The New Orleans Democrat., 1876-05-27

RADICAL DRIFT.
a Kmark tho Republicans Have Of sus-
/ tatntux Corruption.

4 kmnck tho Republicans Have Ut sus-
tatntnx Corruption.
New York sunl
ADMINISTRATION yet made has resulted
| In more conclusive proof Of incompe-
tency. malfeasanoe In Office. and syste-
matte fraud than that of the Public
Printer, which recently closed at Wash
| ingtop. His own books. his own subor-
dinates, his own accounts. and his own
| testimony. without reference to the ex-
perts called in, establish every charge
made, leaving no doubt whatever that
| In the last seven years Of Clapp's nd
ministration three or four millions of
the peoples money have been squan-
dered and stolen.
But In spite Of these deadly exposures,
the printing ring was strong enough to
| find u defender on the committee, and
to rally the Republicans OF the House to
It's support. Mr.. Ballou, Of Rhode
Island, appeared as the champion OF all
these iniquities, and attempted to OK
tenuate them on the most fiimsy and
feeble pretexts. He first pleaded to the
jurisdiction Of the House, as Clapp did
when he found the evidence crushing
him, upon the ground that the Public
Printer Is an officer Of the Senate, and
is not subject to investigation by any
other tribunal. Mr.. Ballou did not at
tempt to deny the charges against this
officer, or TO dispute the testimony
proving them But he had the effront-
cry to justify the most barefaced vio-
lations Of law, misrepresentation OF
public money, false charges and fraud
ulent vouchers, as il they were common
tritles not to be condemned, but rather
to be commended!
As Mr.. Anthony has habitually de-
Tended the Public Printer, and white
washed him in the last Congress, it Is
perhaps natural that Mr.. Ballou should
initiate his example, and thus strive to
break the force OF this real investga-
tion, which is the first that has ever at
tempted to go down to the roots of this
corruption. The influences that opera
ted heretofore to suppress and pervert
the truth were equally Industrious on
this occasion, but they only succeeded
in capturing the Republican member
! from Rhode Island.
Mr. Singleton Of Mississippi grasped
the whole subject with marked ability.
and presented it so clearly and concise
ly to the House on Tuesday, with sup
porting extracts from the testimony, as
to leave no doubt in any candid mind as
to the enormity Of the systematic
frauds which have been practised, or as
to the absolute truth Of every charge
which had been preferred. His speech
was free from partisanship, and confined
to careful review of the evidence and
to an. exposure Of the astounding ras-
cality in every branch OF the Govern
meRt Printing Office.
But the Republican minority did not
care for proofs One Of their partisan
officials, who had been loyal and lavish
in contributions Of money and in other
ways at the public cost, was arraigned
before the country. He must be backed
up, as Kellogg, Spencer, Babcock, Bel
knap, Mcdonald, Joyce, and other
friends of the President have been, or
perhaps he, too, might turn States evil
dence and make more trouble in the
camp. So they turned out nearly solid
on the test vote Of the day, and voted
the Public Printer to be prosecuted
patriot, and the rotten printing Office to
be noble institution.
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