The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-08-02
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.


In the frequent assertion that in the nomi-
nation of Hayes the Republican party has
turned its back upon Grsntism and its at
tendsnt corruptions, when the manner 10
which that party propose to conduct the
campaign is considered. The Republican
party may pile upon the sturdy shoulders Of
its stolid chiefthe responsibility for its past
follies, blunders and crimes. 1t msyeven
charge the new instances of administrative
incomHetency and fficisl corruption which
are daily coming to light to weigh down
the party in the coming contest, upon the
lingering influence of an sutocratic and
INSCRIPTIONS executive. Such a charge
is conspicuous confession OF weakness in
great party, and an admission that the
entire Republican body is held in shame
full, unresisting servitude to the evil pur-
poses of one bad man; but If the Republic
can party chooses to confess itself impotent
for good, rather than to accept RESPONSE
bility for the acts of its chosen leaders,
it may perhaps. be permitted to
do SO, SIS to its past career. For
the future, however, no such plea
can be permitted. General Grants cor
rup;ing influence, If it is merely matter
of personal contsgion, can not extend to
the campaign for the election of his sue.
cessor. II the Republican party is in ear
nest in its abandonment of Grsntism, this
purpose must appear in its conduct of the
coming canvass. The New York Tribune
grasped part of the situation when il
said that to regain any share of the public
confidence the Republicans must ecu;
loose from tie administration so complete
ly that they may enjoy its unconcesled
hostility" This is good so Ear as it goes,
but something more is needed to evince
conversion from GranIism to an homes,
and upright political faith. There must
be abandonment of old parry machinery,
Grange of old party methods, dismissal OF
old party hacks from places of trust and
honor and the filling Of their places with
pew, untainted men; in short, total and
radical change in the whole political pro-
gramme. In making arrange ments fer
the coming campaign, the Republlcsn
party has not taken the first step towards
these urgent reforms. Indeed, the prog
ress seems to be in the other direction.
The canvass now opening on the
Republican side promises TO offer
in its methods and in the
men who conduct it an example OF the
climax and elimination, the very flower
and iull grown perfection of the corrupt,
vicious, and demoralizing sys EN- OF politi-
cal machinatlon that has grown up within
the last seven years, and has been given
the name of Grsntism. The machinery to
be employed has already been set in mo-
ton, and its operation may be seen any
where. Removals for partisan reasons,
appointments in reward of party service,
political assessments in support OF a cam
paign corruption fund, the turning OF
federal officers into electioneering agents,
and the employment of the whole en-
ginery OF the civil service for corrupt
aud partisan uses, this Is the old
RI publican method which is to be used
with redoubled vigor this year. Aud the
men in charge are the same disreputable
schemers who have made the name of Re-
publicsnism an offenSe and stencil in the
nostrils of honest men. The party may be
fairly judged by the men it employs to
conduct its political campsis n. At the
head of its executive committee is Zach
who was retired from the Senate
by an indignant constituency and called |
by Grant to the cabinet to use els vast ex-
perlence in turning The interior depart |
ment into an engine of political corrup- |
ton. Other members are A. B. Cor |
nell, who runs the Conkling custom |
house machine in New York, Postmaster |
Fllley, of st. Louis, about whose name
hangs the memory of political assessments, |
and Senator Patterson, the man who
thought there was "five years good stesl-
ing left in South Carolina" Chandler,
however, is the chief and type of these,
and he is the man who forms the con-
Meeting link between Grant and Hay es-
the administration that Is going |
ous and that which wishes to come In.
Behind the transparent mask ofcandidates
who are presumed to be pure because they
are unknown, the old corrupt Rspu blicsn
machine is working with a perennial
vigor that nothing but crushing defeat |
can check. Should Hayes be elected, he
would find the policy of his administration
marked out for him by powerful and
skilliul hands, in which he would
be but as wax, and his first term would be
distip guisbable from third term
OF Grant. The band of shrewd and un-
s'rupulous politicians In whose hands
Hayes has placed himself, and of whom
Chandler is type, form an indissoluble
bond between him and the old party of
Grant which makes any hope of reform
from his election the widest and weakest |