The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1876-04-20
THEP:oPLE's Responsibility.

The corruption In high places, OF
which General Belknap's case furnish
es the latest and most startling illustra-
ton, is very justly regarded as ma
national disgrace. II our Belknaps and
Babcocks, and Schencks and Shepards,
were merely isolated individuals, whose
misdeeds could be charged only to them
selves. their disgrace in high places
would still reflect a shadow upon the
national good name.
Unluckily they are not alone response
BILE. and the country most share, direct
ly rs well as by reflection, in their dis
honor. The vice of extravagaut and os-
tentatious living which affects men as
we'll as women, the exaltati0n of the
mere possession Of wealth into virtue
and sort of patent nobility-these
things Of which we mourn had their birth,
are not confined to q few men and wo-
men at tho capital. The cora 1t men in
high places represent with unfortunate
fidelity vast constituency throughout
the country. They are the fruits OF nox-
ious seed long ago sown. and tenderiy
nourished. The elder Adams, looking
about him vt the time when the colonies
were devising measnres Of defence
against the dangers that threatened them
from over the sea, wrote to his wife that
he saw greater danger in tho growing
extravagance Of the colonists themselves,
in dress and living, than in anything the
British Ministry could do, andso look
ing back 10 the time Of the late war when
the easy possibility Of growing rich bred
An undue respect for the display BY
which alone suddenly acquired wealth
could be made manifest, we may see
wherein our present condition had its
birth. When the war ended we broke
faith IS nation and people; we triAed
with : solemn pecuniary obligation; We
refused to do what we hsd promised in
the matter Of redeeming our currency
as speedily as possible; we made dis
honesty legal and reputable: we fed the
fever of speculations and bred An aris-
tocracy OF mere wealth, into which there
was strong temptation for every man to
climb by the shortest ladder.
For all this We are to blame AZ a peo-
pie. and we may not excuse ourselves
while denouncing the culprits who prac-
ed the lesson taught, and through whose
exposure we have been covered with
shame
We made other mistakes. too. that
have helped to work this i'll. Under the
insanity OF our administration tor mill
tary services, we rewarded soldier for
his achievements not merely BY the prop
er gift OF military promotion. but also By
the very improper one OF high civil SER
vice. We chose soldier to rule over
Us, not because we deemed him fit, but
because We were grateful for his mill
tary service. We treated the Preslden-
cy as perquisite and thoughtlessly gave
it to General Grant as = gratuitv tor
faithful service. and he. initiating our
example. proceeded straightway to dis
pose Of the civil Offices within his gin
upon precisely the same principle. He
gave Offices away IS rewards for services
done to himself or his party. and with
scarcely any reference to the fitness Of
the men to whom he had given them.
He SURF unded himself with his camp
followers. and they have surrounded
him with corruption which at lask filla
the whole land. Tho fank belongs nOl
altogether 70 him OF = them. We VIA
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