giving ali possible aid and
comfort to any investigating committed
charged with the duty Of revealing the
truih, whether that truth should work
honor or dishonor to any living man.
An administration Of any party that can
not stand investigation. ought not toll
% and at all. ,-......
But our Democratic friends in Con-
gress must remember that the process
oi Investigation is not altogether one
Il