The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-04-22


This Is what the Grant organs call the
publication of the exposures which are
being made Of the utter rottenness Of this
Administration. Who supplies the mudg
Who supplies the foul and fstid material
which the Democratic and the Indepen-
dent press uncover from day to day ?
Who but the Republican party itself. Is
il better to let il lilo in reeking heap, or
TO rake II over and let in the sunlight and
the free air Of heaven that it may be puri-
ded2 We know the exposure is unpleas-
ant to the Republican party, and unpleas-
ant to everybody, but il is necessary for
tie moral health Of the Government which
is covered all over with gangrene. A
venal Radical press would gloze over the
facts and keep them from the public eye,
thus making itself the abettor and apollo
gist Of these rogues in high places. But
not SO with the Democratic press. 1t ex-
poses these coruptions that the country
may take the alarm and apply the correc-
tive before il be too late. The Radical
party is CALLED at these exposures so widely
published by an untrammelled press, and
vents its spleen by taunts Of "mud throw
ing Grant hates the press; Belknap
hates it, Babeock hates it, Murphy, Leet,
Stocking, Mcdonald, Joyce, Avery, Har-
rington, Whitley, Boss Shepherd, XII
boarne, Spencer, Morton, Blaine, Ed
munds, Harlan, Poland, Hamlin, Williams,
all hate ii with cordial hatred. Never
theless il is power in the land, and the
palladium Of our liberties.
The N. Y. Tribune recently gave place
to some judicious reflections upon this
subject. 1t says;
s'lt has become the fashion in the Admin
istration faction to denounee the press as
public evil, and attribute every blot upon the
character Of man in Office TO the malice or
tIiC lcthltcgAtds VI NtHtA anu uu3CIuDulQuS
editors. One might imagine, to hear the
speeches Of statesmen Of this class, that moth.
ing remained to insure the perpetual pros.
perity and happiness Of the country except
the determination ofmost of It's newspapers.
The Poland gag-law was passed under the
impulse Of this demonstration. For year
or so it was the habit, even of great many
tOlerably honest, well-meaning, but narrow
minded partisans, to denounce the press as
necessary evil Of free country, and to regret
that censorship could not be made consist
ent with our republican institutions But to-
day the situation is changed. People are be-
ginning TO remember that almost all the
crimes which have recently shocked the coun.
try were first Dissolved BY the newspapers.
The District frauds, the safe conspiracy, the
Belknap bribery, the Indian Ring swindles,
the Credit Mobilier operations, the Sanborn
scandals, the straw bids in the postal service,
the operations Of Gen. Schenck, were ali
brought to light by the press. But for the
press, Shepherd might still be pilingup wealth
in Washington and the Taxpayers going to
ruin, Jayne still mulcting the merchants, San
born taking toll on the revenue, Delano pre-
siding over beef contracts; Columbus Alexan-
der might be in jail, and Gen. Babcock, GOV.
cred with a military coat Of whitewash, open
ing letters in the Presidents ante.room.
The truth is, when the Legislative and Exc
eutive departments Of the Government ceased
70 watch over the purity Of tho public service,
the "detectiye press was forced, as the only
guardian of the peoples interests, to take up
the duty which they neglected. And if IN
the discharge of these unpleasant functions it
has run sometimes to extremes. has been
violent, abusive, vulgar, too ready to exag.
gerate and suspect. these are exeesses into
which the outrageous effrontery Of the thieves
i was attacking could hardly fail to drive it.
At any rate the country perceives that il has
done an essential service, and has ruined no.
body who did not richly deserve his fate.
We venture to predict that for the next year
railing. at the unbridled press will not be in
vogue