The Indiana State sentinel., 1876-08-30


ment In which the political outsider finds
himself to-day; and what be ought 70 DO In
the present canvass Is tne proo%em % PEoposs ss
IL presents itself 10 me, and moi as II appears
TO an orthodox Republican who voted for
carried the ugly bntdens OF the party ever
since, What is the duty OF an honest Re
publican who turned his back upon his party
four years ago on account OF Its misdeeds?
This is my question, and the answer 70 IL nat
ura ly invites the consideration of these three
Was as the Liberal Republican revolt of 1872
II so, has the Republican party by Its general
good bsbavior and its honest zeal in the work
OF political publication during the past four
years earned he respect and confidence OF the
people, which IL had est? Ii no. Gao Liberals
consistently and honestly support Tilden and
Hendricks?
THE RECORD OF oRAnTIsM PRIOR TO 1872
In seeking the true answer to the nrst OF
these questions we are obliged TO recall the
fac and circumstances Of the memorable
stru ygle OF four years aso. 1t should be re-
membered that the popu ar demand for reform
was then almost as loud as IL Is now. Grant
and Colfax bad be en- elected in 1868 on plat
form pleoging the party TO reform the cor
ruptions OF Andrew Johnson's aiministra-
tion; but the pledge had been shameully be-
lied. While the old party issues had been re:
treating into the past, the mercenary and
ually found its way TO the 'front.',
and completely appropriated the president.
Naturally and necessarily the spirit OF reform
was evoked, and the rally ing cry OF Sumner,
Trumbull, and the men who subsequently be-
came conspicuous as leaders OF the Liberal
Republican movement, was "reform within
the party" They did not dream OF separating
themselves from the grand ola org znization
in the foundiI g OF which they had had so
large a share. ana under whose banner they
had fought during the nations great peril.
Their attachment To Ii was not matter OF
conviction merely, but 1t was a passioD. sum
ner especially believ- d IL wss TO be "1led with
a higher lite" and '1ifted 10 yet other effortss
which would make Its continued existence
commanding necessity. ALI that these men
asked was the expulsion of political corrup-
ton and the restoration OF the party 10 the
purify which had signalized its early life.
toe New York and New Orleans custom
houses; in the war and navy depar smenis, and
in the improvident and protlz ate manage
ment of the civil service generally. To this
end they proposed that thorough
and impartial Investigation should be made;
but the very same party leaders VINO are
canvass then stouIly denied that any reform
was needed. Morton, Conkling, snd the men
Isenatorisl 2 oup" declared that the propo-
sition 10 in Seztigate implied party guilt, and
could only give aid To the Democrats They
the distinguished members Of IL who simply
proposed 10 purify and save II. When the pop
ular pressure and the fear of the party oetrl-
ment threatened by this opposition. at last
drove them from their indecent position, the |
committees appointed were packed in the in
terest of the administration. ana IN contempt
OF parliamentary usage, while the reports
fln ally submitted, as matte er OF course, were
shamefully spoiled by VIII tewash. What was
TO be donef The men who had hoisted the
things: they must COVER like slaves under
the party lash I'm tie hanCs of men who trea ed
undonbtedly Tepresen,ed the spirit and policy
ofthe administration; or they must take coun-
sci Of their own manhood and self-respect,
a. openly rebel against a party dsspotism
that had DpCume national curse.
THE FACTS MORE IN DETAIL.
Let us look at the situation more particu-
larly. The mi chiefs of war had crept into
the civil administration after the war was
ended. The govern ment had been compel ed
10 deal with strong hand, and a thorough
schooling Of the president and his party in
the use OF power had familisrized them with
military ideas and habits, and drawn them
toward loose and 1ndefensble opinions re-
spectipg the covers Of The general and state
governments and the prerogatives of the exec
uuve. These considerations could not be
overlooked by The me whose hearts were on
constitution expressly declares that "the pow
eIs not delega ed TO the United states by the
constitution, nor prohibited by It
to the states respectively, or to the people;"
b at the theory upon which tue president had
conducted his adm nistration was that all
powers not conferred on the states by the con-
stiIuiion are reserved TO the Uni ed states.
thus completely overturning the doctrines of
words of toe constitution itself. This was
was Grantism and orthodox Kepublicsnism
four years ago, as IL is to-day. The president
not only trampled down the rignt OF local self
govern M MT in repeated instances, out he set
up his own will as law, even against the au-
tnority OF Congress. In the san Domlngo az
power which is vested in Congress by the con-
stitution. On the pretense of helping the
| fal mers in "moving their crops" he assumed
powers which 10 despot ON earth would dare
exercise, In issuing millions o currency with
out warrant Of law and on his own individual
| caprice. Heappo. nged to civil places about
him men In the military service, In
violation of an express statute which
he was sworn TO execute. In disregard OF law
! and of his own oath of Office he quar-. cred fed
eral oldiers on the Cherokee Neutral lands In
Kansas TO protect ran oad corporation In
driving from their homes hundreds OF Sc tiers
" no claimeA the lands occupied by them In
good faitn under the redemption laws.
Through a subordiDae officer In New Orleans
he seizsd a federal vessel, and attempted by
| force 10 overcame the people of Lou .s1ana In
| the interest of his denomination. These are a
few examples only, selected nom many, show
| ing how the preside Mt carried the military
and imperial spirit INTO his office, and set
aside the laws which were as binding upon
| him as any other citizen, while the example
of his disobedience was pre- -eminentiy mis-
| chievous. In these acts he had the sympathy
had in the act to suspend the writ of habeas
corpus and the enforcement acts, which
em6ody provisions n,c,n az %ar wn n1srnmsE eyeTy
and can only be defended on the tyrants plea
that the central power can administer the af-
fairs of a locality better than the people can do
1t themselves The end OF good government"
says DE rocqueviIle, "is to Insure the welfare
of a people, and not merely TO establish order
/ in the midst of It's misery T"
ABUSES OF THE OWL SERVICE.
But the m ,st am pie aud overwh hel ming vim
dication OF the Liberal movement is to
found Ia the management Of the civil ser
vice. In the canvass of 1917. the friends OF
Gen. Grant insisted that the sincere
friend, IL not the champion, OF civil service re-
form. With airs OF triumph they pointed to
the fact that he had already appointed an able
civil service commission, witn George VIII
liam Curtis at Il head for the pur pose deal
Ing with this vita question. This commission
had made Its report, showing tnat about SltO.-
oUO,U0O OF the public revenues annually lost