The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-10-07
The Republican Party.

| It can not be denied that the large mass OF
ali parties are honest, and in the main de-
sire the we'll being and prosperity of the
| country. But the curse of parties, and of
| the country, 10 dishonest, selfish and incom-
petent leaders. In our form of government
these men have the same legal right to as
pire to office as other men, and being un-
scrupulous, they very often push them
selves forward, secure the places OF power
and influence, and thus perpetuate their
official relations and become recognized as
leaders. Such men, with selfish ambition
and mercenary motives, seek their own good
at whatever cost to the party that elected
them and TO the country at large.
These reckless and selfish men, when they
have power to shape the policies of their
party. and dictate the deliversnces that test
party fidelity, sooner or later bring the
party that follow them into discord and
ruin.
The Republican party has been singulsrly
unfortunate in suffering the bad elements
of craftsmanship that have been found in
its ranks to hold power aud becomel DOM
inant. In this we see the true reason of its
overthrow. No party ever before in this
country has been so unfortunately afflicted.
The party could not have lived very long,
even with good and safe principles to guide
its political action, under the leadership OF
such men, and when this incubus was
added to political principles, born
of emergencies and the passions
and prejudices of men, the great wonder is
that the party has not died sooner. Other
parties in this country have ceased to exist,
and for a time suffered temporary defeat,
but never before has a party given such
clear intimations of decay from the inherent
corruption of its leaders. But for the per-
sonal integrity of Mr.. Lincoln himself, the
very first administration would have sunk
the party into merited oblivion, aud each
succeeding term the leaders of the party
have been becoming worse and worse. To
prove thia, az il is not the purpose OF this
article to indulge in empty declaration, it is
only necessary to make retrospective sur
vey from a few points of observation.
For the first time in the history of the coun-
try, as general thing, those in government
employ, and especially members of Con-
gress, have become immensely rich. In
former years, with the immese acres of the
West to dispose of, sfording an opportunity
for congressional legislation that would be
an irresistible temptation to the average
Republican congressman of the last dozen
years, no such schemes for personal gain
were ever heard OF, as the gigantic subsidies
that mark. every step OF Republican
legislation. The word ring, with its
present accepted meaning, has been
coined to fifty denominate the
maneuvers OF Republican lobby legis-
Iation. The question of late years has
been asked, concerning almost every meas
ure proposed, what is there at the botto M
oil the dill? aud though not always discov-
cred at once, sooner or later some ring so
cured slice from the public treasury. To
have been Republican congressman dur
ing the past ten or twelve years is almost
Synonymous with being millionaire. To
this there are honorable exceptions. but
every body knows that the general rule has
been that the rings we're open, and that the
rule of addition, division and silence"
measured the opportunities that nearly all
embraced OF casting their votes
where they would do the most
good. Gold rings, whisky rings,
cotton rings, custom-house rings, Alaska
and st. Domingo rings, mail contract rings,
claim rings. patent Office rings, Indian rings,
railroad subsidy ring=, back-sslary rings,
Credit Mobilier rings, nickel rings, Seneca
sandstone rings, Sanborn contract rings,
drawback custom riBgs, and thousand
other methods of wrestling money from the
treasury. have marked every period of the
| legislative history of the Republican party.
ID no single article could there be enum-
Grated even by name the catalogue OF these
infamous rascalities by which congressman
and their lobby friends have become rich.
Then there would still remain the long list
OF defalcations, entertainments, brides, gifts,
straw-bid contracts, and Washington City
swindles, Southern claims, reconstruction
ies islaslop, W .l.cA ulii.40as u 5oEds End