The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1882-09-16
Political Assessments.

No matter in what party they origina-
ted, political assessments have been prac-
feed SO long by the Republicans that they
NAV be fairly said to be their bantlings.
r. there is one evil that threatens the safe
~ of our institutions more than another
4 is this monstrous evil Of buying with
nublic money public Offices It is as bad
as buying an Emperors crown in the
davs of Rome with the purchased favor
of the corrupt Pretorian Guards, and is
very much like it in operation and effect.
II is wrong in principle, for the salaries
of all public offices are paid out of the
money of the people alike, and the idea
that set of men have to pay this quota
for their own defeat, reverses the action
Of all political and civil laws. The pay
Of these assessed officers comes out OF the
Federal treasury and the money there,
belongs alike, to all the States and par
ties OF this great Nation, and to use any
Of it for any other than national pur-
poses is not simple misuse of public
funds, but an absolute steal from all the
other great parties to the governmental
compact and should be SO branded and
punished. 1t il as base in practice
as it is wrong in principle, and it
will and must lead to the downfall OF
any party that sustains it. For time
party passions in this country will toler-
ate almost any evil that does not at once
threaten the vitality OF the government.
Party passions can no more be always in
the ascendent, than the storms of nature
which fill the air with circling winds,
roaring torrents, blackened clouds, and
fiery lightnigs. Already the calm Of a
second sober thought is coming over the
spirit of the Republican party and hei
best men and ruling minds are sounding
the alarm OF party defeat, if not party
dissolution at the long continuance oi
this gigantic evil in ourpolitical system.
They have not spoken too soon. The
attrition of raindrops will wear away the
solid granite, and continuation Of inju.
ries, like political assessments, in the
same way is sapping the fountains Of
public virtue, by robbing men of the in,
centive to be honest. No matter how
small the salary, no matter how pressing
the necessities of the office-holder, nc
matter how indignantly his own sense
of propriety may revolt at it when the re
script of Jay Hubbell or Boss Malone o1
:, any authorized fugleman Of the assessed
pay may come, the inexorable wants o
wife and children, house rent, doctor
bills, even bread itself with its primeva
claims upon life, must all be suspended
in the demand OF this imperial, us well al
imperious, draft for money, and it mus
be met, or the man forfeits his place
and surrenders his absolute necessities
while pride and conscience yields to thi
too severe test OF the best human nature
OF all the scabies that ever afflicted ;
party, it is the meanest, lowest lawless
and party that will continue its use de
serves no better fate than the animal life
which has the natural tormentor of scab
ogo down with it to an unhonored grave
We hail with pleasure the signs of dis
approval from such men as Curtis, Fol
ger and other good ones Of the Republi
can party, and hope before many mor
moons shall wax and have to number i
amongst the past evils Of the govern
ment, as we do pestilence in the record
OF departed time.