The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-08-15
NEW YORK AUG. 10, 1879

NEW YORK AUG. 10, 1879
The closing hours of the session of Congress
seem to be divided between business and poll
tics, with preponderance of the latter The
temptation to turn everything to party account
is stroug, and neither Republicans nor Demo-
Gratis can entirely resist it. The House has
done the most of this sort of thing,
and it must beconfessed not very creditably nor
wisely. If any capital has been made by the
Investigation" mania it is because people
have become so crazed by the incessant clamor
in respect to public affairs which is rife all over
the land, and not because any evidence has
been adduced tending to diminish popular con-
fidence in the integrity and efficiency of the
officers Of state who are comprehended under
the title of the administration.
The simple fact is that the nearer one gets to
the seat of government-ths more he sees of
the motives, impulses and conduct of men in
power the better will be his opinion of the stan
dard of probity which prevails at the national
capital. Those who are at distance and know
nothing whatever about such matters except
what they read in partisan prints-which Is a
great deal worse than knowing nothing at all
must perforce, be imbued with the idea that o
majority of the servants of the Republic are an
irredeemably 'bad lot, consequently we hear
lamentations long and loud over the degeneracy
and baseness Of the civil service and importu-
nate cries for its reformation. Much Of this
screeching of course is hollow and pretsntious,
got up by knaves for selfish purposes. The
greatest charlatans and most unscrupulous ad-
venturers in the country are vociferating with
marvellous power of lung and wind for ''Re-
form. But there are also considerable num-
Der of honest and well meaning voters who
really believe that we are living in an epoch of
exceptional wrong doing and vsnality.
They read so in the newspapers and they
take it for granted it Is true. They cannot i'm
agine there are fellows with types and presses
at their command who would testify falsely in
such matter and they are not such clever
logicians as to reason out the propesi-
tion-reasonable as 1t is-that it is far
more likely that a given number OF
irresponsible publcists would lie than
that the average of gentlemen who have stood
in such good repute with their fellow citizens
as to have been selected to fill important trusts
would be mean enough to steal. Lacking this
laOulby " PCuCuatOh buCy aAO ktOooiJ I'LL
posed upon, and this coarse, brutal and msnda-
cious allegation of widespread corruption and
moralization--although unsustalned by q
single atom Of proofs banded about from
lip to lip till it becomes saw, and pollutes the
moral atmosphere with its slanderous ef1uvis.
AS long as the Presidential campaign is in
progress this pestilence Of false accusation will
pursue its noxious course. Nothing can stay it.
The only question is how far its ravages can be
hindered by the pure medicament OF truth. The
issue which the November election will settle
is, how far the American people can be deluded
by cant, imposture and humbug. Nobody will
pretend that there are enough or nearly enough
of the old-fashioned simon-pure, slavery
loving, negotiating, secesson-sympathzing,
mancipstion-denouncing Democrats to carry
3 majority of the electoral college. They have
got to win, if they win at all, by caj0ling o
sufficient number of wel-intentioned but cred-
ulous and weak minded folxs who rather make
a merit of their ircapacity to have any de-
eide d opinions, into eking out the necessary
additional support they require. These are the
allies they are dallying with. They ply them
with the rankest fatteries and fool them with
plment their vacuity by calling it indspend-
ence, and promise them reform 10 unlimited
quantities and CT the very best quality.
If so transparent fraud should happen to
succeed there would be new force in the phrase
'the fools are not all dead yet" But it is per-
fectly plain that the Democrats do not place
any limit upon the gullibilty of that anomal-
Gus item In the body polite the independent
voter. However, some allowance has to be
made for the desperation of the emergency.
No triumph is possible to them unless they
achieve ii by artifce and strategy. They have
shown in other ways besides their somewhat
pronounced contempt for the intelligence of
the "fence" men that they are ready to resort
to the boldest devices for the chance of victory.
The letters of acceptance tinkered, altered,
tuned up and toned down, planed and shaved
like pieces of joiner work-for hard money In
| some spots and against it in others-suncep-
| tible of any construction which it might be
advisable to put upon them-elaborated with
| what was meant to be skill, and certainly was
| anxious care-and recited at q full dress re-
hearsal with the foot lights turned on before the
| curtain was rung up, brings US down to kind
l OF political manoeuvering better adapted to the
boards of the ward committee room than to
the stage of theatre with a nation for it,
critic and the world for an audience 1t is pre-
cisely in this declenson Of the dignity which
ought to pertain to everything connected with
craftsmanship that spirit Of degeneracy Is
observable. Offices so exalted as those of
President and Vice President lose much of
their consequence when they fall as prizes
| upon those who eagerly seek them. And
surely SO manifest an instance OF persistent
effort first to secure the nomination, and next
to trim sail so as to catch every breeze OF pop
ular favor during the canvass, is an innovation
by no means creditable to American pride.
To the honor of the Republican party, its
Presidential nominations have always been
conferred uusought. 1t has shown Its appre-
citation of the greatness of the Executive sta
tion by adhering to the theory that "the ofice
should seek the m an, not the man the Office.
And when its standard bearers have been
selected they have obeyed the canons Of mod.
ssty and good taste by refrainin2 from the
slightest art or effort to influence the judgment
Of the electors in respect to their free choice.
Any deviation from this manifestly decorous
course deserves rebuke at the polls.
YARMOUTH.
L
The Present Duty.
The following letter was written by prom.
inen: citizen of York county who at one time
| was coupted on to helm the Democracv alact .