Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-06-28
MEMPHIS APPEAL
THE CORRUPTION FUND.

THE CORKUPTION FUND.
The work OF assessing ofice-holders for Ii
purpose of raising corruption fund to b
used in carrying The doubtful congressions
districts in the November elections il sti
going on. A circular has been issued by tn
Republican Congressional Committee 2
Washington and addressed to every offic,
holder IN the United States, informing r
that he has been assessed certain a
which he is expected to remit With -
Among the Persons thus assesss,S,-a-,.o and
corruption fund are errsnd b.. -.
girls 1t is stated on g2S1 H.. commi,,ss
the aggregate amount :. 49,
s5po ooo ssme men eng aged in
1900 Xuption fund are loud in
M "a free ballot and fair
dara, . nese levies and e1tortious upon
49, iCisl pay of ofic--holders are made
oIdinal by act of Congress, and puni.hable
/oy fine and imprisonment. But what
do the Republicans care for law
50 they retain power and control Of
the 5poils? The law Of Congress,
passed in obedience to the popular de
mand for civil service reform, emph aticslly
stamps all these demands upon office. holders
as disgraeeful and illegal, and punisha able as
any other bisckmailing schemes 10 exiort
money illegally; the fact that the law pan
ishes both the party making the demand and
also the party yielding TO the demand when
they are officers in the public service, shows
how strong was the condemnation sought to
be placed on the crime. Mr.. Hubbell will
fail to redeem his begging, if not threaten
ing circular, by now pleading the cheap
apology that members OF Congress in whose
name the threat is issued are not technically
Officers" Of the United States. The attem pit
to lessen the criminslity of the whole bust
ness by interpreting this plea that members OF
Congress are not Officers" of the govern
inert will convince no person of the Justice or
decency of that mode of collecting money for
political campaign purposes, but will go far
to'ioerease the general contempt which the
American people have for all that kind Of
disreputable partisan practice. II the men
in the civil service of the United States NAV
be justly taxed to the extent of 100000 or
100000 year for party purposes, then it is
evident that these men are paid that much
in excess of just and fair compensation for |
their services, and at under the pretext of
appropriating money for the public service |
the money is voted from the treasury for |
party purposes. Is the Republican party |
willing to assume responsibility for this mis- |
use of the public revenue? This vast cor |
ruption fund of 5000 600 is to be distributed |
in all the doubtful congressional districts, |
and il is stated that in dividing the fund |
$4,000 will be given TO the Memphis dis |
trict, and if necessary $4,000 will be spent |
Chalmers over Manning in the Second Mis-
sissippi congressional district. This cor
rupiion fund may be the means of creating
a light as bright as that which blinded Saul,
and cause the colored boilers in this district
to renew their party loyalty, but the Dem
ocrsts have struck hands in a determine
tion to redeem this district, and lavish
distribution Of the corruption fund will only
stimulate them to new efforts and new tri-
umphs. The country has an abiding faith
in the fidelity of the Mississippi Democra ats,
and the result will show that General Chsl-
mers cannot purchase a seat In Congress by
distribution of the corruption fund and
the power 10 dispose OF government patron
age in the Second congressional district
Since the Democrats assembled to power in
Mississippi, and rescued the State government
from the rule of the strangers who were
robbing and prosecuting the people, taxes
have been reduced, educational facilities
have been increased, and by a wise,
economical and faithful administration the
State mas taken rapid and giant strides for
ward to meet its high destiny. The people
are in the enjoyment of all the substantial
benefits of good government rightfully ad-
minlstered. Under Democratic rule the
State has emerged from anarchy and confu-
sion and bounded forward in a career of
prosperity and development which has at
tracied the attention Of the whole country
and astonished the people OF Mississippi.
No man contributed more toward bringing
about this prosperous condition of affairs than
General j. r. Chalmers. In every part of the
State he lifted his voice in condemns
ton OF the robbers, and in predicting
The prosperity and happiness that would fol-
low the triumph and rule of the Democr ATTIC
party. But, strange to say, after the Dem
ocrstie party has redeemed all is pledges TO
the people, General Chalmers becomes the
candidate for Congress of the party which he
has stigmatized as robbers, and is to be aided
by the corruption fund raised to perpetuate
Radical rule For years one Of the favorite
themes of the Republican press North and
Sousb, when engaged in discussing Southern
a ffairs, has been the shameless villainy and
fraud by which they alleged that Chalmers
carried a district in which the negroes are
in large majority. At the last
election General Chalmers secured his seat
by having election officers throw out con-
siderable number of Republican tickets on |
which simply involved print
er's rule or dash. So gross was this outrage
that the APPEAL, with all its personal liking I
for General Chalmers and anxiety for his
election, was compelled to protest against
such a high-handed and uublushing attempt
to cheat the negroes out of their ballots. In
view of General Chalmers's record; his war |
upon the Republicans--his efforts to retain |
seat to which he never was elected, and in
view of the abuse which the Republicans !
have heaped upon him whom they desig-
mated as the butcher of Fort Pillow"-we
say in view of all these facts, if they can ,
stomach each other, there is no telling the
depths to which psrtisans will descend.
MISSISSIPPI RIVER IMPROVEMENTS.
We have before us a copy of bill, re-
ported in Congress by the House Committee {
on Commerce, making appropriations for
rivers and barbors. In that bill, for Improv-
ing the Mississippi river appropriations are
amounting to 1923 900. We
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