The Daily clarion., 1876-03-09
The Republican Party RESPONSE
ublesfor fhe Acts of ifs Agents.


elects an administration is always held
responsible for the acts of its agents, and
has always admitted the responsibility.
The changes that have been brought about
from time to time by popular edict have
been effected through the operation OF
this rule. The elder Adams went out of
power and gave place to Jefferson by vlr-
the of it. The Democratic party sus-
tanned defeat under Van Buren, be-
cause it was held responsible for the de-
faIcations of Swartwont and other noto-
rious malefactors They had put them
in office, and who but they were accoun-
table for the manner in which they de-
ported themselves? In the cases Of
Belknap, Robson, Schenck, Babcock,
Mcdonald, Joyce and other malefactors,
who can be held responsible if not the party
which gave them the trusts they have
abused Who elected Grant? The
Republican party. Who appointed
Belknap and the other wrong doers that
have converted the national admins tra-
ton into a den of thieves? Surely no
one with grain of common sense will
say that the Democratic party is respon-
sible. The culprits were but the tools
and accomplices of the principal, which
is the Republican party and that party
is now ON trial. To show that we are
not taking mere partisan view of the
subject, we submit the following extracts
from the independent press which pre-
sents the case without fear, favor or
affection, in its true light:
New York Herald.
There can be no reasonable doubt that
not only the administration but the whole
republican party must share the deeper and
more damning disgrace which has now
fallen upon Belknap. Ii is impossible for
''all of us" to shirk it without denial of
that party responsibility which is essential
to the success of the republican in
stitutions. Ii is the accepted rule of our
politics that the party in power Is answer
able for the conduct of the men it puts in
oflice-a rule which is never disputed eX-
cept in some astounding emergency like
the present, when the thick-and-thin or
gans of a disgraced party try to limit re-
sponsibilty to the individual offenders.
Party responsibility does not mitigate in
dividual guilt, but the public security re-
quires that both personal and party obliga-
tions be rigdly enforced If the doctrine
were accepted that only individual officers
are answerable for their personal crimes we
should lose the chief guarantee of honest
government under republican institutions.
IL is the nature of free institutions, where
government is possible only through
the agency of political parties, to put
the successful party under bonds tor
the good behavior Of all its members
whom it elects or appoints to office
The public security requires that each
political party be held reponsble for the
conduct of its members in office; and
party justly :orieits power when the Off
GERS whose character it guaranteed by elect
ing or appointing them disgrace themselves
and it by scandalous malversation. 1t does
not answer at all to pretend that their ''iso-
lated acts" and 'ndividual weakness en-
tail no consequences which reach beyond
themselves.
In the present shocking case, which fills
the whole country with disgust and indig-
nation, the blame, to be sure lies primarily
upon Secretary Belknap, bat it is justly
shared by President Grant and by the party
which gave political bonds for the purity
OF President Grants administration 1t is
preposterous to whine about the injustice of
other people suffering for crimes not their
own when il lies in the very nature of fire.
government that political party stands in
the relation OF bondsmen for the officers it
puts In power, and that the condition of the
guarantee is political forfeiture if the Off
GERS fail in their duty. 1t remains for the
people of the United States to declare, by
the regular method of elections, that the
republican party has justly incurred this
forfeiture
lt VIII not do to make scapegoat of Bel
KNAPP, nor even of President Grant The
Republican party is responsible for both of
them, and for the multitude of other Off
GERS VINO have abused their trust and dis
graced their country. ,e.r
N. Y. Tribune.
NO, Republicans! this will not be passed
as an exceptional case. Grantism has come
10 Judgment at last. This infamous abuse
OF the public service for personal and par
tlsan gain has borne its inevitable fruits.
Inc stubborn partisan may excuse and pre-
test as he will. In every State there are
thousands OF voters whose minds are made
up this day, beyond possibility of change.
10 redeem the honor of the American
republic by such votes hereafter that
neither Grant nor any of his favorites, nor
any man who has mpudently called our
ciVil service 1.-THE best the world ever saw. y