The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1876-04-05
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-: and punish the Offend

has been q very difficult one. Most
Of tho acts ofcorruption committed
in tho different departments of the
government which the several conf
lnittees of tho house woro OK
pected to expose and take meas
nres topdnish, were of very long
standing, and the roguos had pretty
effectually covered up their tracks.
Tho difficulty of tho task has boon
still further augmented by the fact
that many Of those who supported
tho democratic candidates in the last
election were by no means hearty
in their support of tho political
principles of the party for whose
representatives thoy voted, III
preference to those Of their own
party. The misgoyornmcnt of the
radicals had 30 disgustod tho masses
that they wore determined upon n
change, even if it worked tempo
l"ry supremacy Of their political
opponents. Many, therefore, in
decd almost all, of tho disaifocted
republicans who voted tho demo
cratic tickot in 1874, looked for
ward to tho action of tho majority
in tho lowor houso of congress with
moro Of doubt than of confidence.
Besides this difficulty of their
peculiar situation, tho democrats
i'll tho house found themselves con.
frontod with tnsk, tho obstacle 8
attending tho accomplishment cf
which woro many, and doubtless
seemed to increase constantly rs
tho work Of investigation proceeded.
Tho army of onicc-holdcrs. backed
by tho powers ut Washington,
seemed to bid defiance to the sever,
al investigating committees, and
the pross Of tho opposition, the
so-callcd independent almost
equally with the outspokcn radical.
throw many obstacles in the way.
Not that they opposed invcstiga
ton: that would hlyc been Il
positive confession Of weakness
for tho republican party, nnl
would have exposed them anI The
party to the suspicion Of conniving
at the misdcods of public officials.
But they have cndcvorcd to draw
off tho public mind from the greu.
OWLS which tho democratic hous.
have aimed to correct, by eagerly
catching Mt some mistake, whethc.
OF policy or Of legislation, com,
mittcd by the house Of representa-
tivcs through the vrtes of tn,
majority. Notwithstanding thcs,
drawbacks, the house, under tn,
guidance and control of the demo
cratic majority, has steadily pursue,
the course Of inquiry with which
it started out, and has brought t..
light many things that might other
wise have been concealed for wear.
and perhaps forever. The corrup:
transaction Of tho late secretary O;
war, Mr.. Bclknap, in connection
with the post-tratlcrship sod t,
Mr. Marsh, though enough t,
disgrace the war department an,
show Bclknap to be utterly I'm
worthy Of the high place no held
vas by no means III isolated cas-,
1t has been shown by the tcstimon>
If more than one Trustworthy
witness that the cx-sccro'ar>
w1s frequently guilty of selling
his official patronage. 1t is
idle, therefore, to point to the Marsl
case rs an isolated one or as pro
ducol by IL peculiar state OF circum
stances it was only one of hume,
oES instances in which Bclkna,
betrayed his trust and sold his Off
"il integrity for dollars and cents.
Nor is the w"r department alone il
being tho sphere in which corrupt
officials like Bclknap have dcfraudct;
The government. The navy depart
mcnt and the several branches @;
tho civil service, NIL bear strong evi.
dcncc Of dishonest transactions
Those will doubtless be brought t.
light before very long, and the
people may then SEQ for themselves
what manner Of government thcy
have had under republican admin
istration. Whatever may bo said
by opposing partisans, concerning
the now house, it is simple folly to
attempt to ignore the fact that much
good has bon dono to the entire
country by tag investigations already
perfected and those still in progress.
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