The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-06-27
CORRUPTION IN AMERICA.
Our Republic Defended by a
Celebrated Englishman.
INTERESTING "REMINISCENCES
Professor Goodwin Smith on Republican
Institutions.

Professor Goodwin Smith writes tho following able and
interesting letter 70 tho editor OF tho London Advsr
User, OF Ontario. ono Of The leading Journals Of
Canada:-
s,s-l have just been witnessing political phenom-
enon. about which good deal has been SAID and writ
tsn here, and from which sinister differences have
been, ! think. Incorrectly drawn. mean the move.
msat against corruption tho United States. Public
alarm and excitement there have mounted almost 10
the height OF panic l think this may be said with
truth when such charge as that against Mr. Kerr can
nnd credcnce, or even be seriously entertained for
moment Mr. Kerr stood high every respect he
might well have aspired and probably did aspire, 70
seriously charged with having sold himself and all his
prospects market overt Tor the Of $3.50. door.
keeper OF the House being employed A. The agent OF tho
Transaction
THE rorIsH rLor.n
One u almost reminded OF tho extra, agant suspicious
which prevailed amid the cruel frenzy OF the Popish
Plot But panic is the only source exaegcraiion
The evil spirit OF party Is nerccly excited BY the Pres
Dental election and partsans striving 90 mount 70
power W the usual stepping stone pile OF slaughtered
regulations The arstocratic press IN England, Of
course, revels In thcsc disclosures; echoes sober
truln widest TRADES OF alarm craftsmanship and
points tho welcome moral against popular govern
mcnt
ooRRurrrox ~ ENGLAND
Was government In Engiand pure while the arstoc-
racy regned without check and was ~ liberty " show
ms real nasurc' Members OF Parliament were
sooss over : STALL and :, one time Tue
Speaker Of the House OF Commons the
principal agent In the tralo Lord Butte, the iavore
OF George ILL.,, carried the dlsgraceiul treaty which
cancelled Chathaln's victories through Parliament
by sneer dint OF money Il said tha. in one day he
issued f25 900 10 the order 0f hts agents he raised
government loan by private subscription among his
adbersnts on such terms IN effect 10 distribute
among them, at strike, ESQ 900 oil pubic money
George Ill. hImAc spent the money voted Tor the
vice OF the Grown on electoral corruption, and called
IL giving golden pulls II Is needless to 20 back 10
earlier times, when than two hundred members
OF the .pcnsloned Parliament" believed be
the pay OF tue government, and when pecrages were
sham ecssy solo, he price being sometimes entered in
the books OF tho Exchcquer. This was aristocratic
corruptioni It's coarsest !orm But the government
disposed besides Of OF patronage,
which was employed wholly for the purpose OF pur-
chasing political support.
CORRUPTION IN rHK cHUAcH.
II WAS commpn TO see the clerical member OF 4
family whh owned rotten borough in the enjoyment
OF couple OF canonries, OF two or three bcnelces
with care OF sous, the iilhes OF which he drew u
NONRESIDENT AS 10 the administration OF Ireland
during the same period IT corruption and nothing
else; the governments hal other means carrying
its measures The Union carried through the Irish
Parliament ny wholesale bribery OF legsiss ors OF
which Lord Corvallis man OF honor compelled TO
do The work of ntamy, speaks with utter disgust ami
which into the shade the worst American rcvca-
tons Nor did the reign OF corruption at Dublin ter
inmate, greatly abate, when the Parliament OF
Ireland hal been abolished. Sir Arthur Wellesley, As
Irish Secretary found his task pretty much the same
that OF administrators before the Union. II was
during his tenure Of office II remember rightly, that
stem the tide OF dsaiicctIon by stealing the gold pro-
vided for the collars of the Order OF ST Patrick ana
replacing Is with copper.
Yet from this corruption tho British government
emerged, when, by the Reform bill OF 1882 voice n
the management OF their own AFFAIRS and veto
abuses were conceded 10 the people Little OF II now
remains. except the employment Of titles rewards
Us Inc % e %
sttuencies which they seek to represent IN Para-
mont Let US not forget that corruption has many
shapes. and assume the refined form oil duca,
onct oil munhcent subscription OF . sumptuous
entertainment, well the OF roll OF
dirty grecnbacks allotment OF paid.up stock.
