Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-05-03
yafrhniar & NomraL
Investigation Oycrdonc.

investigations occur IN the Presidential year
The tendency is very strong to conduct them
in the interest Of partisan politics, and not
in the interest of truth and righteousness
Their object seems to be to kill off candi
dates for the Presidency rather than cxpost
aud punish fraud and corruption. The pub
lie is very rapidly losing all interest and
confidence in these political investigations
They are the source Of ISLANDERS and false
hoods, aud the stimulus to all manner OF
gross and mwarantable attacks upon hon
orable men.
There is altogether too little virtue in our
public men. The offices Of government have,
doubtless, been used by those who have &C
cupied them, in many eases, as convenient
means to advance selfish interests. There
has been wanting high standard Of official
integrity and honor. But the few who have
yielded to the temptation to dishonest use
of official privileges have subjected the many
to the suspicion Of corruption. Public con
fdence in official purity has given way to
distrust. And the most scandalous stories
about public men receive credence the mo
ment they are set aAoat The highest repu-
tation is 10 shield against calumny, and no
protection against suspicion Of wrong 1t
is true that men Of the highest station and
Of the most honorable character have been
found guilty Of shameful practices of receiv-
ing brides, Of using official position to en-
rich themselves. Of couniying with the rob
hers Of the treasury, Of disreputable stock
iobbng and gambling. The fact that the
Vice President and senators and Representa-
tive, aud others did sell their official infu-
ence. or receive brides for their votes, has
generated profound aud universal distrust
Of all public men, The strangest story
about any man. however high his position,
finds ready credence.
Under such circumstances il is exceed
ingly unfortunate that the investigations
which are going on at the national capital
should be so manifestly political and rarti-
san ia their character and objects There
is something melancholy in this opening the
ilood-gates Of universal SANDER. The result
must be the ultimate escape Of those who are
guilty by the unholy attempt TO smirch and
injure those who are innocent 1t paralyzes
the moral nerve Of the country, when the at
mosphere is filled with falsehood and scan
dial about its best men. 1t wcakens the pur-
pose to expose and punish the actually guilty,
when the actually innocent are continually
charged with high crimes and misdemeanors
The guilty hide themselves under the cloudo
lies which hangs over the pure and honora-
bic names that belong to our history.
The persistent attempts which are being
made to disgrace the names of the secretary
of the treasury and the secretary of the
navy, and an ex-speaker of the House Of
Representatives, 10y INSCRIPTIONS allegations
of fraud in their personal affairs and in the
administration of their trusts, is part of the
work Of political agents. No sooner is one
charge made and refuted than another takes
its place. Something dark and fatal to
character is always going to be exposed
The committee have got the scent of cor
ruption in high places" There are things
soon to be revealed that will surprise the
country" "Men that have never been sus-
pected will have the light thrown upon
them and their dishonor will be exposed.
Public scandal is feasting on its banquet of
great names, and is daily promised still
more startling aud terrible revelations for its
ghoulish entertainment Such are the init
nations, the telegraphic whispers, discredi.
table and destructive, which are sent out
from the committee room, all over the lard
The morbid sentiment Of the people fed to
safety ON official corruption, is promised to-
morrow. what to-day cannot giye-a still
more abundant supper of horrors.
Two effects are produced by this style of
investigation The first is to produce uni
yersal distrust OF our public men. The
people learn to suspect all men equally, and
many begin to despair OF goodness and right
eousness in politics, and retire from any con
Germ in public affairs They think that
there is no remedy for so much that is bad.
They give up the republic in their thoughts,
and wait for the end The second result is,
to satisfy many that all this talk about cor
rnption is mere political clap-trap. 1t is the
cry of wolf, when there is no wolf. 1t is the
device of partisanship. 1t is the baying Of
the hounds of political Islander, and it means
nothing at ALL And so their moral ideas are
confused. They are unable to discriminate
Everything is good alike. Those who are
guilty of dishonest things escape and go un-
punished under cover of the innocent per
sons who are charged falsely with wrong
Under such circumstances any reform be
comes impossible. The tendency of th,
civil service to greater corruption become.
more confirmed. These two results Away.
are accomplished in country where guilty
men escape Punishment aud disgrace, and
innocent and honorable men are continually
charged with gross wrong, as if they were
guilty. 1t will either produce in good men
despair OF the republic, or it will exalt the
bad men, aud leave no room in any honest
soul but for despair. Aperiod of corruption
in national life is always period of univer
sal Islander. Men react from the conviction
of general corruption TO the conviction of in
diyidual baseness. The universal belief
chrystalizes itselfn particular charges Thu.
universal Islander follows general wrong
Where the carcass Is, there the screaming
yultures gather. The air is filed with the
voices of i'll birds. And the only remedy !.
to expose and punish guilt wherever found
and to uphold honor and good fame against
all suspicion and scandal. To let the guilty
escape is a gross outrage on all the men
who are innocent. To defame an upright
man is equivalent TO honoring knave To
uphold iniquity is to discrown righteousness
ELECTION or DELEGATEs.-Th Massa
chusetts Republican State Convention met
in Boston on Wednesday of last week, and
made choice of Richard H. Dana, Jr., j. NJ
Forbes, +. r. lIoar and Paul A. Chadbourne
TO be delegates at large to the Republican
National Convention which is soon to be
held in Cincinnati TO decide who shall be
the Republican candidates for President aud
Nice-l'resident Of the United States. The
l. +.