New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-04-21

NEW ORLEANS
marty has ever had such aid in choosing
It'll men. The Democracy have become 20
conscious of this advantage that since tho
elections Of New Hampshire and Connect
cut It has resorted to the masked secrecy
Of the Spanish Inquisition, or the Demo-
cratic committees of the Louisiana Legis-
lature. Democracy knows that as soon as
man is convicted Of corruption the Re-
publican party avoids him. It is, there
fore, sought to ascertain and conceal any
proofs Of dishonor which may attach to
any one calling himself . Republican,
that they may be sprung upon the party
in case of his nomination.
We are glad to see the leading Republi-
can press rejoicing in this disinfection,
and coneratulating itself that the Democ-
racy has saved so much trouble. As the
Republican party will nominate none but
men who have escaped even the stain Of
Democratic investigation, the American
public viii accept these candidates as &C.
climated against the possibility of infec-
ton. The Democracy, however, having
subjected these men to no such tests will
be avoided, as are those fire arms which,
having been subjected to no test, may
burst in the hands of the unwary owner.
The Providence (Rhode Island) Journal
has an admirable article on this subject
from which we quote some decisive ex-
pressions
The Investigations now going on ut Wash
ingtOn, under the auspices of the Democratic
House of Representatives, are in many cases
the result of either groundless suspicion or
Of mere partisan animosity. But whatever
may be the motive which prompts them, We
can not think that on the whole they are to
be regretted. They are numerous enough
to form an era in our history. There have
evidently been corruption and other i'm
proper proceedings in high places where
they were least Of al to be expected. There
has been loss Of character on the part of
those who held Offices which should be
guarantees of the highest character. Emf
nent citizens, too, now in private life, have
been found to be implicated in transactions
that will not stand the tests of integrity and
honor. There has enough that is offensive
been dragged forth to public view to make
all high-minded citizens hang their heads
in shame, and even to cast cloud over the
rejoicings and the national pride with which
the American people had hoped to celebrate
this centennial year in the nations history.
The century closes amidst doubts and mis-
givings, amidst humiliatiOns and disgrace,
from which all Americans who love their
country would gladly have been spared.
Bad - it is all is, however, it is better to
know it than to have it remain secret
and fostering at the heart of the republic.
1t is better to endure any amount OF dis
grace than to have fraud and bribery secretly
corrupt the administration Of our public
affairs or Cast their faint unbserved into
the fountains Of Our public life.
This outspoken condemnation entities
the Journal to confidence in the following
denial that corruption common to many
classes Of society other than politicians is
peculiar to the Republican party:
But nothing is more unjust or false than
to maintain that all the corruption of the
time Is to be charged to the account of that
portion Of the American people who con-
stitute the Republican party, or that it is
the result of anything in either the princi
pies or the organization of that party. The
facts in the first place prove the contrary,
for they implicate almost as many promi-
nent Democrats as Republicans. 1t is idle
to say that any of these miserable men are
corrupt because of their politics or because
they belong to one party rather than the
other. The utmost that can be said is that
those who claim to be Republicans have
latterly had better opportunities for all
eorts of public wrong doing because the
party to which they belong has been in
power. But this does not prove that those
who are now their sccusers would have
done any better had they had the same op-
pOrtunities or been exposed to the same
temptations.
We admire the courage and patriotism
which laments not the peril of party,
but the shame of the republic, in such
words as these:
The truth is, the frauds and offensive
proceedings Of all kinds, which have been
brought to light, have sent . feeling of
sadness and humiliation to the hearts of
patriotic men in the whole country, what
ever their political opinions or associations
may be. 1t Is American society and Amer
lean public life that have been disgraced,
and not one political party alone. These
stories, 90 far as they have been proved,
and not merely charged, show that there is
something rotten in the average morals of
the country, that the national conscience
has become dull and torpid, and that the
national standard of right and wrong is
lowered and degraded in consequence. 1t
does not appear that this is the fault of
any ono party alone, though it may truly
be said that the atr0cious political conduct
OF those who held the government 81 the
outbreak OF the rebellion presented an ex-
ample which Invited to every sort OF vii
lainy.
The Journal proceeds to attribute these
abuses to the late civil war, and impresses
its ideas of reform with the obvious
that the Republican
party shall weed out all the noxious ele-
ments that may otherwise choke out and
destroy the very seed of Republican prin-
ciples.
SUCCESS THE T0UCHsT0NE OF MERIT.
As an int llectual performance, the
speeches of Mr.. Blaine, perhaps, do not
strike the average Democratic Confederate
mind so favorably as do the more con-
can;ol rttoroncos IF Hill Tncker and