Year: 1874

tiOn.


Hon. John A. Logan, Senator from
Illinois, made a telling speech at Indi-
annapolis last week, from which we
make the following extract. Read it,
Republicans, and then say whether
you are willing to assist into power,
and place the men who have belonged
for lifetime to that rotten, old Dem
ocratic party, whose history from its
inception to the present moment is
spotted all over with not only corrup-
tion, but treason-double dyed cor
ruption and treason, that smells to
Heaven"


But our Democratic friends con-
stantly clamor about the corruption of
the Republican party; and this is re-
peated by those who call themselves
Independents, in Illinois-I do not
know what they are called in Indiana,
but | believe the middle party is here
called the independent. When the
Democrats charge the Republican par
ty with corruption, do they give you
any facts upon which to base this
wholesale charge? l do not'deny that
that there are corrupt men in the Re-
publican party-that there always have
been and ever will be; but you cannot
point to any organization that ever ex
listed since time commenced its count
in which some one was not found who
was corrupt. They even found cor
rupt man among the twelve disciples
Of Christ. There is not one among
the churches of this land, (and
they are the clvilizers of the ma
ton tiat has not corrupt men in it.
Such men exist, and they will belong
to some party. Did you ever see "a
gambler who was not either Demo-
crat. a Republican, or an Indepen-
dent? Every felon has his political at
tachments. Arrest horse thief and
ask his politics and he will tell you.
But do you believe this extlavagant
and sweeping assertion that they are
all in the Republican party; that it has
such strange fascination for them
that they all go into it? If they have
lett the Democratic party entirely, it
has been done very recently. When
your leading Democrats in this town
| speak here. you may put 1T to them;
and would meet any Democrat and
ask and answer questions upon this
/ point-there are two thieves in the
Democratic party for every one that
can be found in the Republican party
l can show ten rObberles committed
by Democrats when in power to one
that can be pointed out that was per
petrated by Republican. Some cor
| ruption will always exist in govern
ment administered by SO vast mum
Der of men, and all We can do is tC
keep it down as much as possible
And this the Republican party con
stantly and sincerely do. But | def!
you to show me when the Democratic
partyever showed disposition to fer
ret out the corruption of its owl
members. Never! never!l l nigh
recite the details of our history t.
show you this in numberless instan
ces. Time has oblitcrated the recol
lection of past political events, and
will not resurrect it; but might poin
you to some notable instances in thi
State; l might name man who rob
bed the government during Demo
cratic administration of more nfbne.
than all the Republican instances pu
together As | told man in m
State few nights ago, who asked m
the question: IF you will name


dishonest man in the Republican par
ty | will name half regiment i
your own" 1t is an established fact
that during the predominance OF tn
Republican party this government
has been administered more economi
cally, us shown by the ratio of expen
ses to population, than at any Othe
time since its foundation. Applause.
There have been fewer frauds, les
proportion Of detalcations and robbel
les of the treasury by the Republica
party than by any other party tha
ever had control of it for the sam
length of time.


You may take the administration {


Jackson, Van Buren, or Pierce, or 9
clear back to the administration {
| Washington, and the archives OF tn
government will show greater pre-
portion of violations of law and ac,


of corruption un Ter those administr;


tions than have been shown under RI


publican rule. Then why this clame
about corruption? Because it is tn


only thing they can talk about; til


easiest and cheapest form of vagu


defamation. A few men have bee


corrupt and acted dishonesty; the.


men are held up and all the worl


informed that the whole Republics


party is corrupt. We forget the hi


tory of past administrations, for sin,


the Democratic party had control,


has been long time, and it will be


longer one before they have it aqai


Applause and laughter You ha,
forgotten what was done under Jacl