Rensselaer Republican, Volume 15, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 August 1883 — Republican Practice. [ARTICLE]

Republican Practice.

One of the most prominent and commendable features of the Republican party is its readiness and its determination to abolish abuses within the party. When the whisky ring was arraigned, and Republicans were detected in swindling the Government, the rings were broken np, and Republicans and Democrats were alike punished. It has been no part of the policy of the Republican party to shield the guilty. The star-route conspirators who swindled the treasury, violated their trusts, and brought disgraoe upon the party, were swiftly overtaken, and, while they have not been sent to jail, they have been convicted at the bar of public opinion, and are suffering a torture that could’hardly be aggravated by confinement withia prison wells. They entered pleas of party service in vain. The darts of justice struck high, and men who had occupied exalted positions were not spared; and, because these have been stricken down, their punishment is all- the more severe, and the courage of the party that refused to spare them on. the pound that they had been high and influential in its councils is all the more commendable. It is hardly to be expected that a business of such magnitude as that of the United States Government can be conducted without cases of dishonesty occurring. Such cases occur in private affairs, and relatively much oftener and to a far greater extend than in public affairs; but all that can be fairly asked of an Administration is to Use diligence and to purify the public service. In this direction the Republican party has a good record. It has held up the scales of justice with a steady hand, and, if it has not made every man honest, it has made rascals afraid and satisfied the people that its purpose is to expose and not shield unworthy officials. This is the history of the Republican party; but it is not the history of the Democratic party. The polioy of the latter was to protect its members who were guilty of corruption—to cover up and hide, and not to expose and punish. And now what are the Democratic organs doing with reference to the starroute transgressors ? Using their testimony to blacken the character of a dead President who spared them not, and of living publio men who did their duty. In the interest of the star-route criminals old stories are revived and desperate efforts are made to reburn wet powder. These stories, if true, might inculpate public men responsible for prosecuting dishonest officials, but could not exculpate the latter. The witnesses, too, are the men who are smarting under the rod at justice; are full of malice, and have no character to lose. Their shafts, at the same time, are mainly directed against Garfield, who is dead and cannot speak for himself. They know this; otherwise they would be more careful. But, as a sufficient offset, the fact stands boldly out, that among the last acts of the murdered Garfield’s life was an order that could not lie misunderstood, to prosecute the guilty. His heart overflowed with kindness, but for the guilty he bad no compas on And President Arthur took up the work where his predecessor left off, and the result is before the country, and it is a record that will strengthen public confidence in the administration.—Cincinnati Commercial Gazette.