American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1880-10-09
CANTON MISS. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1880.

books and most private papers Such men as
JAIME and Frank +. Howe ter roriZed the nIer-
cantlie community and plundered the mcr-
chanfs ut Will. Custom House bribery was
the regular practice, and Custom House APP
pointments were mere counters in exchange
tor political influence.
All this was proven; was published in the
Tribune, for Horace Greeley then controlled
it; and in the sun, and partly in the Herald
The com nittee went back to Washington,
the majority to send i'll n embarrassing Ieport
and the minority to tell facts. as they found
them. Gen. Grant, then President who wi
never and can never see any thing wrong in
one of his party subordinates, TOOK no other
action than through Williams, his Attorney
Genei al, to order the merchants 70 De prose.
cuted for paying brides to hi, officials but
no changes were made. Public sentiments
however, was aroused; and, finally, when "A
firm so eminent and SO respected As Phelps.
Dodge Co were robbed under the forms of
law of S267 ,O0O in one amount, and when it was
shown, and can to day be proven, that in hon
esty and equity they had overpaid more du-
ties than they ever under paid, still no repa-
ration was made. A reform in the laws that
permitted such outrages was accomplished,
but it was done against the strongest efforts
of the Administration and their leading mem-
In 1879. the President of the United States
and Mr.. Sherman, the secretary of the Treas
uIy, communicated to the senate, and it WAS
made public, that the New York Custo N
House. tor long period of time, had been
used to manage and control political affairs.
That the duties of the officials were regarded
subordinate to their partisan work, and
political management. That, under the CON
troll of Messrs. Arthur and Cornell, the Custom
House would be one OF the principal po liticil
agencies of New York, and =. in order to have
the important office of Collector efficiently
and honestly administered" the President
suspended Mr.. arthur and nominated Gen.
Merritt in his place. Mr.. Sherman formally
claimed that he had established by proof the
existence of gross abuses in Mr.. Arthur's ad
ministratiOn, and declared in his letter of
Jan. Is, 1879. that the " restoration of Messrs
Arthur and Cornell to office would be a serious
injury to the public service, inyOlN ing II loss
of revenue and an increased exp nditure."
That is to say, President Hayes and secre-
fnt-x - lnsp frl lx- sad
strongest language the report of Messrs. Bay
ard and Casserly, made to the Senate in 1872.
1t is plain that Garfield and Arthur will be a
weak repetition of rant and Colfax. To hope
for reform from men of such antecedents is
of them except to cite the statements of their
own party associates. and they should stand
or fall on such showing.
And now of the Democratic standard bear
er. Events of an important political nature
caused public attention to be drawn to VIM
field Scott Hancock in 1867, when lie was in
command OF n military district in the South
west. Up to that time hisspendid bearing rs
~ and skill but a brighter glory settled on
his cre-t when Ito use the words of Senator
David Davis, the cherished friend and CHOSEN
counselor of Abraham Lincoln), 1.-The soldier,
clothed with extraordinary power, volun'ari-
ly uncovered before civil authority, sheath-d
his sword. testified his fidelity to the Consti
tuition, and set an example of obedience to
law which will pass into history as his sound
est claim to distinction "
The bright light of public scrutiny, the hos
tile lens of party luminosity, has been turned
upon the SpOtleSS armOr OF his private ana
public character and no flaw or stain has been
disclosed. Indeed, the hostile suspicious and
charges of his foes caused his private CORE
spondence in 1876 to be developed, and in
what glorious attitude does his letter to
Gen. Sherman, in the critical period of the
fraudulent perversion of the results of the
Presidential election, exhibit him. Well may
Judge Davis say: sit marks him As one of the
wisest of his time, with II statesman's grasp
of mind. and the integrity of IA patriot"
Nor is his associate upon the ticket less
worthy of public confidence. His record rs Il
lnsFy Sl.tfn ding fY1n
and manager of important interests i'll his
own state, his unblemishcd character as
man and statesman are all in accord with the
promises of reform which our success will
accomplish.
Before the American people to- day 1 ar
raign the Republican party as it is now led
and organized, obstructive to the welfare.
prosperity and wise government of the coun-
try.
In the present contest they base their hopes
on the passions of Il war long since ended,
and the fruits of whose success being uniry,
peace and concord, the american people are
entitled to enjoy, and in the coming triumph
of the conservative and National Democracy
will do so.