The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-08-12

plant to any section or class, and at the
same time, II is our interest and duty TO
give no sanction TO imaginary complaints
that have do real foundation. We hear
by far too much intemperate defamation
and ignorant and untruthful assertion,
calculated to prejudice the people of one
section against those of another, and men
of one calling against their fellow men Of
other callings as If the union of the
States we're an evil instead of blessing,
and the organization of society curse
to mankind and reproach to our Ma
ker
FEDERAL CORRUPTION.
There is another subject to which |
feel it my duty to call your attention,
though can notice it but briefly to-day,
for to discuss it asit deserves to be dis
cnssed would occupy time that belongs
to the speakers that are to follow me,and
that | am unwilling to do allude TO
the corruption that has prevailed in
government during the last fourteen
years, and which iswithout a parallel in
the history OF the Republic. In the out
set however, | wish to say that | am
very far from ascertMning that any party
that has ever held power in the country
was wholly free from corruption, or that,
on the contrary, any such party was
wholly and entirely dishonest, To make
the first assertion would be to contradict
the plainest facts OF history; to make the
latter would not only contradict history,
but would be IN insult upon popular
government. For it needs no deep in
insight into either history or philosophy
to convince us that if the great mass of
any people are thoroughly corrupt, they
are unfit to be depositaries of political
power. The truth is that the great body
of the eople of whatever party hate,
dishonesty, and although the exigencies
ofparty too frequently make them over
look it in their rulers they yet in their
hearts, condemn and detest it, But it is
not enough, my friends to condemn and
detest vice in our hearts. Whenever
party has brought disgrace upon the
country or entailed upon it serious loss
es by the misconduct of its officials, it is
the duty of the people to manifest their
sense ofthe injury and to set salutary
example by turning that party out of
power. Under such circumstances it
does not avail to say that the mass of the
party is innocent. That is undoubtedly
true, and no candid man disputes it.
But there is a great and overshadowing
public necessity an imperious demand
of public virtue, II wise and circumspeCt
regard for the future, that require the
people to exercise the only effective pow
er in their hands by making change
in their rulers Now, my fellow citizens.
| feel constrained to say that in my opin-
ion, such a necessity for the judgment and
action of the people now exists. Cor
ruption has existed and does exist to
degree that requires the corrective hand
Of the people. If had time | would |
pre- sent much proof of thisto to-day, tho
4 single day would scarcely suffice to
read a hundredth part of it. | cannot,
/ eretore at this time do more than al |
Jude to certain matters that have become |
100 notorious to need a reference to
proofs. Is there man here who has not |
heard of the Northern Pacific Railroad |
Company and the Credit Mobilier? Is
here one Of you who does not know, by |
sworn testimony taken by Congressional |
that by the frauds of these
principally ruled and govern
ed by certain members of Congress, the !
people of me United States are absolu-
ely certain to loose not less than $780,
100000? Has any one of you forgotten
hat over $435,000 were used by these |
to procure the passage of an
the railroad charter by |
he corparation of members of Congress |
an amendment that surrendered the !
most important rights of the Government |
md, in the end, entailed upon the peo-
Die the loss to which | have referred2 |
IS it .iecessary for me to produce the
proof, taken at the late session of Con-
,ress, that over 100000 were employed |
by the Pacitit Nail Steamship Company |
o procure from Congress an immense
public subsidy? Must read to you the |
testimony given before Senate commit
zee few years since to show that bribery |
If New York Custom House officers had |
became an established usage, or is it nee
,ssary to more than mention the prose-
,utions by the Government of merchants
treat and small, charged with defraud-
ng the revenue out of millions by SNUG |
ding or otherwise-not one of which |
rauds or offenses could have been COM
nitted had not Government officers as
listed in its commission? Have you not |
ieard ofthe practices of the whisky rings |
the Government out of untold |
mounts of taxes through the connivance |
md with the aid of purchased revenue
officials ? Must | do more than remind |
,ou that the official reports of RESPONSE
)le officers ofyour army and the state
nents of disinterested private citizens
lave clearly shown that, through the
practices of Indian agents and |
large numbers of Indians |
whom the Government is bound by |
reaty stipulatings to support have lately
)een on the very verge of starvation, and
he country thereby menaced with an
indian war? Is it not an indisputable
act that the appropriations for the In
lians and the Indian Bureau are annu-
lily about three millions more than they
we're in 1860, and that through the frauds
nd peculations of "Indian rings" in col
lsion with Government officials, mil
ions of this money are every year en-
'ezzled2 Have you not heard how
raud, bribery and corruption existed in
he Post Office Department, under the
cry nose, so to speak, ofthe Postmaster
ieneral himself-frauds and otfenses so
ross as to necessitate not only the dis
lissal of the detected officials, but also
heir criminal prosecution in the court Of
lstice? Have you not read of the fire.
uent thefts in the Treasury, from the
distraction of a trihing sum of fractional
urrency to larceny Of over forty thous-
nd dollars in lump? Need | do more
han refer to the long list of defaulters in
lmost every branch of the publicIservice
nd whose defalcations in the last four
cen years amount at the lowest compu-
alton, to millions Of dollars? Must
gain remind you that not even the De-
artment of Justice has been free from
amt, and, that, under the late Attorney
,anaral offipara Whosa HutV IL WAS to