, 1876-03-30


! CANT Macauley the English histo-
! rian and essayist, says that the societ!
of England was always subject to virtu
GUS spasms after long seasons Of licenti
business; a kind of lenten season, il
which the then most prominent offender
were made the victims and scape-goat'
of the accumulated sins Of the people
as in case of Lord Byron, succeeding
the licentious reign of George the Sd
and the Regency Of tie Prince of Wales
The same thing is apparent to every in
teIligent observer, in our own social anC
political system. Every body now il
seized with virtuous spasm and atfec'
the greatest horror at the exposition oi
Belkpap's crime. All this is the veriesl
cant. No thinking person is deceived
by it. Belknap is no worse than he was
three or four years ago, and his crime
was as we'll known to hundreds of per-
sons in high social and political posi-
tions then as it is now. 1t is not whit
worse than Simon Cameron did in the
beginning of the war, IN sharing in the
profits of beef and other contracts fol
Army supplies. Cameron was permit
ted to resign, received a gentle rebuke
by Congressional resolution, and was
appointed to first class foreign mis-
sion. after which he was again elected to
the Senate by notorious bribery and was
made Chairman of the Committee on
Foreign Relations by tho removal OF
Charles Sumner. Belknap's crime is
no worse or more ,denoralizlng to the
public service than were the practices
of Delano and Harlan, by which they
each accumulated large fortunes through
the patronage and jobs they dispensed.
1t is no worse than the bribery by which
several of the most influential and high
ly respected Senators notoriously hold
their positions; notably and confessedly
the Senators from Nevada. and their
several predecessors. But We need not
multiply comparisons which are intermi-
nable. Belknap's crime is but the legiti-
mate and inevitable fruit of system
which has been growing upon the coun-
try for years, and we can but hope that
his fall is but the Inauguration of re-
formed public sentiment; that the vir-
tuous spasm will last until the system
becomes purified.
This system did not come in with the
present nor the two preceding Adminis-
trations. 1t is the growth of years.
Snobbery and jobbery have grown up
together and have gone hand in hand
till our social and political system is
by snobs who owe their posi-
ton to public jobs. So we have an aris-
tocracy of iron barors, cotton lords,
merchant princes and railroad kings,
who control legislation. direct the gov
ernment. monopolize the fruits Of toll,
degrade honest industry, aud have divid-
ed the country into two classes, the rich
and poor, a distinction which every year
becomes more marked and apparent. 1t
is the most od:ous aristocracy that ever
ruled in any coantry; unrestrained by
the pride of honorable ancestry, scorn-
ing the accessories of education, refne-
ment or general intelligence. depending
upon no noble quality of manhood
personal merit or public achievement for
success, but based solely upon tie su-
periority of trickery, chicanery and cor
aristocracy of successful
blacklegs.
This system, as we have said, did not
come in with the present ruling party.
It was crystalized under the motto
" To the victors belong the spoils. "
Official corruption came in just when
the rule was recognized that the emolu-
ments of public Office were the legiti-
mate rewards of party service; an un-
seemly scramble for spoils. That rule
has prevailed in every Administration
for thirty years. at least. and the present
exposition of official malfeasance is but
the natural result of the system. 1t ex-
poses nothing new, but simply opens the
secret chambers of the Government
to the public gaze.
We remember that during the Admis-
tration of Mr.. Pierce, three applicants
for an office. all of whom had equal
claims for party services, had their con-
test amicably adjusted by the ap-
pointing powers. by one receiving the
commission and the other two coal con-
tracts, the profits of which should equal
in amount the emoluments of the Office
in contest.
We remember, during the Admins
tration of Mr.. Buchanan, Cornelius
Wendall was public printer. When the
Lecompton bill was pending. the Presi-
dent sent tor Wendall and told him he
must have four more votec than they
could then count for the measure, and
he must procure them at whatever cost.
wendall procured the votes by purchase,
and the President ordered vouchers to
be issued to him for the amount as for
printing for the Executive Department.
The above are only two of many like
incidents which came within our knowl-
edge. just as criminally corrupt as any
thing which has been charged against
Belknap. We would not palate OF
shield Belknap from the consequences
of his crime. 1t is infamous, and de
serves all the punishment that the Law
awards it. But we would take this oc.
casion to denounce the system which
has led to his downfall.