National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-06-02
UANTISG mYpoCRIrEs.

The history OF the civilized world does
not furnish such examples of trcachery aud
bro2en-Nced iniidelity to truth and honor
as have been supplied by the Democracy
since the close ofthe late war. 1t seems al
most incredible that party could so far
degrade the ordinary instincts of manhood
rs to resort to such shameful devices ns have
marked the course of the Democracy during
the last few years in order to get the control
of national affairs. Everything has been
made TO bend to suit their wicked purposes.
no sooner had The rebellious States been
restored TO the Union than the old Bour-
bons of those States commenced the work Of
trckcry and deception. They bcld their
cross.road meetings, their county COnyen.
tions, their Stale conventions, and ut all
these gatherings resolutions were passed ac-
cepting tho situation seemingly in good
faith and with honest intention. And rs
if to make assurance doubly sure solemn
pledges we've made that such legislation
would he enacted as was needed to carry
into effect the new constitutional amend
mcnts.
Nobody will deny that all these pledges
were made by these men soon after recon-
siruction had become an accomplished fact,
and what is more, the people Of the loyal
States believe that the people making these
solemn pledges were honest and sincere. 1t
was not long however, before these delusions
were dispelled.
ttyn uTtar this t,ratpnlpI
ceptancc of the situation the Democracy
met in national convention and about the
| first thing they did in that convention was
| to declare all the measures relating to re-
construction Unconstitutional, revolutionary,
and rOid"
1t is bad enough TO be guilty of falsehood
and deception, but 10 glory in the sh anne is
! pitiahle in the extreme. Democratic cheeks,
however, are not apt to mantle over such
small matters
Upon this record they went before the
people in search of Presidential honors
The ide3 of Novemberin that memorable
year of l56S came and went, and after the
smoke of the battle had cleared away there
| was not enough Of the old Bourbon Democ-
racy left to furnish a decent funeral for
their dead candidates.
Nothing daunted, however, By their igno-
minious defeat, they groped about in the
dark for some new device for cheating and
deceiying the people until they stumbled
upon that last resort of political dcmagogues
Civil Service Reform" Here was field
as they supposed for hoodwinking the
masses; here was something that would
surely touch the popular heart and from that
day till the present they have been making
their throats hoarso and wearing out THEN
lungs shouting for civil service reform.
plank was inserted in their national plat.
form at ST. Louis deuouncing appointment,
to Office for party services, and planting
themselves upon what they declared was the
doctrine Of the fathers Of our Government
insisted that the only questions TO be aske(
in regard to appointments to or removal,
from office should he, Is he capable? Il
he houoSt?'
Put these utteranccs side by side Will
the practices Of the Democracy since tn,
two Houses of Congress have passed undc
their control, and then look on this pictur
aud then on that" What a CHASTITY show
ing Tor these prctcntiOus relormers n,
sooner had they obtained the control Of tn
House Of Representatives than the eguillotiu
was put to work, and in the course Of few
days the head of nearly every Republican
employee in that House dropped into tn
basket, and their places were .illed from tn
ranks Of the Democracy. And more slowly
but not less surely, is the worl. going on il
the other wing Of the Capitol,
We ask, in the name Of common honesty
In what other light should the Demo
cratic party be held than that Of cantin
knayo, and hypocrite5? -
VAR INNITERSJRlES.