The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-01-12
High Treason.

use mild and tropical language to express
ideas. The word, Investigation, now heard
about the halls of congress and throughout
the land, Is one of the terms used designating
an inquiry into things that are supposed to
be irregular or dishonest. The language thus
used covers up, measursbly, ideas OF i'm
morality which, il expressed in plain words,
would arouse and alarm the people and
move them to really apprehend the public
danger that besets the state. Crooked
whisky and sinuous spirits are substituted
for forgery and robbery, and the people
quietly look on and say that things ought
to be investigate It is unnecessary to say
that this is an alarming condition of things
If rightly spprehended. There is something
terribly deprsved in the public morals when
public thievery goes on unmolested by the
righteous indignation of an outraged peo-
pie. But this is the exact situation to-day.
There is an impression upon the minds of
the people of all parties that the
sworn servants of the state, the
administrators of the law, are venal
and corrupt, aud that they are violstors of
the law, and not set to become representa-
tives of the law for the punishment Of evil
doors a the praise of them that do we'll.
This impression has foundation, not in the
clamor of party prejudice, but in vice and
immoi atty too evident to be denied. The
| lack of opportunity is the only reason that
saves the whole civil service of our country
from this suspicion.
This Is q serious charge, If true, for it
argues the downfall of the Republic. When
the people are Indifferent to the character of
the rulers. then the rulers will become in
different to the intereats of the people. Here
is where the fault lies in the present politi-
cal and moral situation. The people do not
care and the stealing goes on. Party preju-
dice is stronger than a hatred of vice. A case
in point in our own community illustrates
this. sworn officer of the city govern
ment violates his oath OF Office, takes advan-
tsge of the opportunity his official
position gives him, and embezzles
the funds of the city. But the party he
represents is endangered by calling thief q
thief and the foul crime is slurred over, and
influential papers condone the outrage upon
public morality by sttributing fa'ss motives
TO those who would punish the guilty.
| If we take wider view, and consider
the state at large, and then signalize the
public disapprobation of the chief msgis-
trate OF the nation as weighed in the balance
and found wanting, we have another ex-
ample. There is no honest way of reliev-
ing Mr.. Grant from the odium that attaches
to his administration as vensl and corrupt.
Rascality has gone on from year TO year as
the result of his own acts. keeping men in
power and positions of trust who are not
faithful to their responsibilities, While this
is known, and true beyond all shadow OF
controversy, yet after an eight years trial
which commenced bad and has got worse
every month since, there are those who
would rejoice in the perpetustion of the dy-
nasty for a third term of presidential
Office. Nay, there are those who
shut their eyes, and from positions of emf
hence and responsibility, say in effect, let
the stealing go on. ..I
| The Sentinel sffirms that this is moral
treason to the state: it is high treason, and
more dangerous to the perpstuity OF thu re-
public than leveling arms against the state.
Considering the state as a personality, IL
6liHDly OlbSuS ~ W uOft III OJ SAJW 0OSAOOSt
rather than a resort to sudden decspitation.
A state may be overtime Sn in day by
revolutioa, but of corruption it only dies
by slow degrees, aud none the less certain
is the death on account of the delay. In
ternal corruption is infinitely W orse politi'
cal disease than open, manly revolution
even il it IN its end couvicts the agents Ct
being mere rebels. The one leaves the ma
ton torn and bleeding, the other leaves il
rotten and purifying. There is hope o
recuperation, OF staunching the wounds, o
binding up the broken limbs, but In TIT
: other case there must only be burying Of
the carcass out OF sight.
i A deprsved nation is the saddest specta
Gle in the history of ages. Under the
moral government of the world, wheI
the unrighteous rule the people sui
! fer. 1t has been demonstrated agar
and sgaip that, inasmuch as the PEG
,, pie may determine who their leaders shall
be, they do actually suffer for the crimes o
those in power. The offense of Presiden
Grant and his hordes of official plunderer
would not be so pernicIous and would no
be 40 great II the influence and evil thereo
would end simply in a pillaged treasury
bankrupt people. But the wound is deeper
1t vitiates public morality, and brings pub
lie calamity. The history of all nation
falling and falling through internal corrup
. ton attests the correctness of these views.
Never before in the history of our countr
have we had such reasons for serious alarm
as at present. Never before has publ
} opinion been 80 pronounced against an &C
ministration Is corrupt. The facts are to