The New Orleans Democrat., 1876-05-31
orr CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE.


OUR CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE.
This committee has no ordinary task
committed to their charge. IL IL the
common conviction of the honest people
of the whole country, North and South,
that their liberties arc in jeopardy. Inc
Democratic and Conservative press OF
tho country have charged. and the
actual facts laid bare by former invesa.
pntions have Indicated, that the channci
through which the partisan Admlnistth-
tion OF Grant has acquired and main
tained It's power, has been the corrupt
distribution Of national patronage hn"
the criminal use Of Government tunds
within the reconstructed States. Inc
administration Of the local affairs OF
these States. since rcconstructloh, nus
becn mainly under the control ana dic-
tation Of Federal ofliceholders and theli
mid retnipors. The power OF the people
hns thus been used to stranglo the
people's power. Men have been found,
Of ability and local influence, who
for tho paltry patronage OF these
Federal agents and emmissaries. have
CROOKED the pregnant hinges OF the
knee that thrift might follow fawning. y
After the experience OF the past eight
years, and under tho virtuous awaken
ing OF Centennial patriotism, the voice
or the country demands thst these cor
ruptions should be exposed
Tho voice OF constitutional liberty,
through It's historic mouth-ricce. tho
national Democracy. demands that is
dosecratcd altars be rebuilt and its
sacred principles vindicatcd. Decent
citizens Of America demand that the
thieves and political hucl15ters. who
havo administered upon national
affairs since the war, shall
give an account, and 1t found
guilty, suffer the penalty OF tho law
and tho ostracsm OF popular condem-
nation. 1t Is not in any spirit OF party
rancor that the House Committee will
enter upon their labors. They are the
sworn agents and judges in the cause OF
the whole people against their ras-
cally servants. We care not
whether tho blow falls on the
political bummers who throng the
Federal Offices In this city, and use the
livery OF their country's lervice to per-
petrato their petty thievery or their
base ambitions, or whether IL falls on
the sleek and prospero us, crooked shop
man. who, under the guise OF solid
merchant" borrows a shred OF the same
prostituted livery TO cover his own sell
ish greed and moral deformity. In
either case. it is only the gnih, not the
politics, that warrants condemnation.
We feel assured that tho Committee
will 80 determine.
But it il possible, and hence we warn
the committee, that by the most covert
aud insidious manouvers the real point
of tho investigation may be lost o.
turned into an irrelevant and fruitless
direction. The grandest artist is often
powerless to cope with the tricks and
adept designs OF counterfeiting engrav'
ers. The greatest military genius finds
his plan Of battle thwarted and turned
to disaster, by the contem ptible tricks o'
d traitorous retainer or hired spy.
Even the halting or ill-conducted
assault OF u subordinate may cause equal
disaster. In every case the commander
in chief and his staff are equally respon-
sible. Ii were well, then, that the
majority Of this committee take heed lest
they all likewise perish. The harvest Is
truly ready. Will they reap wisely?
The country expects much. We hope
and believe the people will have cause
to rejoice in the action OF their chosen
agents in this case.