The Russellville Democrat., 1876-09-07
YOUR DUTY---WILL YOU HAVE THE MANHOOD TO PERFORM TT?

There never has been since the foundation of our government, so much unblushing fraud and cor ruption, such protiigacy and arro- gance, such an assumption of ar rogated powers, such an utter dis regard of propriety and constitu- tional prohibitions, as has charac- terized the present administration of the general government of the United States.
 We are now addressing our selves principally to moderate, reasonable, fair-minded republi- cans, who, if their assertions are honest and true, are in favor of the greatest good to their country
 -tIeir WHOLE country-no mat ter whether it may come from q republican or a democratic ad ministration. There are thous- ands of such men who may chance to read this article, and we ask them to give it fair, can candid consideration and not con demn It because it appears in a democratic newspaper. Because we are a democrat does not alter the truth set forth in the first sen tencc of this article. To the dis grace of our government that truth has been proved beyond all doubt or cavil. It is admitted by democrats, independents and re. publicans-by everybody, except ing only those who may them selves be said to be PARTICEPs CRIMINIs. So overwhelming has been the proof, and so enormous the disclosures of fraud and cor ruption, that the universal excla- nation has been "Where will it end;" and the fear and trembling of our very highest officials, to- gether with the uneXampled and unblushing zeal with which the administration has interposed ev- cry obstacle in the way of un- earthing these frauds and the punishment of the criminals, tells us plainly of wholesale ramiiica- tion of crime, which pervades and permeates the whole government. It was very natural, It may be said, for democrats, who are "outs' and striving to become "ins" to raise all this cry of de- nunciation. But what can be said when hundreds of leading and life long republicans turn away from the party Tn power with disgust and with trembling for the good of the country? What will you say when such men as Bird, of Massachusetts, and scores more, as prominent as him, join with the democracy for the time being to wage a war for the dethronement of the present. regime? They tell you that it is not for the success of the demo- cratic party they are contending for, as q political organization, but they contend for the success of that party as a means of rescu- ing the government of their com mon country from the clutches of an incompetent, corrupt, proili- gate administration, and for the puriilcation of their own party. They tell you, like honest men, that bad, interruptions men have obtained control of their party, and that q continuation of their rule will lead to q disintegration of our government and perver- sion of republican institutions which will be fatal to Liberty.
 Keeping the good of our coun- try, the preservation of our libcr- ties, and the purity of governing power in view, we appeal to all fair minded, thinking republicans to say if there can be any doubt as to your duty under the circum. stances. Partisans, who would
 
 contend for the triumph of party even at the sacrifice of the coun. try's good, are not expected to listen to any reasoning on this subject, but the class of indepen- dents who think and act for them  selves may be appealed to with come hope that they will come squarely up to their duty ani throw their weight where it will do most good in fighting the ship of State which is almost ready to sink, under the weight of