Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1875-10-06

CLEARFfELp Pa. Oct. I, 1875.
GENrLEMEN IL am In receipt Of
your letter of the 30th ultimo asking
my views on the present political CON
dition of the country, and on questions
ofreccnt origin relating to the currency,
&C., and have TO say, IN reply, that |
feel myself highly complimented by
your request, and shall comply with il,
to some extent, though fear that
views 80 hastily thrown together may
not prove specially interesting. Yoa
are quito right in concluding that my
Centennial duties will keep me out Of
the pending political campaign. This
letter will probably make up all the
part / shall have therein. Nn
This contest on the part of the Demo
Gratis is to be conducted in the interests
OF reform, and shall call your atten-
tim 10 lhc correction Of such OWLS rs
strike me- as most dangerous Amongst
these are inhdelity and corruption, in
the execution OF public trusts, the evi.
denccs of which have been developed
within n decade Of years to an extent
truly alarming In Encouragement OF
municipal corporations, the govern
ment OF States, the performance OF
trusts merely ministerial have these
evidences OF political Generalization
appeared, but no where 10 a more
stating degree than in the Congress
OF the United States, where the public
servants are clothed with large discre-
tlonary powers. The remedy for these
evils rests with the people, and the
people alone, and TO their intelligence
and patriotism we must look for meas
ures to preserve our elective and repre-
sentative system Of government Self
government is the American boast, and
1t is true that even the humblcst elec-
tor has the opportunity to impress his
will, in some measure upon the policy
OF the country If his representatives
act in good faith with him but where
the candidate promises one thing and
then, when he becomes representa-
tive, does another, the elector is cheated
out Of his right of sclfgovernmcnt I;
and when the representative, having
thus violated bis word and BETRAYED
bis constituen,s Ia, ,Lo ,sa ~ .x,rsor
d;parv and corrnn,;dn % ;ns,roncss enc
coeds in sa.,a;n;ni, h;sSsalc ;n ~ I Je
cen,;on then and 70 ihat ex,on, % o"r nv
hean,;c,l sys,o,n ~ so,s s ',a,.a,.', y m
comes delysive and erssdnIan, I, =
rather natural 70 hoas, y, ,ha ,,.,,n',a :
tive of ON clac,or ha, ,sa ~ M, psVs -,
foryet TINT its en;ovmen, i accaw' ,v'
nanied with ,,rova rssnons;h;l;t;os I
desire 70 innress nnoI ,p ,'on and mon
ali GOOD citizens sbat I, y no, npI,' %
vour rich, ~ cxcrc;sc M nro,.o,,o,;,s 49, y
but thai !, Il vonr dn,u 80 ia do sa ;.,oi
ligentlv and indenandcn,lv ond 90 far
as n vou lies IN anch mannor ~ 90 NO
mote fbo nnbl;c yood I am no,i,ppns
as cenerops In ny nature as ms, ,"ar
but in rho nreseni condi,;on ~ nmhI;c
morals I would excns. no mon drany
nartv far ;nsdsl;,v IN ,ha rsa ~ a ~
liz trust Ua wha aa;ns nonnIa to-, -
bv nrom;s;ng deIicence 6doi;,r ,rn
galitv md nnr;tv ;s ths ,nanage,,s,,,
81 acverrmar,ai aaa;rs and ,hao a0ar
wards, wnen ciotncu with official an-
thority, practices prodigality, corrup-
tion and usurpation, should be held to
have committed the objectionable po-
lltical sin and should thereafter be
denied not only public confidence and
favor but good social position. | tell
you, my fellow citizens, that in this
matter OF good faith and purity in the
performance Of public duties, you can
not be too rigid, The standared Of
morality and integrity cannot be placed
too high. Just in the measure you
indulge official short comings, do you
part with the very essence Of our re-
publican system. And nothing that
we have witnessed for decade or two
has had o more demoralizing influence
upon public affairs than the gracious
countenance and social, and official re-
cogn.tion extended to men who have
tarnishcd themselves from head TO foot
by the corrupt use Of official place.
Mon who merely croals about these
things, but never lift hand to correct
the evil, fall far short of their duty.
Those who desire to enjoy the blessings
OF our republican government must
recognize and perform the duties it
imposes upon them; unpleasant though
they may sometime prove TO be. They
must attend the polls and the primary
meetings of the people and see that
faithful and competent men are selected
for public trusts.
The Union League OF Philadelphia, at
a recent meeting did itself great honor
by rejecting from its party ticket the
names Of those believed to be corrupt,
and ] am sure we are all prond of our
excellent candidate for Governor, Judge
Pershing, for having put a heavy hand
on mon Of his own party who had been
convicted Of corruption in the exercise