National Republican., 1882-12-18
I'VE All In IL.


eve All do it, SUPPOSE was the laconc
exclamation of Senator BECK in his innocent
and genial way when discussing the tremcn-
dous question of what public men do with their
money. The 1--WE" had reference to senators
alone, and the "all' was put in doubtless to
show the entire responsibility of what we do
No doubt the unanimity was perfect, for no
senator begged off.
1t cannot be denied that humanity as now
constituted, and especially Senatorial human
ity, has decided leaning toward the doc
trinc that a man may spend his own money
in his own way after paying the government
taxes, provided lie does no one injury, and
under this tendency of Thought the senators
have been led to believe that the money re-
ceived for salaries was to all intents and pur-
poses their own. In ordinary cases it would
be their own. The senatorial mind rises to
this altitude, and when we all think so and so
act, then the conclusion is irresistible.
But the eve" does not include all man
kind. There's scaly fellow in this land
known as the postmaster. 1t does not follow
that because we all do it every one can. Be-
cause we do it does not make it right for the
postmaster to do it. Because we do 1t does
not make it respectable for the postmaster to
do the same. Because our money is ours it
does not follow that postinaster's Is his
There is a democratic theory much used at
nominating conventions that the democratic
party is specially and eternally sound on two
points: First, that it is the peculiar champion
of the poor man in all contests with wealth
and power; and, second, that the freedom of
the individual from all interference and
espionage and perfect equality of rights and
privileges, form the spinal column Of the
democratic jumbo. Some of the speeches Mr..
BECK has been tempted by Mr.. MORRILL, to
make have been attempts to prove the theory
in question, and Mr.. BECK has thought that
the public good required a large circulation of
the precious documents.
Now look at the practice of the great ex-
FOUNDER of democracy. He strides into the
senate as a colossus armed with club and
numerous javelins. His nostrils distend, and
his eyes flash fire. The senators are awed
into silence by the warlike bearing of the
bellicose trumpet. No rat terrier was ever
more excited In the immediate presence of
game hiding behind meal tub than is the
gladiator in the senatorial arena. And what
is it all about? Why, the great, powerful,
wealthy senator, backed with salary of
$1,000 per annum, is on the track of a
poor trembling postmaster, with a salary
of six or eight hundred dollars, who
has been doing what eve all do" The
poor postmaster has thought to exercise one
of his inborn rights and has spent few dol
lars to enlighten the ignorant and the great
senatorial mastitf is going for him. With five
thousand dollars of the public money jingling
in his pockets, stationery and franking privi-
lege thrown in, he seizes the culprit by the
ear and demands, in the name of all that is
mighty in senates, to know what he has
done with the six hundred; and if he has not
used it to please the majesty which makes the
demand, he threatens to cut down the six
hundred to FOUR and oblige him to read the
latest issue of the democratic platform be
tween the lines.
1t is great and terrible thing to be {
United States senator. To feel obliged to ex,
anime into the private affairs of forty thou
sand poor postmasters, to bring them under thu
burning focus of the inquisitorial eye-glas
and make them show their cash-books, and t.
roast them for exercising the rights of citi
zenship is prerogative but little lower thar
deity exercises. We fear Mr.. Beck has beci
overmastered by the dignity of his office, an,
tries to magnify into crime little thini
which eve all do"