Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-03-11
DRMOCRATTc MUgTc TN TER ArR.

"O's nv "abuinBtoni mat III would d
contemplate to attempt to manufsctur,
party capital out Of the recent expos
ures. This is begging the question; i
is an open confession and plea Of avoid
ance. They say the acts of one man
should not inculcate a whole party, and
yet it is only a few weeks since they we're
~applsuding Blaine, who, for a political
purpose, held up Jefferson Davis as the
author Of the alleged Andersonville hor-
rors. He appealed to the worst sectional
and partisan feelings that ever disturbed
the country, and the whole Republican
party was thrown into a transport OF
delight. 1t is a poor rule to them that
works both ways. Is there any more
injustice in holding the Republican
party responsible for such On ont
growth as Belknsp than Blaine's charge
that the Democrats 10 Congress were
accountable politically for Anderson
ville2 1t vas not even proven that Mr..
Davis could have prevented the suffering
at that place, five hundred miles away
from the seat. Of government. he at
least denies the charge, and his friends
and many fair-minded men not his
friends deny it for him. That was a part
Of the war, and General Sherman who
ordered prisoners to take up torpedoes
in the route Of his march, says that war
4 is a very bad business. The Democrats
of the present day are certainly not &C.
countable for the events of the war,
which they were powerlsss to control as
the Republicans are now for the rotten.
ness in that party. Extravaganza and
corruption are the order OF the day with
them. Dozens Of Grants poor friends
taken up eight years ago have grown
suddenly and enormously rich, and their
o%stentatious equipsges and apparel turn
the heads Of half the people about Wash.
ingtcn. The war incidentally set the
negroes free and the party that claims
the honor has robbed them OF his little
savings, while cabinet officers have rob
bed the defenders Of the Union sent out
to distant posts on the frontier that the
snoDs and nabobs Of Washington might
revel in luxury. Who is responsible for
all this2 Certainly not the Democrats,
for they have had no voice in public at.
fairs. Mr.. Morton, in his discussion
with Gordon, the other day, attempted
to charge the extravaganza and corrup.
ton Of the administration on the Demo-
Gratis, because, as he alleged, they brought
on the war, and such things may result
from war. This is rather far-ietched.
The secession of the Southern States in
1861 is a poor excuse for those who have
stolen the country poor in the name Of
loyalty and Capitalization. Belknap fell
like Dagon when the committee entered
the war department and refused to be set
up again. The bottom has not yet been
reached. There are mines Of corruption
yet to be reached and some never will be
found, let the Democrats prospect for
them as they may. II the Republicans
do not wish to be. held accountable for
these things as a party in the approach
ing Presidential campaign they should
become the prosecutors of theft and not
act on the defensive. Explain matters
as they may, the great body Of the peo.
pie cannot be deceived any longer. They
know that stealing has been going on
and that criminals have usually been
permitted 10 escape after being furnished
a certificate of character. In law the
defendant in a criminal prosecution is
supposed to be innocent until his guilt
is proven, but the time has come and the
proof has so accumulated that the lead.
ers of the party will be held guilty of
grand crimes and misdemeanors until
they a prove themselves innocent.
This is not necessarily q Democratic
triumph, only as it happens that that
party is organized and in a better posi-
ton to profit by it than the other side is
to stand damaging disclosures. The
effect upon the masses is yet TO realize.
1t will be tremendous, and the wave
which in 1873 carried q Democratic
majority over Radical wrecks into
the House Of Congress will come
back with accelerated force and will in
all probability break down the inner
works of the Republican party and give
the country a Democratic administration.
The people are looking about for public
honesty and there is more Of it and less
corruption in the Democratic RANKS than
elsewhere. While the Mortons and
Blaines have gone back eleven years to
dig up the dead bones Of the war, not
one word have they uttered against the
enormous whisky frauds and other abuses
perpetrated within and by the common
consent of their party. The party is re-
spOnSible as a party, aud even il the
Democrats remained silent, the people
would so decide st the ba~llot-boK.
Tag holders Of Mississippi Central
railroad bonds have brought suit in the
United States Circuit Court to forecloSs
. mortgage against the Company. The