Pioche daily record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1872-1876, 1876-03-18
THE WORK OF PARTISAN sHIP.

In the Home journal. kind OF
JENKINS " paper, published in New
York, we find An elaborate description Of
the Jewels and silks and satins owned by
the wives and daughters OF the shoddy-
ties at Washington. 1t is the love for
this display and publicity that leads so
many to ruin. This weakness was first
given especial prominence by the shod-
dyites, the contractors who became sud
denly rich through the misfortunes of
the country. Then men and their fami-
lies naturally affiliated with the mag
mates OF the various Indian, railroad,
public Improvement and treasury rings,
the members of which Wed with each
other in vulgar and ostentatious display
They thought fine feathers made fine
birds and so sought to don the most
CANDY and expensive plumage they could
find. They cared nothing about the
cost. They toilei not. neither did
they spin. They never earned the
money they lavished. They either stole
it outright or acquired it through some
corrupt and disreputable means that
would not bear the light. Riches &C
quired by such means is like money
won in gambling Eight come light go. }"
But by their display, their magnificent
equipages, their dress, their diamonds,
their entertainments. they became the
fashion. People did not stop to inquire
how they gained the funds to support
their heavy expenditure, the money was
there and that was as far rs inquiry
went. The result is what we see.
Riches became the sole test Of merit,
therefore to acquire riches, no matter by
what means, became every ones object.
The decentralization and disruption of
social political and official ties attending
the close OF the war. was peculiarly
favorable epoch for the propagation of
these perverted feelings and they spread
and spread inoculating official and the
ordinary pursuits of life with their virus,
until shame appeared to be utterly ex-
tinguished. The faint spread far and
wide, until it is believed to have
infected every branch of the govern
ment. Not department escaped.
1t has been found in Congress, the SEN
ate, the Cabinet, and even the Supreme
Court OF these United States has been
gravely suspected. The taunts, the
warnings and accusation of the press fell
dead and withou. effect. The aid OF par.
tisan feeling was invoked to blend the
masses, while the few were, il possible,
corrupted by sharing the spoil, or If they
refused to degrade themselves they were
denounced and if possible ruined. Find
ing themselves 30 powerful. these plum
derers grew holder and holder. The,
defed public opinion, and planned theil
swindling operations upon larger scale,
until at last they have been partially ex'
posed, because not an official TRANSACTION
could be examined without exhibiting
the indelible marks OF swindle. Now
that the reign Of these knaves appears
to have eliminated, all join in reproba
ton of the criminals and cry out for thei
punishment. That is all very well, bu
it is the partisan spirit which has rem
dered these villainies possible, and ha
SO far protected those who commit them
That spirit has connived at the wors
crimes, has permitted the stealing o
hundreds of millions, has rewarded in
stead Of furnishing the guilty, and ha
marred this glorious Centennial epocl
with the stain of digraceful crime affect
ing the highest in the land.