National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1876-04-17
ARE WE NOT THE GREATEST AND THE
FREEsT NATION ON THE GLOBE. :.

We hear these indisputable facts loudly
uttered, day by day, and even in the House
of Representatives. Nobody has the te-
merity to express even qualified dissent
We have created high-sounding military
titles, promoted officers for distinguished
service to fill them, limited the duration Of
these grades to the lifetime of the occu-
pants, ana then, with mesnness that has
no sense of shame, reduce the pay of these
distinguished grades nearly one-half The
representative" of the American people
now, at least, have no appreciation of the
distinguished services of the General and
Lieutenant General Of our armies" but
sense of shame must come to every citi-
zen who still appreciates that the country
has had its perils, and able men who faced
them at the head of our armies. Would it
not be well for the House of Representa-
tives to lessen the titles with the pay? 1t
would at least relieve these distinguished
officers from any effort to support titles
when the pay was meanly taken from
them. Certainly the British Government
will not rob the commander. in chief who
conquered at Magdals, nor the more recent
one who invaded the interior Of A RIGA and
conquered horde Of negroes. Their re-
wards were titles and emoluments to sup
port them, for two short, effective cam
paigns.
How is it with us? The generals. col
onels and distinguished civilians of the
Southern Confederacy" now, as poll
ticians in Congress. with other Northern
politicians there also control the appro-
priations of the country, and are endesv-
oripg, with might and main, to make
every one appear odious who fought our
battles or aided to maintain the integrity
of the nation. By Investigation" for
the purpose solely of Misrepresentation,
they hope to attain their ends. An unde-
nisble proof of this assertion is found In
the appointment of committee to investi-
gate the "Washington real estate pool"
and the proceedings relating thereto.
Let it be borne in mind that no COM
plant is made by any one Of fraud; that
whatever this pool bought snd sold was so
honestly done that nobody alleges being
wronged by if; but an Investigation"
presupposes wrong, and to work they 60,
ordering business man 10 produce his
papers. deeds, etc. and deliver them over
to irresponsible parties. In vain he makes
oath that neither officer of the General or
of the city Government has connection
with it, nor that Jay Cooke & Co. have no
interest in it. No, these clean handed
men, these honest Representatives of the
people" must look into the private affairs
of an individual for the sole purpose of
perversion. The citizen who refuses to
bring his books, disarrange, and perhaps,
through loss Of papers. imperil his private
affairs, has iusulted the dignity" and
privilege" Of the House, when the COM
mIttee do not even inform him of what
wrong they wish to inquire into. The
jail, and nothing but the Jail, will serve to
impress the ''recusant witness" Gin rels-
ton to what offenseO and the American
people how devotedly their "Representa-
tives" are pursuing abuses! Are we not
the greatest and the freest nation on the
globe