Macaulay observes with TRUTH that English corruption
tho OF times exclusively political; u did
not extend 10 the judiciary which renamed upright
TO commerce, which remained sound The important
question always 10 whether the malady Is general or
local; whether IL pervades the body OF the poo
Is that in the United States the chiel scat Of
tho owl which exists 10 among the politicians, and
that tho national character generally, though not
without defects, sound. II may be airy said tEat
the Is the In Canada also; and that among
the politicians with thor Pacific Railway scandals
and big pushcs arc not samples OF the NATIONAL charac
ter, but an exceptional class II It were there
would be little hope for our country.
REPUBLICAN HONESTY
Go not to tho lobby ~ Washington, to the gold
ut New York, but TO any country town farming
district IN the United States mpgIe with the mcr-
which testhes the general presence oil steady IN
dustry; the moral and religious habits OF the people,
their respect Tor law their political nteIligcnce Their
and institutions have borne the tremendous STRAIN
OF the greatest CIVIL war IL history You will probably
come, like other observers, 70 the conclusion that,
great arc the evils upon the snriae Of Ameri-
can society, and. urgently they call for dras
tic remedies, lest IN course Of time they should
Republic 10 sound below, aud that the work OF tho
reormer, though arduous, IS full OF hope We Can
surely DO glad 10 believe that Il so, and
that doomed to have great Of poi,ti-
cal corruption scattering injection ~ our side.
TIM RELKxAr CASH.
which the Of ALL traceable q special cause
apart from anything IN tho general character OF the
American people. Living IN socicty ~ Washington has
become yer. expensive, mainly II said owing 10 The
unrestraucd extravaganza or the women; while the
remain on the republican scale. The Secretary
was tempted through his wife. Wider inIcrenccs
can hardly be drawn IRON this AFFAIR than from the az
fair Lord Melville or the recent OF Lord
wcsbury, both Of which were instances OF Individual
public life. The morals to which tho Belknap case
points the equalization OF Official salaries 10 ncccs-
pcndture Itself 10 reasonable level It's said that the
discipline OF those hard times dong something
bring about the latter par, Of the reform
now TO cuRE CORRUPTION
Another lesson taught BY ths Belknap case, alike
with regard the United States and this country
Is the cxpedency Of training clear sharp law against
available tribunal for the punishment OF the offence.
Pubic theft ought 10 be punishable by reader
than that Of pompous and ccmbrous Impeachment.
Tho robbcr OF the siate bught to stand IN the
dock wilh the common th to have the same Jus
The par. or trustees we're a one time becoming very
common IN England. and IL Was dinicult " bring tho
criminals 10 justice owing TO the want OF specuc law.
A specnc law with sharp teeth was passed; Sir John
Paul and Mr.. Slraohan were sentenced under penal
scrvisude and the most saiutary eject produced
Political Official corruption crime perfectly capA-
bic OF legal definition. and one which demands the
promps attention Of legislatures on Doth sides OF the
Ina Depend upon Il, when a politician who
has betrayed his public trust Tor money
by selling hts vote or an appointment
. charter 10 In prison on
HE road penal servtude the rest VI them will
n be tired OF the game Al present there Is
doubt the minds Of many people whether corrup-
ton crime only slight and rather amiablc IN.
nrmity one criminal conviction would settle that
doubt for ever
HALLWAY
Railway corporatous again, with thsir unscrupulous
cupidy aud their Earring interests have been special
enemies 70 legislative integrity IN every country
winch the system o Tree trade In railways has pre-
vailed The British Parliament ~ allowed BY all 70
generally pure yet us integrity was severely shaken
during The years Of the railway The House
OF Lords was just IS bsa the House Of Commons;
u tacs, formed one great r,ng which exacted from
railways tribute under IN. name Of compensation
every member Of the House who TO prop
crty line and who chose TO a opposition.
Tho Parliamentary expenses Of tho London and
Brighton Railway were SIS 600 per MILE and II the