Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1884-01-18
OUR COUNTgY'S DOWNFALL

II " oe true as the pessim;s,s ala;
una. our country has now REACHED ~
zenith Of her glory and prospective ana
'n'' n'neeIorth her career will be down.
wari the cause may readily he f,rn4
u '"e TACT that the better class Of our
people refuse to take an active n,r, !.
politics as Is. is their bounden and patriotic
duty. The reason for this supinons..
on the part Of the best elements Of soei.
ety. III matter so vital as the nan.oo
ment Of the affairs of the pubic. NAV !.
traced to two entirely different sources
both cooperating and tending to Tho
same end. | m AN the liccniiousness of
the press and the Boss in politics.
1t takes a brave man to stand NJ
against the combined power of two sucb .
tremendous engines Of destruction Tho
Boss, with bis tortuous WAYS and 4.
grading methods, with which no sole
respecting man can cooperate: and tho
press with its deluge of filth. slsndor
and vituperation. Purity shrinks from
corruption, cleanliness abhors 6lth S.
the honest, frank, upright man an gen.
tleman seeing how others have b.on
treated TO what degrading depths thew
have descended to placate the Boss
what terrible misrepresentation SANDER
and abuse they have received at the
hands of the mul-slipgcrs of the press.
do not hesitate to shrink form susb an
ordeal and abstain entirely from poll
tics. either by voting or holding Office
Two notable instances of the mahg-
nant influences Of the BOSS" in politics
and ISLANDERS of liceUtious press are
now before the country.
Senator Pendleton of Ohio is a man
of distinguished abilities, Of pure and
spotleSs private and public life, a gentle
man and statesman Of broad views. He
has been lifelong and consistent Demo
crat, fighting bravely the battles of his
party when others now most blatant
skunk away; aud honored by his party
as their candidate for Wire President to
tend the forlorn hope in 1864 Yet this
man with few equals and fewer supcriors
has been stricken down by the Boss
in politics" because unwilling to surren-
der his honest and instructive feelings
of self-rcspect, consort with the Boss
adopt the Boss metho Is and give the lie
20 an honored aud honorable record.
The other instance is one illustrating
the Righteousness of the press.
Benjamin II Brewster is now an Old
man, nearly, if not quite seventy; a ma
tive Of Pennsylvania he has been a res.
ident of Philadelphia all his life, ant
since his earliest manhood has stood il
the front rank Of the bar Of that city
always eminent for its distinguished
ability A man of singular prrity o
private life, gentle in manners, and sym
pathetic in feelings as woman, cheer
full and genial in disposition, his painful
ly disGsurod face, in every scar an,
seam, tells the tale Of chivalric cour
age, with which few men are endowed
md which babe him encounter death
md worse, to rescue a young girl from
The devour:ng flames.
Is it any wonder that such a man
possessed as he was Of brilliant talents
should have found hosts Of friends, been
pointed to with pride by his fellow men
and regarded by the Commonwealth a
one of its most honored citizens?
When made Attorney General. NJ
better equipped lawyer ever assume,
the arduous and delicate duties of tina
exalted position. Having investigated
the star-rOute rascalities aud KNOWN!
the entire depth and breadth Of that gi
gantic conspiracy, he with characteristic,
energy set to work to ferret out auc
punish the rascals whatever might b.
their politics or personal standing. Il
this end he workc day and night. call
ing to his aid the ablcst legal talent il
the country, wit regard to party oil
personal affiliations.
No such gigantic conspiracy for rob.
bing the government has ever been un.
covered in this country. Over S., 000,-
600 had been stolen by these men. who
seeing the energy with which they were
being prosecuted, seeing the doors of the
pcnitcntiary yawning before them, did
not hesitate, as powerful engine of de-
tense, to buy the venal satellites of the
press who hover around Washington.
The foodgates of abuse were opened,
the sewers of scandal and filth were
empued, and Mr.. Brewster, who had
passed long, useful and honored life,
esteemed by all for his probitY and great
abilities, wa. held up daily and hourly,
to the gaze of the public as the most cor
rupt and debascd of men. This man.
whose reputation, in public and private,
had boon unsullied during loag life,
was made to appear as a liar, thief and
an imbecile drunkard And all because
he tried honestly to do his duty and vim