The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-03-15
The End OF the Old Regime.

The Republican party owes Its sixteen
years lease Of power to the influence of a
single set of ideas, growing out of the
issues raised by the war, which have long
survived the occasion in which they were
either useful or powerful. Naturally the
character and policy of the government
while under Its control bears the impress
of these ideas, and, is not I'M
common occurrence, the vices and
abuses growing out Of them
have not only endured. but vastly in
crossed In number and prominence, while
such characters as were good, or at least
suited to the time at which the party came
into power, have declined and disappeared.
One of these vicious ideas whose decad-
ence is the most hopeful sign of the pres
ent situation is that Of personal govern
ment, an outgrowth of the notions of
military and irresponsible power'which
prevailed during the war. Its want of
harmony with the spirit of our insti.u.
TOPS is made conspicuous as the
war spirit dies out, and its doom
is sealed. Another direct and natural out
come of the same period, so fruitful in evil
results, and one that brings with 1t a whole
train Of kindred abuses, is the spirit OF
useless expenditure and luxurious living,
OF private extravaganza and public ostenta-
ton which is 80 prominent and, in view OF
the results to which 1t leads, so disgrace
full feature in American lie. This vice,
like the other, owes its origin to the war
The enormous fortunes rapidly accumu-
lated, the rash speculations fos.ered, and
the opportunities for official plum
der afforded by the magnitude OF the
governmental operations going on, all
combined to raise luxury and osteutation
to hight never before ssen in this coun-
try. Confined at first to private indi-
viduals, this extravaganza finally spread
to public and official life, where it
has been the exciting cause OF the
hameful, dishonest and corrupt prsc-
tices of whoss existence the nation
is now becoming fully aware.
Personal rule and undemocratic extrava-
gance, Grantism and corruption, which
now form the chief practice of the party In
power, whatever may be its professed
~ACcos cAO ~" shOA Anot JOoA va
supremacy. With their final rejectment
by an outraged nation, the party will find
its Waterloo defeat, and the national re-
sentiment will be especially severe against
the men who have risen to Leadership
in the party by the advocacy
and practice of the vices which
have rendered it infamous. President
Grant will go out of Office amid execra-
lions as unanimous as TIE plsudits which
greeted his military successes, and of the
candidates before the Republican conven-
ton, all are tainted with some
thing OF he same Vicious ideas which have
made his administration a reproach to the
nation. This is most true of Senator
Morton. From the time he governed In
diana with the demesnor and on the prin-
ciples of military chief till now, when
his dearest wish Is to keep the South, now
ten years in peace, under the strong
hand of military despotism, he has
been the most consistent and
powerful friend OF personal government.
and recent developments go far to show that
he has not wholly escaped contamination
by the other prevailing vice of Republican
party rule. 1t is safe prophecy that In the
grand wreck Of personal and political ior-
tunes which will surely follow upon the
now certain Republican defeat of next No
vember, no fall will be more sudden and
completes and more meriled than that of
Oliver p. Morton.
II devolvad upon a Democratic House