Year: 1876

means to save the Republic from sinking


into the vortex of political decrepitude,


decay and corruption. The effort is a praise


worthy one; but the means and methods


which they propose do not, when con-


sidered in the light of sound political


economy and seeing craftsmanship,


afford much promise of satisfactory results.


Very many people in this country feel


anxious to hear, and will quietly listen


that they may hear, the teachings of such


men as William c. Bryant Professor
Woolsey, Alexander Bullock, Carl Schurz,


James Freeman Clark, set i'd genus omne. "
As yet they do not appear to have developed
anything particularly striking as to methods
and measures to rid the country of corrup-
ton. They would elect honest men to
high offices, and secure all appointees to
place and position of the same character;
and pray who would not? Does either of
the great existing parties promise anything
else than this consummstion so devoutly
to be wishedf That all officials, from the
President down through all grades of the
civil service, should be capable and honest
men is a most desirable thing, and does not
admit of doubt. There is but one side to
question of this nature. How, then, does it
happen that so muchscorruption is brought
to light and shown to exist in connection
with the administration of public affairs?
We may answer this question by asking
another. How does it happen that in the
business and mercantile world, among banks
and bankers, in every department Of busi-
ness. the custodians of private and public
funds have been, in many instances to the
dismay and discontinue oftheir friends, and
to the utter amszement of all who knew
them, found corrupt, defaulters, embezzlers
and the hke2 While many men in the busi-
ness walks of life being tempted fall, is it a
strange thing that men who serve the Gov
eminent subjected TO like temptations also
fall3


That it is desirable to correct this great
and increasing evil cannot be questioned
for single moment. But do these very
excellent gentlemen who propose to act in
dependent of existing parties point out the
way and means of escape? This is the ques
ton We propose to consider briefly by
careful examination of their recommends.
tions and methods for reform.


Rev. James Freeman Clark, of Boston,
is an intelligent gentleman of this reform
school in politics and government, and in
a sermon which he preached in that city
on Fast Day, entitled THE Ring, the
Lobby and the Caucus" he tells us all
about it, and points out just how it can be
done; that is, it can be done, provided the
people will accept Mr.. Clark's advice and
follow implicitly his recommendations.


Mr.. Clark utters a number of truisms that
have been dwelt upon with more or less
stress ever since organized society existed.
He says we want Intelligence and hon-
esty in politics" He tells US that we care
on the eve of Presidential election"
and that the great majority of both parties
want an honest man for President We
think that we have heard all this before,
and therefore it does not impress US as
presenting anything particularly new.


The gist Of this discourse and the ami
mus thereof is stated thus: "We want a
"man who will steadily set his faceagainst
call rascality; select only the best men for
"office; q man who has no brothers in. law
cor cousins to take care Of; man willing
"to take some trouble to purify the civil
"service man over whom Congressional
"rings will have no power; man who
"will honor US abroad by appointing good
"men as our ambassadors, and if they are
"rejected nominate better men in their
"place."


Mr.. Clark belongs to that class of poll
ticians who, in 1872, were ready and will
ing to go for any man or make use of any
means 10 "defeat Grant, and this
malady is chronic with Clark and his set.
This fling is i'll timed, undeserved and
malignant. 1t is the clap trap of the pot
house politician, and has been the slang
ofthe copperheads and ex rebels tor years,
and though now dressed out in the garni-
turs and glittering generalities of the pull
pit of this diIettante clergyman of Boston,
who sits under the droppings of Harvard,
nevertheless it has not freed him from the
odor of bad whisky ald tobacco. 1t is
taken up and vociferated in all the low
grog-shops and slums of our great cities.


But, seriously, what do these men mean
when they make charges Of this nature
against President Grant. That he has ever
appointed a man to any Office, from Cabi-
net Minister down, knowing or having in
his own mind the slightest intimation that
such appointees were corrupt, we challenge
his worst enemy to prove. Mr.. Clark
knows, when he repeats this threadbare
story, that it is an improved and an un-
mitigsted SANDER! But it is said Gen.
Grant has appointed corrupt men to office.
So, indeed, he has, and so have other Presi-
dents. This is not the question. What is
to be established by these maligners of the
President is this: Did he, could he, have
known that these men were corrupt when
he placed them in power? How can any
man be known to be a rascal till he has
the opportunity to be such and Is found
out? Winslow, the forger, was believed
to be a very good man till he was found
olt-indeed, he was a saint of the first
water according to the Boston pattern of
saints. No doubt Mr. Clark himself would
have trusted him. Many people-shrewd
people, cute Yankees in Boston-did trust
him. Then there was Pond, Of Worcester,
a great man, a pious man, one whose
praise was in all the churches He had
the confidence of the entire community,
but he proved to bea aswindler and villain.
He is now expiating his crimes in the
Charlestown State prison. Mr.. Clark
knows that bad men, in many instances,
indeed, to very large extent, are found
in the business world, but does he blame the
parties who trust and have confidence in
these scoundrels before they are found QUIT
Not at all. Why, then, does he demand
that the President should be gifted with a
penetration above what belongs to ordi-
nary mortals3


Mr.. Clark insists that there are no ques-
tions of Importance now in issue between
the narties. and therefOre he advises that