The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-04-08

eight years removed ouiy nine. all for canse.
John Adams In four years removed nine, and, he
sss nons ,oa pel' 81 rsssons Ter In
purposes. Madison I'm eight years removed ave.
Monroe in eight years removed nine. John
first ak Presidents holding the Presidential
cffco for forty yeara removed only seventy
three Office holders sevensy-threc removals In
forty years Why. sir. the Postoffice Depart
ment alone has made moro reno ais than that
In forty minutes llaughterl, decapitates moro
than tibet before breakfast as mere appetizer.
And yet tine Democratic party has the impu-
dence TO look the American people In the face
ana declare without blnsidng that IL has re-
turned to the practices Of Tho fathers.
Let us have done with this farce Of reform.
The people are sickening OF IL. IL was quite an
attraction In the beginning but it has ceased 10
draw, and you had better ring down
II you would save the performances or the
performers from public ridicule and contempt
Take Il nom the boards or it will be Kissed of
And he, let me say that the browning infamy
In this WI ole business Of reform lies in the dis
mcy a. ~ honest, capable officials. II you would
say TO Republican: Il want this office because
you are Republican. and want IL for Demo
crat because he Is Democrat. that would be
honorable and manly.
But you say: I'VE cannot do that, for we are
committed to the doctrine that removals shall
not be made for partisan reasons, and that hon
esty, capacity, and fidelity shall constitute the
only valid claims to public employment We
must seem TO keep this promise to the public il
We blacktn the good name OF every Republican
official in the land" And you permit nav
not only permit but invite. charges TO be made
against faithful and upright public SER
wants upon which they removed, and
thereupon you give out that they removed
or suspended for cause But when the
spended official or his friends ask to be advised
of the nature Of these charges, then this reform
administration replies, THAT Is a sealed vol
ume. and you can not be permitted to open It,"
am not abiding now TO the controye going
q I'm the other end Of the I hav IN,
mind an instance within my own knowledge.
Two Cove rnment officials in my own city, OF
character VI public and private life, we're re-
moved from Office. and when demanded OF the
head Of the department to be advised OF tho
nature OF the charges preferred against them,
was informed that could neither have a copy
Of the charges nor DO informed OF their sub
stance. These charges against those men
only harmless because no imputation posi-
bly, destroy public confidence in their official or
private character.
In this refusal to disclose the nature Of these
changes lies the infamy Of this whole business.
Men of the highest character IN public and
private life. against whose fair names the
breath OF suspicion even has never come. are
turned out OF office and branded with some
crime which they are not perm tied to know.
and can not, therefore, disprove; and these
charges, unknown and unanswered, unanswered
because unknown, pass into the permanent
archives of this nation to remain SO long as the
Government shall stand. This, 1 repeat, is the
browning infamy Of this whole business, and
il to deserved retirement.
But am suspicious the Democratic party has
deluded itself into the belief that such a conrse
will lead to great pa ty advantage and con-
tribute TO its future success. You argue that
this method is a threshold victory; first, you
say. we get the Republican official out and
Democrat in, which is OF prime consequence;
second. by withholding all knowledge Of the
grounds upon which removals are made we will
keep from the people the real cause, which is
purely political one and continue the decep-
ton that we are reformers and, third, by deny
ing to removed officials the right to know and
answer the charges made against them the sus-
picion will obtain that they are removed for
some malfeasance I'm office, and in the approach
ing campaign we have but to point to the long
list OF removals for convincing proof OF official
corruption.
II this is your reasoning, let me say to you
that you are making fearful mistake. II you
would remove the Republican Official, saying to
him, 1T is not because you have not been a
faithful and honest public servant. but solely
because you are not in accord with the ID mo-
CRITIC party, there Is not Republican official
in the land who would not gracefully surrender
and accept the situation. He would probably
continue Republican from conviction. but the
simple loss of his Office would not spur him to
unusual zeal. But when you remove him upon
some sec OF charge, emanating from some secret,
unknown source, which he Is not permitted to
know or answer. rejecting upon his public or
private character he not only continues to be q
Repub lean, but he becomes your active. mpla-
cable foe. The Office was Of little value TO
him, but his good name IL n priceless legacy.
cherished above all Use, which he hoped to be-
queath untarnishod TO his children. That is but
a common ntiment.
"Who steals my purse steals trash;
But he that rlches from me my good name
Robs me of that which not erriches him
And makes me poor indeed"
You, for party ends. are wantonly placing q
stain upon thousands of good names, and be as
sured they will not rest inactive under the foul
persion. Nay more their kinsmen and their
fr ends will make common warfare with them.
II nora Il men Of all parties will espouse their
cause, and this Dem lcra';c reform administra-
ton will answer for it's utilization of worthy
citizens at the bsr of public opinion, where II
will receive swift and merted condemnation.
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