The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1876-03-09
OUR NEW YORK. LETTER.

(FroDe our QUA C0rre8po'adeat)
New YORK, March, 81, 1876.
To the Editor of the Tribune.
No thundarbolt from the clear sky
could have fallen with more unexpected
violence upon the community than have
the late kilograms from Washington,
revealing the most startling instance of
corruption in high places which the
country has yet been called upon to wit
ness. For the moment political differen-
ces vanish like smoke before whirlwind
Our citizens are neither Republicans nor
Democrats. Contractionists nor Infa-
tionists, but only heart-siclz Americans
as they look blankiy into each others
faces, like men who see that the ground
on which they stand is the bubbling crest
Of volcano.
'.Under VIII ose feet will the next ex~
plosion take place p is the question that
rises in all minis and an answer is al
ready more than limited at in the threat
ened exposure of another of the Cabinet
OF the President CT the United States
men whose positions are higher in pow
er and dignity than the sovereignty of
many foreign State. The whole affair
thus far is like a horrible dream, a night
mare, the reality Of which one hardly
dares to admit. There were none of the
usual preparations of the public mind
70 vague suspicious, no rumors, no
gathering of the storm. 1t was Ga word
and blow, with the blow first. The
accusation, the trial, and the sentence
were announced in one breath, and that
terrible word Impeachment" headed
the column that gave Us the first init
nation of this new shame.
At this moment the events are too re-
cent for any one to foretell their exact
result, but it is hardly doubtful that
impeachment will row, for the first time
be successful at tue national capital.
And for how pitiful mess of pottage
was this splendid birthright sold What
amazing, what Incredible weakness must
be his who would ruin himself, his fam
ily, and an houored name, would spread
decentralization through the army of one
Of the greate3t nations of the earth, and
force his country into the dust and ashes
OF bitter humiliation for few thousand
dollars It seems impossible that all
this could have been done with any in
tantion bat what shall We say of a man
who walks upon the edge Of such pre-
cipice and realizes no danger? He has
not even the excuse of the ostrich, which
pluuging its head into the desert sand
believes itself safely hidden from its
pursuera.
But one explanation of these things
remains, and that is, that the atnos-
phere of public life has in some way
become poisinous, and that like the
fumes of charcoal, it so dulls anal stupi- |
fies the senses of those who breathe it |
that they succunb to influences which |
their normal strength would easily throw |
off. ard the country itself Is like a man
who, nearly sufocated by the same |
has 10 be roughly handled. and |
even TO suffer some cruel blows, to be |
saved from a sleep which might prove |
endless.
Truly the Centennial year brings with
il abundan! cause to moderate national |
transports and humble national pride. /
But il its tenpests have the result OF
clearing this deadly atmosphere, and |
letting in the fresh air of rugged hon
esty to aid in re7iving the nation from
its moral letharey, the devastation which
they work IS as nothing to the benefits
theT will confer.
With so memorable an Ash-Wednes
day as the last, Lent ought TO be well
and mournfully kept. In New York,
however. tie effect of the Lenten season
Is getting rather weak, excepting among
the extremely High-church communi-
ties, and even such people VIII occasion
ally indulge in solemn ard decorous !