The daily gazette., 1878-10-10
trast may be stated in one short SEN

ttnce -
In Mr.. Johnson's case,' all the crimi.
nails, real or suspected, were specially
marked for punishment In Mr.. Hayes
case all the criminals, real or suspected,
were specially marked for reward.
THE CRIMES CONTRACTED.
would be really glad If 1 could find
same excuse, some apology, or some pal
liation for the course Mr.. Hayes has pur-
sued in this matter. But. after full con-
sideration l can find noue 1t is no pal
iiation to say that assassination was
greater crime than fraud. Both were
Chimes. If 1t is right to reward crime at
all, then the greatest crimes should re-
celve the highest rewards. You cannot
produce Innocence, much less merit, by
grading crimes. All deserve punishment
and none are entitled to reward. To re-
ward fraud is greater crime than to
commit 1t, for the reward invites many
comm ssions. If Andrew johnson had
rewarded Booth the whole world would
have pronounced him greater criminal
than Booth. tits difficult to conceive of
ii greater crime thau the defeat by fraud
oI the popular VIII in government
which rests on the popular will. Ift there
Ue "a greater crime IL is committed by
those who reward the authors of such
fraud, for such reward invites the per-
petual def at of The popular will, aud,
therefore, direct subversion of the
gOvernme mt, and assumes the most lDsi-
dious form of treason. 1t is worse than
no excu.e-it IS itself a crime to say that
Mr.. Hayes was under obligation to these
authors Of fraud. If there had been no
assassin B 10Th there would have been no
President johnson. But was the PreSi-
dent, therefore, under Obligation to the
sassin? If there had been no frauds in
Florida and Louisiana there would have
been no President Hayes. Is the Presi-
dent, therefore, under obligation to all
who committed the fraud? 1t seems
that all have claimed reward.
REwARDING THE CRIMINALS.
tits no apology to say that Mr.. Hayes
did not believe these people were guilty
Of any fraud. 1t was his duty 10 project
I the character of the nation and the integ-
rity of the administration. He can do
neither by placing great numbers of men
in office who are charged with crimes
and whom largely more than half OF the
people believe are guilty. In truth, l do
not believe any intelligent man doubts
their guilt. But trust we have in this
country sufficient number of men of
unsupported honesty to I'LL the offices land
both the public character and the public
interests require that only such men
should be appointed Be ides, if these
men were in truth innocent they. would
not have asked or accepted office from
| Mr.. Hayes, for they would not have been
willing to bring weakness upon the ad-
| ministration or disrepute upon the civil
service. Their universal and brazen de-
mands for office is the highest proof of
their guilt, for it shows they care moth
| ing tor Mr.. Hayes nothing for the honor
of the country-nothing for the good re-
pute ofthe civil services. Their every
act in pressing for Office shows that re-
ward was their object, and reward they
must have. Every nan of the guilty gang
who has not been satisfied with the Off ce
offere him has confessed the freuds.
Every man who has not confessed the
| frauds has been kept satisfied with office.
| Why should he confess whose confession
would eefeat his reward? How does IL
happen that those only are not entitled
Il to belief who confess the frauds? And
how does it happen that the credit of
none was denied until after confession
W ,s mad?
1t is no palliation now to say that the
larger number OF these appointments
were made by certain m eDbers, or by a
me 9 b T of the Cabinet. If Mr.. johnson
had made Wilkes Booth a member of
his Cabinet he could not have complain
ed if Booth had provided places for his
tools and subordinates. Nevrrthelt So, If,
when the revelations on this subject
were made before the Potter Commit tee.
Mr.. Hayes, had promptly ordered a
sweeping purgation of the civil service
| of these Obnoxious characters,as great.
| ~ hoped he would do, he would have
been largely vindicated. Instead, how
eyere, OF dismissing any he appointed
more, and of the appointments seemed
to have the special purpose of suppress
ing OF affecting testimony before that
commmittee.
| Ifanythiug were wanting to the increase
the wicked heinous,.ess of thejfrauds up.
on the ballots in Florida and Louisiana
| it will be found in the only excuse which
the arthors ami abettors of these frauds
have offered for their perpetration. 1t
must never be forgotten that the great
| facts are not denied but admitted-to wit,
that the ballots were changed after they
were east and the verdict of the people
reversed after it had been rendered and
| was known. The excuse for this as al
legged, Is that they were intimidatlons at
the precincts which prevented free eX-
preston by the people. IT this excuse Is
false in fact, then the crime stands con-
fessed without excuse. Those OF us VINO
have been familiar with carpet-bag villa
Inies knew from the first that the excuse
was false; but the proof now revealed
labundantly shows that the excuse is not
only false, but was actually manufactured
for the express purpose OF cover for the
fraud. Thus the excuse itself becomes
part of the fraud, and the most infamous
of 1t. Not only wa 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 areshown TO hare been numer'
GUS and perjuries were secured under
promises of reward. In this vile work
men holuing high positions took active
part, and every one who took sucn par
has received high office from Mr.. Hayes
and has thus bren enabled to become
himself a dispenser OF rewards to his
subordinates.
WITHOUT A PARALLBL.
Take it all in all-its origin, Its extent,
its wicked adroitpess, its deliberation,t the
variety of characters engaged its number
less perinries and reckless forgeries, its
marvellous success and its absolute con-
troll of the great government of unequal
ed patr onage for its reward, and II must
be confessed that the Presidential fraud
of 1876 is without a parallel in any hts
4 tory, 1t dwarfs all other frauds, conspi.
racies and robberies into colD parative in
Significance. Ii allowed 10 go unpunish-
ed it will elevate perjury into virtue,
forgery into an art, aud Will reduce
d. ~