Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-09-30
TIE DECLINE OF PARTY MORALS.

rupted. Il may be said that the Democ.
racy has had no morals to speak of since
the close of the rebellion. During the
whole of that period Che party has been
obtaining votes under false pret.nses. II
has possessed no principles or convictions.
1t has been in alliance with the worst and
least tolerable tendencies of the South
toward brutal suppression of the colored
vote. 1t has been in alliance, at the North,
with the organized corruption of the great
cities. At every Presidential election it
| has played some new tricks. Abandoning
all its original doctrines it has endeavored to
win success by masquerading in Republican
professions. Il has deliberately sought to
| be all things to all men. It has been for
hard money and honest finance in one
State, and for initiation and Reputation in
another In short the Democratic party
has for the best part of a generation been
| destitute of everything in the shape of
probity or principle, and has been nothing
more respectable than an association of
| plunder-hunters, constantly prepared to
employ any artifice and subterfuge, re-
gardless of its immortality, if it promised
success at the polls. The infamous act of
deliberate forgery known as the Morey
| letter was the latest and most conspicuous
instance of what the Democratic leaders
are capable Of.
There was time when the course of the
Republican party presented a refreshing
contrast to that of their opponents, but
that time has gone by. To-day it must
be recognized by the truthful and candid
observer that there is little choice, as re-
CARDS morals, between the two parties.
We cannot better illustrate the extent of
the degradation which has befallen the
once great and noble Republican party than
by presenting an historical comparison. In
the closing days of Buchanan's administra-
ton, when the Democratic party had be.
come rotten to the core, and loyalty and
patriotism and honor and truth were all
being abandoned and trampled upon to.
gether at this, the very lowest point
to which the party sank, the system of
political assessments was adopted and en-
forced. Buchauan's administration per.
mitted the Federal employees to be black
mailed for the support of the Democracy;
and to-day we find the National Congress
ional Committee circulating documents de-
| fanli1, Ahair of
assessments, on the ground, chiefly, that
the same thing was done under President
Buchanan. This one episode is sufficient
to indicate the enormous difference between
the Republican party of 1861 and the Re.
publican party of 1852. In truth there is
no point Of contact between them, and
nothing in common but the name.
The party has never recovered from the
corruption of Grants administration. The
great war statesmen whose virile energy
and single minded patriotism built SO solid
fabric of party power, did not suspect
that they were creating a fortress which
after they were gone would be seized upon
and held by guerrilias and lawless advent
urers, whose only object was self-aggran-
dizement. But the nation having consent
ed to the creation of this structure in order
that the more perfect reconstruction of the
South might be hastened, was slow in dis.
covering that the pretense of guarding the
South was being employed as a disguise for
proceedings which threatened the liberties
of the North. The overthrow of Grants
embryo Satrapies rudely shook the con-
spirators from their fancied security. But
by that time their preparations had gone
so far as to secure the destruction of party
morals. The spoils system had been so
extensively applied, and SO vigorously, that
none but incorporating partisans could
obtain entrance into political life or public
employ. Had the scheme of the SOC at
Chicago been successful, and had Grant
been elected President a third time, it can.
not be doubted that this system would at |
once have been utilized to consolidate all |
power in the hands OF the Administration |
and its lieutenants, and to render impos.
sible any successful revolt against that |
power. But though the plot failed, |
the evil effects of the spoiIs sys.
TEN continued, and still continue.
There are no longer any real issues
between the two parties. The Southern
question has ceased to exist. On the Tariff
the Democrats at the last Presidential cleo
ton declared themselves converts to the
Republican doctrine. The financial issue
has been settled for some time to come,
with the exception of the silver coinage
phase of it, and upon that neither party
holds any definite theory.
Civil Service reform is living issue, but
both parties are equally unreliable in re-
gard to it. In fact it is certain that neither
of them has the least idea of admitting any
such reform if they can possibly prevent it.
There are then no longer any national is.
sues. What Prohibition may become be.
tween now and the next Presidential cleo.
ton it is impossible to say, but at all events
it is clear that at this moment there ara no
material differences between the parties.
Yet the rancor of partisan politics has not
abated, nor is it likely to, for when convic.
ton and principle are eliminated from these
contests, the motives which inspire them
are the lowest and most sordid which can
animate contention, and they are carried on
by the least scrupulous and honorable of
men. By degrees, almost unperceived by
the people at large, the basis of patriotism
which originally underlaid the Republican
party has been withdrawn, as the first
picture in dissolving view is gradually
taken away and just as in that case the
outlines of the succeeding picture are softly
and slowly impressed upon the failing lin.
eaments of its predecessor, so the regime
of the demagogues has succeeded to that
of the patriots. The question is no longer
of principles, but of spells. 1t is no longer of
power for the sake of guarding liberty, but
of power for the sake OF amassing wealth.
We have in these days new class of pol.
i!icians men who seek and care nothing