National Republican., 1875-09-06
DISHONEST OFFICIALS.

1t has become quite the Rshlon Tor the
Opposition press to speak Of Republican
ofice-holders everywhere as thieves or
dishonest men. This is more frequently
done by indirection than by direct allega-
ton. 1t is 'tas easy as lying" to speak Of
what may be expected when we once more
get honest men in Office, or to insinuate
that each considerable Office is backed up
by a "ring." There is, of course, in such
innuendoes no ibellous charge of stealing
and robbery, but the design is to make the
impression on the minds Of readers that all
of1ce-holders are dishonest. This has been
labor of love with the Detective Press of
New York, led on by the Sun and Tribune,
ever since Dana failed to obtain the Office
he asked for, and the late Mr.. Greeley was
nominated by the Democrats for the Presi-
dency. 1t has been the Alpha and Omega
of their efforts to produce the impression
upon the minds of the people that the Re-
publican party was corrupt in its leaders
and office holders, from the President down.
These Opposition newspapers have not
besitated to hazard charges of almost every
kind, but not one of them have they been
able to prove. Although we have passed,
as nation, through the fiery furnace of
war and all its attendant denoralizations,
since the Republican party attained power,
and have expended upwards of twelve
thousand millions during its incumbency,
yet there has been no great astounding de-
falcatlons by the leading representatives of
the party. This Detective Press formerly
made periodical allegations or rumors, to
the effect that there were great errors in
the books the Treasury, that the balances
were forced, that General Spinner
could not leave the Office for fear that ex-
posure would be the consequence, result
ing to the injury of the party.
The recent retirement of the old Treas
urer and the transfer of the treasure to the
custody of the new one involved count by
disinterested parties, and the result was
announced without whine or whimper
on the part of those veracious correspond
ents who formerly delighted in boldly as
serting that there was something wrong in
General Spinner's accounts, and that shorts
would be found in his bonds and treasure
whenever a count was made. They did
not even reassert their charges when they
learned that the count was to be had.
Neither did they apologize for having for
merly alleged that there was something
wrong. 1t is rule of the Detective Press
never to apologize or take anything back.
The editors in New York have also been
most careful not to allude TO the remarkable
fact that General Spinner's accounts during
his incumbency hadXaggregated many
thousand millions, running through a Pc
Rod of fourteen years, without any start
ling or embarrassing defalcations They
have not ventured q single song in praise
of this honesty of Republicans, because it
would be making themselves out liars.
But let US contrast this condition of &C.
counts with the last Democratic Admins
tration. During the Administration of Mr..
Buchanan we had a ,littleispeck of war
with Brigham Young. 1t was small
affair and soon settled by "old Bucks
caying in," through those srrsnt secession
lists, Lazarus Powell and Ben Mccullough,
whom he sent as commissioners to treat
with the Mormon traitor. But even this
little speck Of war resulted in the theff of
more bonds than have been lost by the Re-
publicans during the last fourteen years;
and they were stolen, too, from Indian
trust funds, stolen and loaned to Russell,
Majors and Waddell, the contractors for
army supplies to Sidney Johnston's forces
in Utah,
And yet these brazen Democrats now
have the face to charge Republican Office.
holders with habitual swindling and theft
and prate of the times when honest men
shall take office again. 1t is susceptible of
proof that there never was in any country
single party that maintained its power 30
long and remained so free from corruption as
has this Republican party of these United
States. OF this we need no better or
stronger proof than the opposition Of the
Detective Press of New York. 1t Is very
evident that the corruption it alleges to
exist has not taken that direction. But
every one acquainted with the manage.
ment of that press, and especially its Wash
ington bureaus, knows that it is by no means
noted for its immaculate purity. II the
stealing and corruption were SO common
and palpable, what so natural as attempts
to hush the press with bribes Of Office or
spoils9 Has this been donef Has bribe
been offered event OF course not The
Detective Press would rejoice ct evidence