Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1882-09-13
REPUBLICAN BLACKMAIL

. We do not Ike TO put the ABOVE tW'
words together. The Republican party
has been the party of moral ideas. l
has set Itself against black slavery anC
might be expected to set itself agains
the robbery of white men and women
IL has done so, in words but in deeds
it is now guilty, in the persons of its
National CommitCee, of outrageous
robbery Not of mere robbery, either,
though that were bad enough; but o.
robbery coupled with threats, uuder-
stood, if not expressed, of the loss Of
position aud livelihood. And this is
done in the name and by the authority
of the party which has again and again,
in its platforms aud in the Messages oil
it's Presidents, declared that the tenure
of Office should be limited by good be-
havior and not by political service. 1t
is done in bold, loud disregard of public
profession and public decency.
This is the shameless act. Every
oaiceholder ia the conntry is now beiog
assessed. He is not simply invited,
he is urged aDd required to pay one
whole weeks salary to help the Repub-
lican party in its campaign. If ne
does not do it, no matter how poor, no
matter who malv be depeOdent upon
him, the demand is made a second
time, more urgently, and be is made to
understand the threat that is Implied in
the demand, that be will lose his place
if he does not pay up. This is where
The blackmailiOg comes 10. 1t is
virtually said TO every oficeholder
Paw me two per ceot. of your wages,
or I will get you turued out of your
Office and, 81 far as [ can, make your
family beggars. The blackmailing Re
publican National Committee dales TO
do this, aud, what is most Incredible
and atrocious, il is generally believed,
it is hardly denied, except 10 Pick
wick:an seose, that this blackmailing
Com nittee has the power it assumes
to have, that the Executive Depart
ment of the nation would, at the de-
mand of Hub5ell's blackmailers, tn Il
out of Office those tnat refused TO submit
to their exactioas Ald this Com
mittee, acting iu defiance of Platforms
aod Messages, sardoo'cally tells The
poor oficeholders that the success of
The party and their Continuance 10 Of
fee depends ON their paying in their
two per cent. " tue black
mailer's treasury.
Aud, takiog example from the ceD-
Lral bJackmailers 10 Washington, crews
Of local black malers are sprioging up
10 several States. The Safe Com
mittee of Pennsylvania has already
sent odt its circular 10 appointees from
hat State, who, having paid their two
per cent. TO one set OF robbers, arc
1ow required TO pay two per cent.
more to another. The Comnittee,'
says blackmailer Cooper, initiating
Hub3ell, SIS authorized 10
state that such voluntary SIC contri-
,ut.on. from persons employed 10 the
service of The State or of the United
States, will not be objected 70 10 any
,fficial quarter Certai0'y not. O1
he other hand, it is believed that it is
he only condition of retaining office.
1t is not supposed that any cle'k will
1afe 70 reply: Il am not put in o1ice
10 serve The Republican party. l caanot
afford to pay thirty do liars to carry
Inc next election for the Republican
party. / will not do it. Tue Repub-
ican party has by i,s platforms declar-
ed against a partisao civil service. l
will .rust IL, aud see if my superior Of
fcer dares to remove ME for not sub
mittiog 10 your blackmail' We would
like 10 see such letIer written, signed
and published, and then wait to fad
out these eplackmaill 1g CON .Dittees will
be allowed, in the gla e of pobliciiy, 70
lead President and Secretaries by he
nose 10 the brink of political des.ruc-
ton. Aud here follows the Virginia
Readjuster party, which arnoupces
itself as the party of the Admiuis.,a-
tioD, with lis blackmailiog circular, de-
manding five per cent. mole Of all oili-
officials from that State 10 help cIrry
the election for the party.
Has it come to tLis, shall it come to
this that the Republican party gives
itself up 10 blacknail and extortion
Is it TO live bv rob5ing childleo, by
stealing the bread from poor women
Shall it confess that it most be defeated
uoless officials appoioled TO serve the
whole coun.ry, and not a party, shall
heap up idod of millions with which
TO corrupt the popular vote? Shall it
say one thing j1 its platforms, 10 de-
ceive deceit aud co lscienli )us people,
and anotber hing in p.ivae circulars,
TO carrv ont the metoot,s Off 'priaclpled
politicians who run the machine? If
it must come 10 this, then goodbye to
tbe Republican party But we do
not bid it goodbye. We propose that
good Republicans shall stay in it and
stamp on Hubbell and Cooper and all
the black mailers who are prostituting
the party to their vile purposes.
Defeat for Cameron and his
Washing .on parlor ticket in 1852
means q delegation 10 The National
Convention iu 1884 of Which he will
ue,ther be a member nor the boss
1t meaps final entombmeut of The
third term conspirators. TIE path o.
safety for the Republican party is the
path tbpt leads to the over .hrow of the
nieu who nearly strangled il 10 1880
aud who will surely ruin it 1884 un
less their power is curbed and theil
ulans tbwarted. This is the work tC
which the Independent Republicans
have given themselves. Tuey are re
ceiving the encouragement Of eve'v
true Republican outside of their State
who see clearly that the future wei
fare and success of the party in TIN
Uoion is dependent upon the over,
throw of the insolent and tyrannica
political domination that has 80 lonl
| r,Io; IN ono IF tho chief citadels n