National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-07-12
THE STRATEGY OF PLUNDERERs AND
LIARS.


The Democratic organ here has taken un-
usual and needless pains of late to show
that it is intensely ignorant or shamelessly
mendaciOus-or perhaps both-in its state
ments relating to the usages and customs of
the Democratic party when in power 1t is
highly probable that ignorance rules it con-
duct so far as mendacity will give way to
that feature of its character, for it has be-
come an accepted maxim that when the
post isn't a lie it isn't anything. Its igno-
rance of the history of its own party is
lamentable in teacher of Democratic
ethics and chronology, and is becoming the
laughing-stock Of its own fellow Democrats
of intelligence. Nobody is surprised at its
gross and shameless misrepresentation of the
Republican Congressional Committee in its
conduct of Republican campaign, for no
one who understands the post expects that
it will tell the truth unless by accident, and
then it would make haste out of q field and
practice in which 1t has had no experience.
But that it should stand up in
the fnce of recorded history and
declare that the Democratic party has
never levied political assessments upon
those holding Office under it shows a pro-
fundty of ignorance or a depth ofturpitude
that can challenge but one emotion, and
that either Of contempt or disgust. That
n deliberate fnlsifier of fact should be so ig-
norant or an ignorant editor should be so
mendacious is really lamentable COM
mentary upon the deprnvity of the age.
| Such an editor and such paper could not
exist week in any other party than the
Democratic and at this stage of its history,
too, when it has degenerated to the lowest
estate attainable in politics.
The REPUBLICAN yesterday morning con-
victed the post of fllsehOod relating to
Democratic usagein levying political assess
ments upon the officials of that party when
in power, and it did so from the page of re-
corded and unquestioned history. 1t is a
long time, we admit, since that party had
power in the Executive Departments of the
General Government to practice conscription
upon the salaries of officials, and it will be
q much longer time in the future before il
has that power but up TO 1861 1t exer-
cised that privilege aud opportunity steadily
and rigidly, and no one but q con-
frmed ignoramus or q deliberate falsi-
fer of fact will essay to deny it. 1t was
practiced by the Democratic party all
/ through the administrations of JACKSON
VAN BUREN, PIERCE, POLK, and BuCHAN-
| AN, and down to the day when the popular
will waved that party into retiracy and dis,
grace, and no man with face less hard and
brassy than bronze statue will attempt a
denial of it in the light Of history aud
| truth.
1t has been clearly demonstrated that all
the early acquired habits and practices OF
the Democratic party have stuck to it to the
last ditch. The habit of peculation, de-
multing, jobbing, and other depredations
upon the National Treasury which began tC
develop under JACKSON and VAN BUREN
has kept steadily on under each successive
Democratic administration until the las
ditch was reached, under BUCHANAN Then
the last dollar was stolen from the Treas
ury, and that party went into rebellion with
its plunder Of money, arms, and ships, anc
sought the life of u Government which il