The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1885-12-15
COMMENTS ON VARIOUS TUPICS.

l'''eu tfoth ~ W Tue uceuS VI Tue 0OVeIn-
ment economically administered.
! COMMENTS ON VARIOUS TOPICS.
tssWHAr shall be done with our Es-
Presidents 7" is a question proposed and
discussed in the current number OF the
Cen 'ury Magazine.
The qIrstion is one Of little Inter est
except to a very lmie number OF peo-
pie In the nature of things, it is not
likely that the country will ever be bur.
dened with the care Of very large num-
her OF these worthy citiz ans at anv one
time, and the kind or qaalltv Of the sup.
| ply now on hand is not calculated to in
spire much enthu1ia,m generally. The
proposition, therefore. to make the ex
President Senstor for fite with large
salary is receivel with lsnguid interest
Bat the discussion discloses peculiar
DRIFT of public opinion thst is of inter-
eat. The desire to appear aristocratic
bring, with it the desire to follow the
customs and practices OF aristocratic
governments. A civil pcnsion list is one
OF the blessings OF that kind OF govern.
ment, an the prevalent n1tion in Ger
tain quarters is for civil pension list in
this country, A precedent already ext
ists to pension the widows OF ex Presi-'
ients. rue present proposition would
adj the ex.Presidents themselves, and
after that will naturally follow their chill
dren and grand children unto the third
generation, until Fl rally We shall have as
large and magnificent civil psnsionsl lis,
as OLD England can boast OF.
A civil pension list is contrary 10 the
spirit OF our government, but scarcely
session Of Congress goes over without
some proposition being presented look
ing 10 the adoption OF precedent for
measures of this character, and prece-
dent once established Is sufficient excuse
for the perpstration Of many wrongs.
If precedent we're wante1 for. the.
dispc csition OF our ex-Prtsidents most
admirable one may he found ia the lives
Iof Washington and Jefferson. At the
expiration of their respective terms Of
offi,e, they each retired to private life,
satisfied With the honors bestowed upon
them by their countrymen Why no,
lie. our ex-Presidents retire to private
life, and enjoy with peace and dignity
the distinguished honor Of being "the
first citiz3n OF the republic"
The presence Of Ex- President HAYES
al the funeral Of Vice President HEr-
bricks has revived discussion OF the
Great Fraul of 1875, and several news
papers have taken the occasion not only
to remind their resders Of the enormity
of Inst outrgge, but also to indulge in
some rather violent personal abuse of
Mr.. HAYES
As matter Of COOL taste, the mere
personal abuse might we'll have been
omitted on an OCCASION ke the present:
hut it is duty of citizenship to keep in
remembrance the monstrous outrage on
popu'ar liberty, and all who aided in the
crime and all who kno wingIy partook CT
be iniqritv bv receiving it's wages, must
expect, as they certainly deserve, to be
constantly exposed to the indignation
and contempt of honest men.
A nook recently published. entitled
The Great Fraui," will serve a good
purpose in keeping the names Of all
those who participated in the great crime
before the public. 1t will aid the Demo-
cratic heads of Rnreans to ferret out
those scoundrels who were given posi-
tons in the departments at Washington
in payment for the services they render
ed 10 the carpet.bag consnirators. The
appointments made In 1877, and later.
from the Sonth, especially from Louis
lana AMI Fiori Is sh"ul be carefully
scru inzad. II it should appear tha'
most Of the apoin.ees fro n that section
shout that time are found d1artered in
the Treasury Department, it would not
he q matter OF surprise It is we'll known
that one of the chief conspirators was
Secretary Of that Department during the
Hays administration and 1t was openly
charged at the time and generally be-
Ilievetf that appointments. were being
made there, not on the gropn of f ness
hut in payment.of some very disseputa-
BILE work
! 1t is stated that the atteption OF Dem
ocratic officials is already directed to this
class Of appointments, and the ,antece-
dents'ef those carpel-bag clerks will be
Examined. They are indeed "rasca' s, >
an | should not be allowed to stand on
the order of their going, but made to go
at once.
/ MEASURES Of public policy are now.
s.days strangely mixed up among politi,
cal parties. There is not one tf even
! secondary importance upon which the
parties can be aligned; not one Tut will,
on being pressed, cut of huge slice