The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-04-29

DAN TUCKER
\ Revolution.
The Nation, one of the most considerate
papers in the counuy-strongly republican,
but not ia a partisan sense, speaking OF the
Belknap case, closes with declaration thai
will astonish many. Men who comprehend
the logic of events will not disagree with the
Nations conclusions. 1t says:
"The reason why we are so unhappy Just
now, and so sad and Respondent about poll
tics in this hundredth year of the national
existence, is not that the state has more diff
Guilty than it ever had, or than any state has,
in finding men to serve it IN singleneSs of
heart, fearing God. As we had the honor TO
remark, when so many people were bleatlng
out conformation Of Buffers rascalltlss, be-
cause he had with a fleet and army held IN
unfOrtihed, conquered city IN sublectlOn, the
race of honest gentlemen, and gallant soldiers,
and honorable merchants, and faithful law
verS, and lust stewards is not dead IN the
United States, or dying. In fact we have no
doubt they form as large proportion OF the
population as they ever did, and resist temp
tatons by which the virtue of their fathers
was never tried But we have allowed sys-
TEN to be built up under our eyes which ac-
tually has all the marks Of having been framed
for the express purpose of preventing their
ever rendering the Government the service
either of their character or their skill. That
this system has not produced its natural re
suits sooner has been due simply to the TACT
that, down to the close of the war, series OF
accidents kept it under the control OF the ira
duons and usages of better time Pierce
and Buchanan, and Lincoln and Johnson all
had their faults as administrators, but they
were men who had sat at the feet OF teachers
in whom the original ideal OF tde government
was still strong; to whom Offices were stlll
trusts, and public opinion power to be
studied and COmprchcnded; who felt bound
by custom which they had no thought of
resisting 10 Surround themselves in the high
places of the government by conspicuous,
tried and experienced men.
"1he crisis came when an ignorant soldier,
coarse IN his tastes and blunt IN his perccp-
tions, fond Of money and material enjoyment
and Of low company, was put IN the l'reSluen-
ual chair We blame nobody for this, and
nobody was blamablc. The party did the
best il could under the circumstances, but his
real character rs q civilian began to appear
very early in his administration. 1t was full
ly revealed when be received his second
nomination, and on the day he received 1t
the republican party assumed the response
bility for him and his followers. which IS to-
day covering it with intamy. But the point
to which we wish to cali attention Il, mat he
and his friends, bold as they are, could not
have wrought 4 title Of the mischief they
have wrought had they been compelled 10
DISCHARGE their duties through a properly or
ganIzcd, disciplined, aud honorable corps OF
civil servants Instead Of this they found
themselves at the head Of herd OF function
aries 20 whom the idea Of duty to the country,
as the consideration of their wages, IS never
presented directly or indirectly, from the
day Of their appointment 10 that OF Their DIS
missal, and on whose honor and devotion no
more call Is made than on those Of band Of
robbers. The President when he took the
Office began 10 do what members Of congress
have been doing FIR forty ycars-use the ap-
poinmentS IN his gift for the benefit OF his
personal friends; and the personal friend,
began 10 make money ont Of the Offices be-
! cause they naturally presumed that he could
hardly have considered the simple bestOwal
Ici small salary much Of favor. When
charges began to be made against them, too,
! he received the charges not as superior
officer responsible for the enforcement OF
! discipline, but as member OF congress
would receive charges against one OF the best
workers IN MS ClstLiC'-n0t, III snort, as q!
magistrate, but rs pal FROM leVying oil
assessments for political purposes on meageF
pay to the selling OF Offices Is a snort Siep,
which ordinary human nature makes readily;
and Belknap Is suffering for having made 1t,
not because he IS worse than others, but be.
cause he is in higher place. In other words
he is the most conspicuous victim OF rotten
system which is gradually running puoIlc lie
and pablo men, and converting our govern
ment into a robbers cave. Belknap IS Gone ;
but the system remains and as long as 1t re
mans more BelknapS will appear.
I'VE have beca warning the readers OF this
journal for seven years that to This complex
1t would come at last; that the regime under
which we were living was so coarse ana We.
nal that it must end in some tremendous
catastrophe that would cover us with shame
and fill Hs with despair; that the southern
"outragcs' were but blind set up by thieves
to throw the police off the scent, and that the
great enemies OF free government in this