The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1876-02-25
Official Corruption.
From the Sherman tTexas) Register.l

From the Sherman fTexas) Register.l
Prior to the war the personal hon
esty of those in power was a matter
OF moral certainty, and not as now, a
subject of speculation, doubt and
suspicion. Then, the novelty OF mis-
conduct, whether proceeding from
moral or mental weakness, became
more than a nine days wonder, and
men of all politics discussed the
scandal as a national calamity.
Then, political parties conteDded
intelligently over questions of state
polity, and battled for supremacy to
save the government from what they
deemed the injurious craftsmanship
of their political opponents. From
the administration of Washington
down to that OF Lincoln, the only
issues raised were those of policy,
and the old party slogans-forming
compendium of our political his
tory-are suggestive OF nothing hut
questions of state. No alliance with
France in her European wars; de-
NAL of Great Britain's claim to
search American shipping for deser-
tiers, leading to the war Of 1912. Free
trade; IA ional banks; tariffs; pro-
lection to home industries; squatter
and popular sovereignty; Missouri
compromise. War with Mexico;
slavery; state rights; Lecompton
constitution, etc.
Then wise and lofty men, posses
sing the nObler aud purer attributes
of magnificent manhood, strove with
generous ambition to serve their
country for their country's good, and
to write upon the national annals
the wisdom and prosperity OF their
administrations.
How is it with the government
to daya We defy any man to ilIus
trate by historical precedent par
allel to the stolid and shameless pros
titution of place aud power to per
sonal greed and avarice that charac
terizes the present administration OF
Our public affairs. The govern
ment appears to have fallen into tht
hands OF thieves, whose noblest con
ception of duty is "divisionn and
''silence.'
| From the man who disgraces the
White House to the humblest mes
senger of the departments, the ab
s0rbing purpose seems to make the
most that can be made out of thu
use or abuse of the power inciden
to the various Offices. The needy
adventures appointed to Office to
! day, are the gaudy millionaires o
to morrow. When the bOldness O
theft threatens detection, the Office
has only the cry, 'help me, Cassius
or [ sink" to receive the cOlnpli
mentary assurance that the presi
dent, at last, land it is the last CON
pliment that any one could receive,
has confidence in his personal integ
rity. Every newspaper We pick al
records some official corruption
Kleptomania seems to be the onl,
marked characteristic of many Q
our prominent officials. OF cours
We speak generally, and from th
! conviction produced by almost dali.
exposures OF corruption and dishon
esty in high places. There seem
, to be something in modern polite
, that is demoralizing to the persona
integrity of those who occupy til
most responsible positions.
, 1t is hardly to he supposed tina
we have attained that state of nation
al bankruptcy, either in morals or i
treasury which beralds the declin
of states, yet the rapid growth, b
which we have acquired such broa
I dimensions and such great strength
t may have been at the expense &
} that healthful vitality more fri
quently found in compact bodies
, whether physical OF political.
does seem, however, that we hav
reached that stage of official CORFU
ton which marked the decline Q
Rome.