The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-06-08

TIE MORAL OF TIE BLAINE BUSINESS
VIEWS OF A N0N-PARTISAN.-One OF the
most hopeful signs of the times is the evil
dent desire in the popular mind to clarity
the political atmosphere and to get rid OF
the faint of corruption that peryades it, and
which has been growing stronger from year
TO ycar" during the past ten years. This
effort to get back to the better principles OF
the earlier days of the republic, and to in
sist upon putting into high offices none but
men Of recognized probity and integrity,
shows that the moral sense Of the country is
still sound and that those who have sought
to pervcrt it for selfish ends arc in serious
danger of losing the confidence that has
heretofore been reposcd in them. Mr..
Blaine, with his sharp, shrewd apprecia-
ton OF the temper Of the public mind,
appreciates this, and the sensitiveness he
has displayed during the Investigation
of his bond transactions with corpo-
rations, as his letters show, subject to
the legislative action Of the very body Of
which he was member. indicates how
closely he watches the changes OF popular
sentiment and the necessity he feels OF
cleansing his skirts from all suspicion of
jobbcry. Although it may not be possible
to prove that the bonds sold to the Union
Pacific Company were his, Mr.. Blaine does
not deny that before and during his con-
gressional career, and even while he eXer-
cised immense influence as Speaker OF the
House, he was acting rs broker in stocks
and as an agent of railway and manufacture
ing corporations and contractors, and GER
tainly, in one instance, as one Of his letters
to Fisher shows, he suggested a point OF
order and made ruling thereon while
Sneaker which saved the Little Rock and
Fort Smith land bill. In this, as he writes to
Fisher, she did Caldwell great favor"
which he desired Caldwell should know. All
this and more Mr.. Blaine read before the
House ''with deep sense Of humiliation" as
he said, as well he might. There was Il
time when he and his party associates would
have met with 4 sheer and an air of easy ill.,
difference such an accusation as he now in
dignantly repels; or he would have silenced
the accused with u scornful word, OF by
casting stigma on his loyalty. Such tactics
avail no longer. There is spirit abroad
that demands a different order of things,
and that will have it, even though it be ne
cessary in obtaining it to thrust aside the
party leaders who do not come up to The
old standard. The reason why Bristow and
Tilden have risen so rapidly Of late in pub
lie estimation, although both are COMPARE
tively new to official life, is because they are
not only men OF recognized unblemished
reputation, but because each, in his
particular sphere OF action, has been
resolute in ferreting out and exposing
corrupt practices. no matter where or on
whom the exposure fell. 1t IS this keen
sense Of the prevalent Generalization among
politicians and ofice-holderS that has caused
among those whom Dir. Lincoln was accus-
toned to style "the plain people" that all
stinence from the polls, and that looSer adj
hesion to party, which are visible alike in
the Republican and the Democratic ranks;
and it is this popular rejection against Job
berry and corruption anywhere and every
where among men in public position which
gives reasonable hope that in the coming
presidential conventions the best man of
both parties will be put in nomination, and
certainly of those two the purcst, ablest,
and best ought to be chosen President
Baltimore Sun.