Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1894-04-17

The last year ~ Andrew johnson wa
the beginning ~ long series ~ ho'iili'
ties which continued through the entire
hrst term and well into the second tcrr|
of Grant. In fact. now that u h oNri
aud we can look back upon u phil0soph
ically, II must H. admitted that that wa
our era ~ corruption, " weoyer hal on"
first a. draw the frr II th" correspond
.n,. wer. the once famous Mrs. Cobt
and her gang ~ pardon brokers.
The unfortunate position Of Andrew
johnson. compelled to dicker with hos
tile senators To get any of his appoint
ments confirmed. ~ divided the rrsIpn
,ibility as to reduce II to "a minimum.
All this fell In with the wasteful way,
and general recklessness which followed
th. larg. eIIsndi,urrs ~ the war, aud .
habit ~ carrlessne-s with the peoples
money spread from Washington down
through all th. avenues ~ state, county
aud municipal government till II ended
with Credit Mobilier anil the whisky
ring In Washington. the reign of Tweed
In New York aud ~ the innumerabl'
bosses In every city In the land. That
was the palmy day ~ the shOldy aris.
tocncy. the golden age Of the lobbyist.
Claims were measured by millions. tn,
carpet bagger was then In the land and
was voting for everything which has
money In II.
An Ers of Corraptiea-
Tn. end % the war found the creyice.
Of southern society filed with = strang'
drift % humanity. II was composed oi
men who hal bc.n officcrs In cOlorc'l
regiments. men who were agents of the
frredmen's bureaus; men who hal b.en
cotton buyers and suffers. and who ~
NAMED whsr. the close II the war found
them. Along with these was y class oi
men II whom u IL NO exagg-raiiou u
say the world was not worthy
enthusiastic msrtyrs-men whose love
for humanity was ~ much greater than
their selfshne-s (or. II YOU please. then
common sensel that they tOiled ince-
sanity 10 educate the negroes. disregard
ing alike poverty. danger. social os,ra.
cism ani the sne-r- II their critics in ths
north. Out of these curiously ycomminglel
elements the newly enfranchissi colOred
people chos. at random their representa-
tiyes and - course got some of the besl
and worst men IN the country. The gOod
men were too often impractical; the bai
very practical indeed. Aid all thes'
elements 10 the general condition fol
lowing the war. and II is easy 10 sec why
the era ~ lsGs-,j WAS one of unusual
corruption.
when Jos rnaii.t. We're Unpopular
II was at this time that Dom Piait
George Alfred Townsend, j. ID. McCul
Tough, Sydney Andrews and many other
began their career Of slashing criticism
which continuei (such l. the force Of
habit even after the occasion for It hac
passed away. The great scandal of par.
don brokerage AMI the bargain and sal,
of appointments hal scarcely passed
away when the scandal Of the Indian
ring became fagrant and was followe,
Immediately by the sale Of cadcishiI'
the conviction ~ Congressman Bowen 81
South Carolina for bigamy. the San Do
mingo affair and the inquiry about the
French Arms.
While all these and all the chargei
against Boss Sheppard aud Babcock aud
others in connection with the District
government were stll fresh In the minds
of the people, the famous Credit Mobiliei
explosion occurred. Ia b- followed IN
rapid succession by dorm minor scan
dals and then by the great breakup Of
the whisky ring and the araignment ol
Secretary Belknap for selling poet trad
ership~. Tho-e were indeed the palmy
days Of sensational journalism, and th'
hostility between the pres and congress
men grew TO such a height that violenc'
was oftened threatened and occasionall, !,
indicted. II IL still one of the jo,es Of
the correspondents smoking room Ia tel
how Billy McGarrahan knocked down
Dom hatt In the capitol and how Ere
Grant and his friend waited outside tn
residence Of the same inimitable Dom
with the ayoxed intention Of poundin,
him till his hide wouldn't hold shucks.
Thss Csns Dsa LAmosI
The panic Of is73 and the political re
vulsion which followed Il proved sharl
tonic. and with the coming In Of th
Hayes administration began an era o
good feeling between correspondents an'
congressman. II may lie said to hav'