New-York tribune., 1876-03-04
4 CRISLS.

The Republican party has reached the uCci-
siye crisis in its history. Within short time
it will either shake itself clear of the rascali-
ties which have disgraced it, or 90 down to
dishoDOr and defeat. The exposure OF Secre-
tlry Relknap, though but one more item in
the evidence which has been accumulating for
years, is the last link in chain which can be
broken only in one way. With other cumula-
tive proofs of shameless corruption, reckless
partlsanshp, and wantOn contempt for public
interests, it will surely convince the people
that the Republican party is unfit TO govern
the country, unless that party clears ITSELF
promptly and completely. Of all completely with
this Administration, and the foul creatures
who have gathered round it.
Republicans cannot afford to undeTrate the
significance of this event. Some individual in
any Administration may yield to temptation,
but public opinion has been making hat eX-
cuse very long and patiently for this Admins
tratiOn. When it was known that somebody
about the White House held scandalOus Tela-
tions with COrbin, that was passed as IN ex-
cepton, Somebody disgraced the party i'll the
Leet and Stocking affair, in tho selection OF
Casey and Murphy, in the sale of arms TO the
transactions of Boutwell,, Richardson, and
Akerman, in the SecOr business, and in the
Chorpenning claim; but these patient public
opinion called exceptions. AttOmey-Gcneral
Williams rode in q landaulet, but that
was an exception. Secretary Delano and
his son John caused shameful scandal,
bnt that was an exception. Secretary
Robson was accused, but men thought
that partisan hatred might have prompted the
accusation, and that if he was guilty that was
an exception. The District of Columbia was
Outrageously robbed, but when Shepherd was
appointed q Commissioner, and Safc-B Burglary
Harrington met tho President as a welcome
guest, men called these exceptions. Minister
Schenck drags the flag of the United states
through the cutters of London in order to
escape from British court but that was an
exception. Mcdonald went to Jail, deceased
but most trusted friend of the President was
named as a party in plundering conspiracy,
and the Presidents private secretary was in
dicted, and was saved from the penitentiary
only by the evidence of the President and a
most extraordinary order from the Attorney
General preventing evidence for the Govern
ment; but these, it was chaTitably said, wcIe
exceptions. Then the private secretary, thus
acquitted, visits the convict Mcdonald i'll his
cell and returns TO announce to the Senate
of the United States ga message from
" the President and even while these
words, from lips so long silent in
the prisoners dock, were yet echoing through
the Senate chamber, and Senators were crowd
ing to congratulate him upon escape from
States prison, IN another room of the Capitol
a witness was presenting, under oath and with
unanswerable documentary evidence, the proof
that the Secretary of War had for years been
selling Offices in his Department.
No, Repubicansl this will not he passed as
an exceptional case. Grantism has come to
Judgment at last. This infamous abuse of the
public service for personal and partisan gain
has borne its inevitable fruits. The stubborn
partisan may excuse and protest as he will.
In every State there are thousands of voters
whose minds are made up this day, beyond
possibility of change, to redeem the honor of
the American republic by such votes hereafter
that neither Grant nor any of his favorites,
nor any man who has impudently called our
civil service Z" the best the world ever saw"
nor any defender and apOlogist for this
most scandalous Administration, shall ever
again be able TO claim that he has
the American people behind him. De-
mocracy may be dangerous, true; but 1t is
not filthy with bribes and stealings. Against
disloyalty or reputation the people can pro-
tect themselves in many ways; against dis
honor they can protect themselves only by
trampling under foot every man who has par
ticipated in or excused that infamous system
of public service called Grantism. If the Re-
publican party cannot rid itself absolutely of
this taint and shame, no Republican candidate