Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1875-04-01

rality and humanity. Notwithstanding
| this, as.soon as it had rewards to dis.
tribute and patronage to bestow il at
tracted from the other party many knaves
| and rascals, men without principle, and
bent only upon schemes of plumber and
ACKNOWLEDGMENT The majority of
| this class came out of the Democratic
| party, and were skilled in their nefarious
| practices through long experience in its
ranks while it was in power, and, now
that the Democratic party is coming in
to power, and they have no further OPP
| portunity to plumber under Republican
cover, they will gravitate back to their
original surroundings. The Republican
party has passed through terrible
ordeal 1t has been tried in the
furnace of civil war. 1t has not
only had to conduct this war
and establish the relations of sub.
jugated States to the National Govern
ment and of race emancipated from
| the servitude of two centuries to their
| masters upon terms Of civil and social
| equality, but it has had TO suffer from
| the national decentralization and the low
standard of public morals which always
result from great wars and enormous
military expenditures. That it should
have suffered during this time from the
selfish misconduct of bad and unprinci-
pied men is not remarkable. During
the past two years it has been investi-
eating these abuses upon the demand of
the people, and it has done it promptly
and pretty thoroughly, although it has
had to suffer still more in consequence
thereof. Rather than conceal these
abuses which have crept in, it has
dragged them TO the light, and suffered
loss of confidence in consequence. 1t
has, however, the compensation of hay
ing purified its ranks, Of having ostra-
cized the corruptionists and of having
swept and garnished its house. What
it has failed to do is trifling as compared
with what it has done. The dark spots
in its escutcheon are small as compared
with the brightness and glory of its rec
ord. 1t saved the Republic, emancipated
the slave and made freeman of him.
If it had done nothing more it would
still be entitled to the everlasting graft.
tube of all lovers of humanity and liber-
ty.
What does this Democratic hue and
cry of investigation amount to-? The
New York Times pointedly remarks
"The last time the Democratic party
went out of power it left behind it, as
the result of its long rule, a plundered
country, Government handed over Sc
cretly to traitors, and devastating war
The mistakes, the follies--even the Jobs
committed under the rule of the Re-
publican party are venial indeed in com
parison with these crimes This is
true, and it is statement which is too
frequently overlooked. When the Dem
ocratic party went out of power it
would not bear investigation one-tenth
as well as the Republican party will
now. Should it remain in power during
the next fifteen years it will be still less
able to bear an investigation, even if
this period should be period of peace,
as now appears probable. In the natural
order of events its scandals will be
greater than those which have attached
TO the Republican party, because its fol-
| lowing embraces the great bulk of
| the most ignorant and corrupt ele
ments in every community. 1t is Il
party which has not been in
the habit of making investigations of the
| conduct of its leaders and oilice-holders,
and ii will not commence now. When
Congress meets in the rush and scram-
BILE for spoils, intensified by the long alb
sence from the public crib, there will be
neither time nor disposition for investi-
cations. The purpose for which this
| cutlery OF investigation was made, name
| ly, the success of the Democracy at the
| polls, has been satisfied. We shall hear
no more of it. This has already been
SHOWN in the Reform" ~ Legislatures.
| We were to have investigations and cor
rectons of abuses in Ohio, illinois, In
| diana, Wisconsin, New York and Penn
| sylvania when the Reiormers came into
| power, bat in not one of these States has
| IA single investigation discovered thing.
| The people of these States have already
| found out the humbug and fraud OF this
| Democratic protestation of reform. They
| will find still more of it when n Demo
cratic Congress comes into session, and,
| after tfiItering away two sessions, re
| forms nothing. -ChicGg0 Tribune.