, 1876-03-30
CRIME IS NOT PARTISAN OR sECTARlAn.

T00 COuteT, sA0 OAAsoA "a "'AASAA
knows nothing of politics but its party
nbsse. comments as follows upon the
Belknap infamy:
"Whsn We come to know of Secret:i y
Belknap's political antecederts, his cor
ruption and rascality are no matter of
surprise. he has been a lifelong Demo-
crat, He was . Democrat before the
war, then a war Democrat, afterward a
johnson Democrat. and his appoint
.aent az Secretary was protested against
by tie leading Republicans of Iowa on
account of his Democratic and other
unsavory antece dents. 1t fact most of
the ems of individual Republicans
whose acts have stained our party record
nave been committed by men who came
INTO the party at the eleventh hour. and
who, az a logical sequence, cannot be
supposed to have been actuated by other
motives than those of self-interest, and
therefore ever ready to feather their
nests with bribes or by DOWNRIGHT
thisvery."
The same logic wiz apply in every es-
ssntial particular to President Grant and
. majority Of his immediate personal
friends and confidential advisors. The
President, his most intimate and conf
lsntial army associate. Gen. Rnfus In-
gals, his most trusted Cabinet officer.
Attorney General Williams, his family
connections, all of whom have been in
trusted with responsible Government
positions, his most ardent supporters In
the Senate. Morton, Logan. Carpenter,
and others, Gen. Butler. the leader OF
his party in the House of Congress. are
all of the same political antecedents as
Secretary Belknsp. In fact, the Re-
publican party was founded and has al
ways been controlled by Democrats.
The party was based upon. and the le-
gitimate successor of the Free Soil
Democracy" and the leaders of the old
Anti-Slavery psrty-Garrett Smith, Gar
rison, Goodall, Birney and Morris. were,
to our own personal knowledge. origin
ally free trade, hard money and states
rights Democrats. Chase and Sumner
were first elected to the United States
Senate as Democrats, by Democratic
party action in their respective Leglsla-
lures, and did their Democratic ante
cedents make thieves of them? The
Democrats in power to- day as Republl-
cans, have never pretended to change
there political sentiments. Hence we
soc the Administration controlled by
lifelong Democrats, standing upon the
jackson platform of Eard-money and
tariff for revenue only, while the Chair
man of the National Democratic Com
mittee presides at rag money Con
vention, and the Committee resolve that
it is impractlcable to return to specie
payment at the time fixed by Republi-
can Congress. Where shall an old
jackson Democrat go7
The Courier, the ostensible organ of
the Administration and the Republican
party in this Territory, argues that to
have been a Democrat is presumptive
evidence of being thief, and this, TOO,
when not only the President, but the
Governor, Secretary and Chief Justice
of the Territory are all in that category.
The responsible editor of the Courier
is not only an original Republican but
preacher and an active party politician
and spoils hunter. One of his identi-
cal class Rev. Harlan-entered the
Cabinet of the president in impecunious
circumstances, and retired after short
service with property estimated at
quarter of million; more than five
times as much as has been proved upon
Bslknap. No ojudicial investigation was
had as to the manner in which this large
fortune was accumulated, but We be-
ieve there is no sensible man living
who would not trust Bslknap in a mat
ser of honor before he would Harlan.
Take another example, with which the
people of this section are more familiar;
~ sections of land, amounting to over
5000 acres. was granted to this Terrl-
tory for University purpose. The same
amount that was appropriated to Michi-
san, Iowa. and Wisconsin. In each OF
the three states named, under proper
management this grant has built up
Universities which are an honor to the
nation. and each has fund amounting to
not less than 81, 100000. In this Terri
tory, under the management OF
preacher Republican politician, this
magnificent subsidy has been dissipated.
Its entire assets to-day would not COM
mand $50, 600. and all that is left of 1t
is school which would be disgrace
to any country village in the land. Does
it follow then, az logical sequence
that all Republican preacher politicians
are thieves? That is the basis OF the
argument of the Courier.
We have ever held to the doctrine
hat crime is not party or sectarlan
peculiarly. As party editor, we have
ever regarded it our first duty to purge
our party of its own sins before assall
ing others.
At one time we had 10 libel suits pend
ing against us, and scarcely month
passed that ve had not q personal en-
counter with some one, ard IN every in
stance our antagonist was member of
our own party. and the causs oar e1-
posure of oficihl corruption. We knew
of official corruption In the Administra-
+;on of MI. Buchanan and denounced it,
and yet adhered to the Democratic party
as long as We could see distinctive
principle of the party to fight for, and
or,v left IL when it abandoned those