The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-10-12

Andrew Johnson had rewarded Booth thg
whole world would haye pronounced him g.
greater criminal han Booth. It Is difficult to
eonce1Vo gf greater crime than the defeat BY
sta rand Of tie th popular vii in government which
crime it is committed by those who reward ' the,
authors of such fraud for such reward inyites,
Pc perpetual defeat Of the popular will, and.
mont and ass nmes the most insidious form Of
reason II ss worse than NO excuse-it is itself
y as sr: uf-to say that Mr. Hayes was under obli-
ne9n 4. 10 aaeessin Booth there would have been
he1afor 10 nt Johnson But was the President
there had been 70 frsats in Florida ts1nil and Lou
| i55lana 5n there would have been no President
1at;os. ; r. Is 81, me 3 3prsida2t therefore under ob
ltgeeras s. that all have capned rewnrd.
bai Il s IS n9 s apology to say that M Hayes did net
bis dgy to proeet fhu h gharaeE 9 e9z II H.
nation snd IN th9 integrity Of the adrnnistrattop.
ne can N 90 aahe neisher t BY placing great n9r
Wa5m largely more than half OF the people be~
isze ze are aev guilty. in,oIa. In truth Do not be-
e9 9 u" But 9gess fast We m'n have a1p09 IN tGg f5
| country sufficient number Of men OF unsus-
pefhtYg3d honesty to all tho offices and both the
qulre shat onIy such mon should be appointed.
IB}esldes, + t, these mon were In truth innocent
from M: Hayes. for they would not have BEEN
willing 70 bring weakness upon the administra-
baon nor a1srep1te upon the civil service. Their
highest psoof Of theIr euiIt: for II shows Z they W
care nothing for Mr.. Hayes-nothing for the
reDute of che civil service. Their every oct in
pressing for office shows that reward was their
object. and reward they must have. Every man
Eith the Office offered him has confessed the
frauds. Eye7vman who has not confessed the
should he confess whose confession would de-
feat his reward? How does it happen that those
only are not OF entitled to belief who confess the
madet
It Is no palliation now to say that the larger
number of these appointments were made by
certain members or Bye member of the Cabi-
net. II Mr.. Johnson had made Wilkes Booth
planned II Boon had provided places for his
tools and subordinates. Nevertheless, IL. when
TIE Feyeatons on this = subect were made before
ordered sweeping Durgation from the civil
service of these obnoxious characters, rs
greatly hoped he would do, be- would have been
largely vindicated. Instead however of dis
q missing any he appointed more. and some of
the appointments seemed to the special pur-
pose Of suDpress1ng or affecting testimony be-
fore that committee. II anything we're wanting
to increase the, wicked heinousness Of the
ana 1t would be found in the only excuse which
the authors and abettors Of these frauds have
offered for their ,perpetration. 1t must never
but admitted, to-wit: That the ballots were
changed after they were cast, and the verdict of
the, people reversed after it had been rendered
and was known: The excuse for this, as al
legged. is that there were intimidations at the
precincts which prevented free expression Of
the people. II this excuse Is false In fact, then
the crime stands confessed without excuse
Those of us who have BEEN familiar with
the excuse was false. But the proof now re-
vealed abundantly shows that the excuse is not
only false, but was actually manufactured for
Thus the excuse itself becomes q part of the
fraud, and the most infamous part of 1t. Not
only was the excuse itself manufactured but
the evidence to make the excuse deceive the
Northern people was also manufactured In the
Custom House in New Orleans, and elsewhere,
Forgeries are shown to have been numerous,
and perJuries were secured under promises Of
reward In this vile work men holding high
took such bart has receyed hgh
Mr.. Hayes and has thus been enabled to be-
come himself dispenser of rewards to his
-; Take it all in alats origin Its extent itg
and reckless forgeries, its marvellous success
and its absolute control Of q great government
of unequaled patronage for its rewards-andiE 1t
OF 1876 is without q parallel In any history. Ie 4
dWarfs all other frauds. consDiracies and rob-
6ereg oed IN nto 81 e @ aa al
Jury into virtue. forgery into an art. and will
reduce usurpation to ascienceLI, The adminis-
tration which ! for one had fondly hoped would
1naugurate new era OF elevation, purity and
efficiency In our civil service has persistently
Identified its life. its power and Its character
with the frauds OF its origin: and has thus done
more than all our previous history to bring that
civil service into disrepute, and the adyocates Of
its reform to confusion and shame. The keen-
est pang Of all Is that which springs from the
fact that will not down, that all this has been
done to silence, crafty and reward as vile set
Of scoundrels as ever robbed without remorsa
Or lied without blushing.
It has given me no pleasure to write this let
ter. I have been slow and reluctant to give up
the hopes had formed Of this administration.
Judgment Of men 80 far as to admit that my
first impressions of Mr.. Hayes were altogether
incorrect prefer to believe, and do believe
that he has fallen under the control of men who
and whose power over him he has not been able
to resist. Even now. IL ne would purge his ad-
minlstFatlon' OF every person connected With
the frauds, he might yet rally good mon to his
something Of benefit to his country and respect
for himself. But | fear the serpents Of fraud
have their coils 80 wrapped around him that he
is unable, and may have become unwilling, to
between our free institutions and destruction.
The government has become identified with
fraud, and Is administered by the authors of
fraud, II the people shall fall to repudiate the
fraud and its authors, abettors and rewarders,
then We shall have entered upon that phase OF
our career when the Offices and immense pa
tronage Of this richest of countries will take
the form OF gl1ttering prizes offered to induce
the commission Of crimes against the popular
will. Assassins will be made heroes, and the
greatest criminals will become most entitled to
enjoy the honors and live on the benefactions
of government. Beyond that. the man who
talks OF the safety and purity Of public govern
your friend BENZ. 3. HILL.
Hon. Robert G. Humber. Eatonton. Ga.
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