Year: 1859

current history Of the times, if it does not
know that these charges hare been proven
already in q good many instances. But, VS.
say further that it is unnecessary that sucl
charges should in all cases be absolutel,
proven, in order to cause the condemnation
Of the guilty parties. There are suspicious o
corruption attaching to various public men IN
this Nation which may never be sustained by
any positive, legal proof but they are sus-
picions founded upon circumstances tangible
to every person at all cognzant Of public at
fairs. All such persons fully believe that
these men are corrupt, but they can never
prove it. Does it follow, then, that such tel-
lows are to be sustained by the people with
the same generous devotion as If they were
above the suspicion ofintamy? The Express
would of course answer "yes,-a man must
be supposed innocent until he is proven gull
ty, such being an axiom Of the common law
But, we put the question to those who have
some other purpose to subserve than merely
to defend partisan leaders. Does any man,
anxious for the welfare of his country, be


ieve that he, whose character is continually
befogged with suspected villainy, should be
entrusted with the rights and liberties of the
people? Is such a man fit to be the guardi-
an Of the public funds. or to take charge Of
any OF the great trusts Of the Government ?
Surely not Ifho be wrongly suspected, it is
his misfortune, but where the conduct Of n
man is such that the finger of suspicion is
continually pointed at him, there is very apt
to be good, sound occasion for it. \ perfect


" pure man may be Indignantly charged
with crime in public Office, but the whole
world nearly is ready to swear to his inno-
eence. OF such q character were the charges
against Daniel Webster by Allen of Massa-
chusetts, and those against Henry Clay after
the election Of John Quincy Adams But
there is a certain kind Of suspicion which
grows out Of the external circumstances of "A
mans life and fastens a stigma upon him
which he cannot remove by mere defiance
Of the proof His surroundings, certain un-
explained acts, sudden acquisitions of wealth
Immediately consequent upon some official
performance, personal advantage apparent in
the advocacy of certain generally obnoxious
measures, systematic course Of luxurious
and splendid living requiring a thousand
times more money than his office will legiti


mately pay-all these things throw an odor
around a mans character which makes him
scarcely whit less despicable in the eyes of
those who know him best than if he had been
proven guilty in an open Court of Justice of
every species of official iniamy. No uniform
ly suspected public man should be retained
in Office moment longer than it is possible


to eject him; and this is the sum and sub
. stance of the proposition which we have


aimed, in the foregoing brief remarks, t.
maintain.


There is vast amount of official eorrup-
f ton at present existing in this Nation, ant
e every well read man knows it. In comment
ing upon this fearful fact, in a former issue
we made no allusion to any particular party
or administration; but the Express seems at
once to fit the cap to the head of the present
Administration, and talks about the "croak-
ing of the outs against the ms" We are free
to say that it is not alone the Administration
Of James Buchanan that has witnessed cor
ruption in the high places of the Govern
ment. But, that is neither here nor there
The point we wish to arrive at, is to arouse
the indignation of honest minds against thi.
shameless species Of argument which would


for partisan effect, and for the sake of keep
ing power within the hands of certain inter-
ested leaders, attempt to lull the suspicious
Of the people anG to roll back the consuming
tide Of their wrath against the objects of their
just detcstation, by endeavoring to persuade
them that there is but littleif any corruption
in the country, and that the denunciations OF
the press are but the "croaking of the out'
2 against the ms" Oh shameless subterfuge
By such reasoning us this, Gf it is to be al


lowed) might Satan argue the Sun itself on
b Of its own light, and shut the mouth Of al
angel upon his throne The cry of the o,st
against the ias Is this then to be the all
satisfying answer to the people, hereafter
Is the same rule to work in all succeeding
Administrations? When corruption stalk;
through the halls of Congress, buries its hand:
in the public treasury, pollutes the palm Of
justice, and posons all the fountains of gov
ernmcnt; when Senators betray their princi
pies. their party and their country, for the
big fees Of Executive reward when Repre-
sentatyes are bought up like sheep in the
shambles; when the future Of our glorious
country grows dark with the impending
omens that beeloud our political armament
when good men are about to despair of the
Republic; when traitors swarm in our ma
tional councils; when the robber of the pub
lie funds, clad in purple and fine linen, rude
, ly jostles from the steps Of the National Capt.
tol the poor patriot in his rags as he goes
up to lay his humble petition before those
who were once presumed to be his peers un-
der the government, and when he finds, il
the places where sat the God like Daniel anC
the Immortal Clay, the low schemers afte
place and power, the well-paid hirelings Of
Presidential Dictator, the dark assassinator
Of their countrys peace and glory: when tina
day comes, as come it must if the warnings o
a free press are not needed, are we or thos,
who succeed us to hear such party organs a