National Republican., 1877-10-11
Republican Honor,

HENRY II. FAXoN, of Quincy, Mass, has
issued an address to the voters of that
Commonwealth, in which he states the fol-
lowing truth, which we may commend to
general attention, although we cannot in
dorse his prohibition advice and doctrines,
because we do not see the virtue of an en-
forced abstinence:
When any party has become so corrupt that in
sclfdcfcnSc 1t II compelled to refuse to allow the
Office holder of its selection to take part in its
political campaigns II Is about time for It to disn-
cgratc "C6Rsideacy, thu art a jcirt!," but Tcdrnoi
ind thee hSrs. II honesty had been the rule and not
the exception, there would not have been any need
of having such an order issued by the President.
The compelling All ofRccholder to abandon his
rights Of citizenship in order to hold Office will not
effect the reform desired.
Assuming Mr. FAXoS's premises to be
correct, his conclusions are logical. If it
were true that the Republicans had become
generally corrupt, then his notions of the
remedy now being applied in the name of
civil service reform are true to the let
ter. But the truth is, as has been abun-
dainty proven by official figures running
from the foundation of the Government, that
party have been the most economical and
least corrupt of any of their predecessors.
The Republican party during the sixteen
years OF its power, from 1860 to 1S76, re-
ceivcd and disbursed over twenty-five thou
sand millions of the peoples money and its
losses during all these landings by dcfal-
cations and corruptions were but little more
than one tenth of the ratio to the aggre-
gated sums that ruled during the Demo-
cratic administrations of JACKSON and
VAN BUREN. These latter administrations,
it will be remembered, rulcd the country
during that era of crcdit-money which
tempted the initiation of prices that culm-
mated in 1897, and the revulsion that pre-
vailed until 1871, when prices reached bot
tom through the operation of the general
bankrupt law Of those days. The
records of the Treasury disclose
the iact that the Republicans, while they
have brought TO their aid liberal,
progressive and enlarged views in carrying
on the Government, have been exceedingly
cautious and prudent in their manipulation
of the peoples money, reducing taxes grad
ually, and prudently in its collection, and
expending it with due regard to economy
and without dwindling into parimony
The Republicans passed through the fiery
ordeal of civil war with all its demoralizing
effects. They disburscd millions on mil
lions through raw and inexperienced agents
and under circumstances of the most ad-
verse character, and yet can point with
pride to their record in this respect as the
purest of parties that have ever governed
the country. These facts are substantiated
and affirmed by the most irrcfragble Off
cial evidence.
And yet our ears are daily asSailed by
allegations, in the mouths of pretended Re-
publicans or ex-Republicans, chiefly those
Phalisees who voted the Democratic ticket
in 1872 because the majority of the party
did not then see through their spectacles,
that the Republican party is rotten with
corruption, and its leaders must take back
seats and give the control into the hands OF
their assalants and slnndercrs, who cndeav-
ored to creep into the Republican fold under
the guisc of repentance and reform. We
nave niue patience with those SIN
cere Republicans who chime in with
these chronic accuscrs and faulttiudcrs
upon the principle that there must
be some fire where there is so much
smoke The people for the fifth consecu-
utivc term in the election Of Mr.. IAyEs
have indorsed the fidelity of the party
We submit that it is just Il little rough tc
have those Pharisces who voted the Demo
cratic ticket in 1872 placed in the seats ol
justice and honor as Republicans p"r erect,
iencc, to the exclusion of those truc-hcartcd
men who never failed in their allegiance
and fidelity to the party.
Mr.. FAXON is right in this view. If men
are honest there is no reason why they
should be deprived of any OF the privileges
Of citizenship because they have been Sc
locted to ill Government positions. If they
are not honest they should hold neither Of
iicial nor political trusts. And If they are
unit to hold either, the resignation of one