New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-03-09

vhether the American Union as it then
.tood sbould be severed. Had secession
succeeded VI suppose that the republican
form of Union would have perished. The
devotion of its soldiers and sages. the
sacrifices which they made to maintain
the principles advocated by them, gives
reason to believe that these principles
would not have persisted of the earth.
The form of government and the principle
of administration was preserved by the
result of the war, and the sovereignty Of
the whole people so forms the unalterable
autonomy Of the Union.
The sturdy oak which the storms can
not bend may be, however, silently sapped
by the corruption of the vermin which
hide in its interior. These insects obey
the law of their kind. They employ tho
vitality of the tree to fatten, and they cut
away its substance for refuge and repudia-
ton. The republican government, which
resisted the storms of war, and whose
framework was tested and consolidated by
the shock and storm of the conflict, comes
now to encounter . test far more formida-
bic. It is the combined and continuous
operations of . cowardly and sordid cor
ruption, which breads the integrity and
mocks at the simplicity of self-govern-
ment. The increased number Of officials
and the extraordinary fiscal credit which
the valor of the Union soldiers has
created has given enhanced attraction to
this great issue. There is no
conceivable influence which can
be brought to bear upon the
ambition, the ~ayarice, the passion or the
weakness of man that is not employed in
the deception or seduction Of those who
have the control Of this vast national
magazine of pay and patronage. At last
it has eliminated in the exposure and
arrest of some principal offenders. We
are proud to say that the Republican
party promptly demanded the proper in
quiry and prosecution Of the Republican
Secretary Of War.
The chairman Of the House committee
Of investigation reported ''such unques-
toned evidence of the malfeasance in
Office by General W. W. Belknap, then
Secretary of War" as to justify his i'm
for high crimes and INSIDE
meanors while in Office, and the appoint
ment Of a committee of five managers to
conduct this impeachment before the Sem
,te. Upon the question Of Impeachment the
acted with promptitude and
decision. They proved that the imputed
,ffense was abhorent to their nature.
They displayed q just indignation that
,ase men should for their own gain Sc
luce the trusts of the Republican party,
md throw upon that party the response
,ility Of having to defend a crime which
he whole American people denounce as
I~npardonable.
MI. Hoar (Republican) of Massacau-
etts, said:
No person can be more DESTROYS to punish
ny public officer found guilty of a crime
Ike this charged upon the late Secretary
War. than the Republican members Of
bis House.
Mr.. Danford (Republican>-
l desire to say that it is my hope there
NIL not be q single vote on this side of the
louise against these resolutions. Let US
cal with this man in such a manner as to
zach all persons who in the future may &C.
apy such high and exalted position, that
wifi punishment follows in the wake of
ach IN outrage as he has inflicted upon
be people OF this country.
And the same speaker, thus Indignantly &,
enounced the betrayal of political trust
8 an exaggeration of the offense in Re-
ublican eyes j
l do not agree, sir, that the conduct of :
,is officer 1.-THE Secretary of War; is q Iegi-
mate .outgrowth of the principles Of the l
1.-THE Democratic) eide. No; the shame
'hich he has brought upon the country is
q outrage upon the political party ,chich he
|. part represented IN the Cabinet of the ,
This is precisely as we would suppose any y
,epublican would feel who, to an abhor- I
'nce of crime, added a just anger against
ny n base enough to sell the good .
anne of the party for money.
This crisis is upon the American people.
is to determine whether the ship which (
braved the storms of a century shall Z
} to the bottom at her centennial anchor L
to the bottom, not from the shot Z
enemy nor surrender of friends, but t
om the ignoble and ignominious destruc- v
On wrought by the vermin which gnaw '
n timbers and the worms which honey b
NIB her hull. Ii
We know the Republicans will meet this a
isis. We know that in following the meta B
Tor the ship will be locked or hove down, Il
stripped, sheathed, strengthened Il
d copper-fastened. She is not going to p
g bottom at her centennial anchorage. e
1t she. But her carpenters will be Re-
lblican, and her officers will be Repub-
ans. Those who have been guilty of
Or want Of vigilance will be 4
but when she goes again upon :"
. sea of another century she will be y
fitted, and found for the voyage -
tn a Republican commodore upon the . :.
and a Republican crew to -
at to quarters. =.
BELKNAP'S ACCUSERS. q
1t is generally believed that certain p
of money have hoor ra;d m t1o fir