Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-05-11
TIE DEMOCRATIC OPPORTUNITY.

The refusal OF o 10 allow
original documents to be taken
from the departments by investl-
eating committees is another evil
dence that he sympathizes with the
wrong-doers he has gathered about
him. The rule he processes to have
discovered suits his purposes, but it
has not been observed strictly here
tofore. Old politicians and Con-
gressmen remember that when the
famous Oovode investigation was
going on many years ago public
records were hauled to the COM
mittee rooms by the wagon load.
No wonder old Zach Chandler got
into a rage, and declared, in his
choicest style, that he would see the
ID rebel House in hell before
he would furnish a scratch of a pen
from the Interior Department to
aid the committee in their inyesti-
cations. He would like to see
that House anywhere, except
where it is. The leaders of
the Republican party profess
to be in favor of investigation, but
secretly despise it and throw every
possible obstacle in the way. They
smile at Democratic zeal in unearth-
ing fraud, but it is the forced smile
of the stoical Indian roasting at
the stake. The true policy Of the
Democratic party is to follow up
the advantages gained, expose and
punish corruption wherever it ex-
lists and insist upon a return to an
honest and economical administra-
ton of public affairs. The country
is well aware that the damnable
frauds about Washington would
not have been unearthed without
the election Of this Confederate"
House. On the contrary, everything
of the sort would have been covered
up and the whitewash brush freely
applied. 1t has been demonstrated,
at q terrible cost to the people,
that the Republican party is in
capable Of reform within itself.
Grants last term afforded a fair
test, and was an utter failure. In
stead Of reforming abuses it per-
mitted those already planted to
grow all powerful. A reformer in
the party is looked on as a traitor
Bristow made an unexpected de.
velopment of strength and boldly
pushed the cherished friends of the
President, the very men who made
him presents, drank wine with him
and rode with him in carriagee-
drove them to the wall, and some
Of them over the walls o.
the penitentiary. When i
came Babcock's turn the whole
force and energized ingenuity an(
power Of the administration wa
exerted to save him, and he barrel,
escaped conviction, and was a
guilty as Mcdonald or Joyce
Bristow is feared and hated b.
his party, and those enthusi
astic admirers of his hereabout
who are pledging themselves t
vote for him, off he is a Republi
can" need not trouble themselves
He stands just as much chance a
st. Louis as at Cincinnati, aud non
at either place. The party expect
to succeed by an appeal to war an
sectional prejudices, and a rigorou
application Of the party lash. Son
man of the Blaine or Morton striI
is likely to be nominated. Gee;
sionally an honest, fair-minded R,
publican ventures to speak OIL
boldly like the ex-Union officer
Michigan mentioned in the la
Harper's Weekly, who said: 81
the country has to be ruled b
rebels or thieves, l prefer rebI
rule;" but such as these will /
brow-beaten and their voic,
drowned by partisan clamor.
the people are not aroused fro
the moral lethargy that followo
the war sufficiently to demal
and enforce a thorough refor
in public affairs we may
well admit to the world that t
Republic has entered upon a peri
of premature decadence correspor
ing to the dry-rot in physical thin
A spasmodic effort will not accoI
plish what is required. The evils
be remedied are too d~eep-seated, a.
mill raouira long and careful fire,