The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1876-03-16
What Shall be Done J.?


conservative paper of the west, in con-
templating the shocking corruption that
pervades the national government. 1t
draws a terrible picture, in which it de-
clares that at would be difficult to imag-
inc more piteous spectacle than that now
presented in this country-a numerous,
prosperous and mighty people discovering
that their national government is being
transformed into a conspiracy of criminals
robbing the people without mercy, squan-
dering the public revenues in excuses,
poisoning the processes Of justice, perve. t.
ing the very laws of the land into agen-
cies OF robbery and plumber, Furnishing
honest men for being honest, rewarding
and protecting dishonest officials for be-
ing dishonest, and SO successfully defying
public opinion that the public mind is well
nigh brought to the point where it must
choose between despair and revelation.
Let il not be said that we use unwarrant-
able language in saying the national gov
eminent itself IS becoming debased into
fraternity of crime. 1t is grievous thing
to say; but what have we seen What
do we see? And what are we yet to see
1t were needless inf1iction to 90 over the
weary record OF our shame but we NAV
at least recall a few OF its distinguishing
features We have seen collector of in
ternal revenue removed from office for
making known to the government in 1873
the frauds that an honest secretary of the
treasury is prosecuting in 1876 We have
seen vulgar knave (McDonald) forcing
high officers at Washington and elsewhere
to tremble and submit to his wishes by
threatening them with the power of the
president. And if this be not enough, we
have seen tour members of the executive
family (Atty Gen. Williams, Secretary of
the Interior Delano, Internal Revenue
Commissioner Douglas and Secretary of
War Belknap) and scores of subordinate
federal officials reluctantly forced to re-
sign, either in confessed disgrace or I'M
der suspicious that bring grave discredit
on their names.
Is it any wonder that when the country
recalls the rapid succession of scandals,
each more foul and enormous than the
last, which it has had to see and hear in
the last five years, it lives in constant
dread of what it may be compelled to see
and hear next? Over this hideous group
OF national disgraces that constitute almost
our whole national history since 1868,
there hangs the constant threat of some
new and worse thing yet to come We do
not know what it may be; we do not like
to conjecture what it may be. But there
Is an oppressive sense that the richest pla-
cers-if we may use the term-of this foul
social and official rottenness have not vet
been uncovered. Discovery follows swift
on the heels of discovery, each disclosing
viler views Of our condition than the last,
and, in our despair, we know not wheth-
er to drop our hands helplessly at our side
and let things take their course, or apply
some terrible remedy to an evil that re-
sists all ordinary remedial agencies. The
subject is not merely disheartenins; it is
alarming. If the offenders were few, and
the offences accidental we might meet
the difficulty with a stern exhibition Of
aroused public spirits. But when the Of
tenders are scores of public men, and the
offences gives signs of being general
contagion: when, in short, we begin to
fear that presidents, vice presidents, cabi-
nets, congresses, and whole departments
and bureaus, have accepted gifts and pres
ents to blind their eyes, and that the adj
ministraton of the government is warped
and distorted by bribery-the trouble is
beyond the reach of such soft influences
as public spirit.
And yet, something must be done. 1t is
hard to say what that something ought to
be; bat it is plain to see that the present
tendency of public life at Washington
must be utterly reversed, even though the
process calls for some violent and convul-
sive exertion Of the popular will. The
whole country must act. Our public men
unfortunately, are not equal to the task :;
indeed there are too many of our public
men who will have to be victims rather
than leaders of the remedial movement :;
it is they who are disgracing the country.
What is done must be done by the people,
and their own virtuous and patriotic in
stincts must be their teacher.
Blaine Not Master of the House.
The republican organs of this state. who
are necessarily and loudly blowing the
horn for Mr.. Blaine, endeavor to impress
the public with belief that the represen-
tative of the Kennebec district is a man
so powerful and potent that no one on the
floor of the House dare cross swords with
him in debate. Partly to show how fall
lacious is this idea, we copy portion of
the report of debates in the Honse last