Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-09-07
The COrruptiCrs OF the American
Peonle nv the War.

H6Oplb Uy We WAX
In moving the Impeachment of Bel
Lnap, Grants corrupt Secretsry of War,
Senator Hoar, of Massachusetts, mana
ger on the part of the House, remarked;
II have hesrd the tauut from friendliest
lips that this country is disting lished
among the nations of the earth mainly
for its corruption Citing this language
in his argument in the star route trieis, |
Mr.. Merrick dwelt upon the d
morslizing sud debF sing effects |
of the late war upon ou- national life |
and character. Col. Ingersoll- however,
in his argument for the defense, felt |
compelled to traverse M. Merrick's
statements, end, while defending bis
clients, took occasion to pose IS the
chsnpion of Radicslism, end boldly de-
clared that the war, so fs- llOm demoraliz-
ing, ennobled the American people, and
was productive only of good.
Itneeds but slight s.-etch of mem
DRY to prove the felsity of Irgersoli's as
sertions. The decade before the war
found US as happy End pure people as
were in the world-fs- happier end
purer than the most reckless can say we
are at the present day. The Republic was
lightly br-dened With debt, PC were like
wise he States and our m nici-
palities. IN -tions" rings End cliques
for sw.ndlirg both government
and people were never imagined.
Labor wes fe'~ly rewfrdod, and sl
classes could live with a far lager meas
ure C content Dent than al present Sys
temt &c ard gigantic strikes were I'M
known, and the South YVES at the pitch
of her prosperity, while the NJor'1 was
striving on aps9e 20 the perfection of
its varied industI.e s1d our public
men were, as a role, pure and far more
able than their successors of this genera
ton. A Belklap or Brady would have
Deen cuTiOsities Il those days, anu a
| Governor that would work bliud po0p
was undreamed Of The term "boss" was
unknown, and the good men that went
wrong" were conspicuous by their pau
city. Our millions res ana railway
kings were few. The lobby ives in its
infancy, aud but few stat smen would
have fathered 'jobs" for any considera-
ton. When any one bought an article
he had reason II believe that it wss what
it was represented, e. the vote market
was thing wei nigh urhearG of.
How changed the sltuatiOn lodsyl
We have nesuv doubled in population,
but if called on T. pay orr debts, ma
tionsl, State and municip' we wol be
bepk' opt, End the casus student OF the
times csn E ; countess departures from
the habits that characterized us two de-
cIdes ago. But the optimist will say:
The men of that day had not the
opportunities of he men of to-
day, and the latter Pre- relatively
better than the foImer." What created
those oppOI entities but 'le war end the
reckless management of Radica'ism?
The war gave rise to period of extIlva-
gance that IS not yet ended. 1t warmed
the germs of corruption ALREADY exist
ing and multiplied them a hun
dred fold. Other poorles have lad
great wars, but have suffered
little detriment % their national
character. The war VIZ q glievous -,
but Radica'ism, It's leg t'naf9 offspring,
was.far more hrrtful Its leaders could
have bree7ted the tide of depravity and
forced it back. They moved not hand
to do 50, but, on the contrary, mounted
it and rode recklessly e'ong, and the
masses followed until or'y now gre they
forced, through the ever multiplying
mass of corruption, TO ask whether they
have not gone fer enough.
The answer to this question must be
/ speedy. Radicelism once wfs daring.
Then it was admired. Now it is simple
thievery, end is only despicable. The
war ennobled The colder, out it pro-
| duced Radicalism end Grantism, and
degraded the people. Radic2'ism claims
to have fred the negro, but it chained
his mind, and put shackle3 more gall
ing than the slaves upon labor itself,
and whatever corruption now exists il
the ranks of its opponents YVES engen-
dered by the example set by itse''. To
apologize for it or to defend it is in
suit common 3nse 1t has b IN the one
great cuIee of the pc ople, End it is time
the ban were lift l. IDgerS)ll may
talk himself hoars :, but he cen never any
more sue eeod in convincing The world or
the ople of his Countrywide gre not
morsNy blind-that the A meIicPn People
were not, and are not, demoralizcd by
the war, than he cs1 convince ny think
ing man that there IS no God