Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-03-23
An independent Opinien.


An independent Opini.n.
The New York Herald, profess
ed light Of independent journalism,
referring to the Belknap exposure,
says:
"Democrats see In all this only the
calamity Of their opponents. aud re.
ioice over the national shame because
q seems to open the way for their
accession TO power; for the public
treasury hes been shut against them
these many years and their states
men are poor. But, III the country
must choose between the horde OF
thieves who are In office, because
they helped to save the nation from
The rebels, and those rebels from
whom they helped to save IL, We pre-
fer tile thieves. No remedy for the
evils from which we suffer could well
be worse than that Of handing this
country over To party that Is only
the fsg end of the c0nfederacy; That
believes Andersonville was modern
Garden OF Eden and regards JEFF.
DAVIS as martyr and patriot.
That i. not remedy that the peo-
pie will accept, and they will not
consent tn remain In the hands Of the
thieves either. All the disclosure g.,
hose scandal we now deplore, will
create public opinion to which the
platform-mDngers and iill.tarpers II
e!ther side must give way, and wfich
put In power men Of character
4 capacity, Of whom the country
~ plenty, and Will sweep into
sobscurity every man contaminated
by the possession Of otfice-holdipg
and oiIice-hunting conspiracles, cali
cd the Republican party and the
Democratic party
The Davenport Gazefte, comment.
ing upon the above, shows the ali.
rur lily OF concluding that because n
few men holding high Office have
,roveB corrupt, all the Oiljce-holders
,f.tbe dominant party arc horde Of
thieves. 1t says:
Tie people Of this country have
been learning political Lessons many
and rapidly within few years. TO
turn tbese lessons to practical and
beneficial account they will very
shortly be called upon, the auadren-
uial year OF political activities now
dawniug. That we have fallen upon
evil times Ii net 10 be gainsayed
that the scandalous corruptions
among public men of NIL parties
which, have been Haunted III the faces
of the people have aroused ipdigna-
tiOo, and TO n certain extent weaken
ed public confidence, IL true. Are
the people disposed now 10 profit by
what has been learned? The dispo-
stiOD OF the partizan agitaior Is TO
turn ail happenings to party account,
a. though IL were Of far more mo-
moment to retain iii power or 10 re-
store to prestige lost al organization
Of this or that name, than to elevate
and dignity the nation, and 10 put
it on n plane Of prosperity and pow
er. We are OF the honest opinion
that the greatest help toward accom-
pishment Of these ends Is party or
ganiztion, after all. A party Is an
aggregation OF sentiment and belief,
itthese be right, then does IL make
little odds by what name the organ
ization be known. But the care Of
thuse who make up this organization
u To see TINT the people be properly
rrpresented; that office be bestowed
upon the nleritorious; that the offices
belonging 10 the people be not mere.
~ placed to be- squabbled for. The
lesson learned IA that the people
must be more diligent IN the exercise
4 their functions rs choosers; that
hey do not delegate their powers
ilonghtIessly or carclessly to mere
ring minister's of canctises and eonven-
fi0'Is. II 10 bs the proper thing for
u man tn be diligent In his own busi-
ners, that he may be prosperous, II
II no less proper for him To be dill.
gent and watchful In the business
which concerns the prosperity and
welfare of the State. The two are
correlative and dependent. Scoun-
dreis must be driven from office I'M
der whatever garb or Disguise they
may have reached positions of trust.
But Ia say that because this man or
that Was the member ofa particular
party, therefore those who compose
that party ARE sharrrs Of his guilt, Is
M insult to sound judgment.
i,ecaure Benedict Arnold betrayed
the cause Of American freedom,
therefore ought the world to have
condemned the ColOni,ts? Because
Judas Iscariot betrayed Christ, and
Peter disowned him thrice, therefore
ought men to have abandoned Chris
iianity? The principles OF the Re-
publican party need neither explana.
Ion nor apology; the fruits OF Its
Victories on the field and I'm the
councils OF the nation are seen In the
united and emancipated country Of
to-day. Millions who entered Its
rauks ut its organization ARE there
to-day, perhaps no better nor
worse men now than then.
Millions who cnnntenancea or
fought for the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF
ths Union, and have end 'avored
=, embarrass every step toward
II consolidation and perpetua-
tlon Oh right foundations, are DEM
s,rrat- now ms they have always been;
perhaps no better, and 1t Is to be
noDtu no worse men IA patriots than