Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1875-07-28
not only because there is a reason

not only because there is a reason
able certainty that the presence
for the first time in a number of
years of Democratic majority in
the House will have the effect of
checking the extravaganza which
has been a marked feature of Re-
publican POLITICAL ascendency, but
because there is a necessity that
the national affairs be looked
into by men who have no personal
fear of the consequences of ex-
posture, and who cannot be fright
ened or cajoled into silence. HUI
initiating as the confession may
be, every good citizen, not absolut-
ly hide-bound in his partisanship,
must admit that corruption is al
together too definite quantity
in Republic. There is more than
suspicion that the Interior Depart
ment is infested with hungry hordes
of adventures who forage upon
the nation for their subsistence,
and their is not department. in
which there is not an appalling
laxity of administration. Giving
Messrs. Pierrepont, Jewell and
Bristow full credit for the best in
tentions, it is an unfortunate fact
that their influence with the Pres
ident is Insignificant, and they are
powerless to institute any reform
worthy of the name without his
active assistance. Perhaps they
do the best they can under the
circumstances, but that is little in
comparison with what might be
done if the nation had a Chief
Magistrate who took his chief de-
light in securing purity of ad-
ministration which would reflect
credit upon him and his advisers
instead of one whose highest aim
is to make things as comfortable
for himself as he can. Grant is
unquestionably the most inordin-
ately and basely selfish man who
has ever occupied the Presidential
chair in the United States. This
is proved by his many displays Of
selfish propensities since he came
before the public. His sharp prac-
tice in his real estate transaction
with Bowen; his INSCRIPTIONS sup
port and eager approval of the
salary steal by which his compen-
sation was doubled; his whining
complaint in a letter to General
Harry White of the sacrifices he
made in accepting the Presidency,
are only some of the more prom
inent illustrations of one of his
chief traits of character. A worse
trait even than his selfishness is
the obstinacy with which he clings
to and sustains men to whom he is
attached by friendly and POLITICAL
ties, so long as they bow admiring-
ly before him and acknowledge his
pre-eminence. This personal de-
votion would be an admirable quail
ity were it only exercised upon
worthy objects and were it only
called forth by the personal merit
of the recipient. But when we see
it most manifest in the cases of
such men as Casey, Packard, Boss
Sheppard, "Landaulet" Williams,
Tom Murphy, Orville Grant, Ben.
Butler, Sheats and others of that
stamp, we cannot but feel that it
is the very reverse of admirable.
Being the great dispenser of pub
lie patronage the President has
inspired the Republican party, and
its hosts of place-seekers, with fear.
That party, though it has had the
fullest opportunity since Grant be-
came President to correct the many
evils of which the people justly
complain, has never had the cour-
age to do it. The investigations
into which it has been forced have
only failed of being totally farcical
because the facts have been too
terrible to be entirely concealed
from public view, and corruptions
have only been exposed because
they were Of so gigantic a nature
that they could not be hid.
A Democratic House Of Repre-
sentatives win be far more eff
cient body to inquire into Repub-
lican wrong-doing than a Repub-
lican House would be. 1t will have
the great advantage Of not having
any shrinking fear Of the Pres