The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-03-11
Tns Case Of ssorsta.y BslEnap.

Much space Is devoted 10 these colGmns
10 the history Of the fall Of Gen w. w.
Belknap, Secretary Of War; and the at
tendaat circumstances Many readers Of
this paper take no other, and as the details
Of the case have been the allabsorbing |
topic If discussion ever since itw made
public, the people everywhere want TO be
made fully acquainted with the facts.
This is the first Instance 10 the history
Of this gayeFnment, now In the hundredth |
year Of lis existence. Of a high Cabinet
officer being disgraeed and impeaehed. Il
is an event which brings dishonor upon
the whole nation, and which must be felt
even BY the huinblest citizen who has
spark Of patriotism in his bosom. A rev
citation Of this character, in the Centennial
Year Of our Republic, when it IS the o.
nosure Of all eyes, when thousands of Eu-
ropeans will visit our shores to participate
in our great Centennial Exhibition, is
national humility, and so it win be felt to
b. by all who are not devoid Of proper
sensibility As Americaps, proud Of our
country and her free institutions, -of her
mental, moral, and material progress
anxious to commend ourselves, especially
at tile present time, to the good opinion Of
the world, we are confronted and humilia-
ted by this act Of moral turpitude by one
Of the high officials Of the land, whose dis
honor, to some extent, falls upon all, and
throws discredit on the American name.
Corruption, like eaneerous tumour,
has been eating, ever since the war, into
the very vitals Of the Administration at
Washington. Exposure had to come, some
time, and it is, perhaps, as well now, as at
any other period. We might have been
too much disposed to vaunt ourselves, and
to be pulled up at our rapid increase Of
wealth, population, and national impOr-
lance. This Belknap expose will teach US
alesson Of modesty and humility, and will
arouse the whole country-if anything
will-to proper sense of our danger,
and awaken the people from their in
difference and supiueness to realization
Of the importance of proper discrimi-
nation in the choice Of their rulers
Men Of character aud ability--men who
are honest, capable and faithful to the
Constitution, measuring up to the Jeffer-
sonian requirement-will now, it is to be
hoped, be called into the public service,
and no Others. Fifth-rate men, or men Of
bare mediocrity, have had their day. The
country viii now be disposed to go beck to
her former practice and call only her best
and most worthy citizens into public ser
vice. The corrupt practices which have
disgraced the present Administration, and
through 1.-THE whole country, will be probed
to the quick, and the guilty will be pun
ished, unless they escape through the
meshes of the law, as some have already
done. The Democrats in Congress are in
earnest. But, if their investigating com.
mittees should do no more than they have
already accomplished, they would be en-
titled to the thanks Of the people for the
exposures they have already made. They
will not stop here, however; other corrupt
practices will be exposed, and other off.
cials will be dragged trembling and COW
ering before the scorn Of the public gaze
and arraigned at the bar Of Justice. Evi-
dence Of guilt is accommodating, and several
other high officials are already within the
tolls. The expose shortly to be made, and
the evidences Of corruption and yenality
yet to be spread before the country, will
be appalling and shock the moral sense Of
the whole people, Men who for years
have been trading in the spoils Of Official
position, until they iancied they could con.
tinue their corrupt practices with impuni-
~, win now find that athough hand join
in hand the wicked shall not go unpunish-
ed
The Centennial Year win be signalized
in history for many things, but in nothing
win il be more remarkable than in its ex-