THE POLITICAL, SOCIAL, AND RELIGIOUS CONDITION OF THE UNITED STATES.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5047, 8 April 1878, Page 2

THE POLITICAL, SOCIAL, AND RELIGIOUS CONDITION OF THE UNITED STATES.

(Prom the "Otago Daily Times'" San Francisco Correspondent.) POLITICAL CORRUPTION. It may seem paradoxical, but it is none the leas true, that the average American cares nothing for politics. That is, he never troubles himself about policy, but is quite alive to the merits of the men. With him men are everything, principles nothing, save as a " platform " upon which his candidates are to climb to office and " run the machine." Ifc is a low estimate of public life, but one which long usage confirms as just. The science of American politics consists in securing office for the sake of its emoluments ; the science of government in so dispensing patronage as to ensure a party triumph at the next recurring election. Party government in America, therefore, is reduced to a very perfect system of " grab," and involves no further responsibility than is consistent with its practice. Occasionally, in the heat of party conflict — i.e., during an election campaign — chickens come home to roost, and disclosures affecting the probity and honor of candidates arc made. Sometimes the allegations arc . true, sometimes they are gross exaggerations, and in the smaller number of cases they are wholly false. But it is impossible for any man to run for office in the United States and preserve his character. This is true of the humblest and highest offices, and of every section of the United States. Hence, legislative and municipal bodies are composed, in a large measure, of the thieves and rascals the electors and the press endeavor to prove them to be before election. Indeed, a stranger would be apt to think that a character for stupendous rascality was a prerequisite for high office in this country. The judges on the bench are smirched ; and it is but too true that " justice" is an article of traflic in many courts. As it was truly testified i

before a Legislative Committee the' otto* day in this city, the administration of the ■ law is unequal. Rich men are above the law. It is impossible to secure a conviction against a man of wealth, who may habitually violate the code aud^et the law at defiance. fa . . The utter want of consciousness on the . part of the middle classes that tlieTe te anything wrong in this is one of the Very' worst signs of the times. It proves that the whole body politic is corrupt, and of itself justifies the revolt of the working' 3 men, mechanics, and others all over the country, and the declaration by them that , malfeasance in office must he heavily" punished. Indeed it was seriously proposed at some of the labor conferences to - make this a capital offence ; and when one sees officials walking about the streets I who have stolen tens and hundreds of - J thousands of dollars of the people's' | money, by connivance with the police^ prosecuting attorneys, and other function-;-aries, while proof is in their possession", , or sees .them pardoned by the Governor . on the pretext that their wives are deeply • concerned, without making a show of restitution", the indignation of the workers, ■who are ground down by excessive taxation, long hours of labor, and low rates of pay, is not uncalled for. So gross have these abuses become, and so corrupt are" both the great national party organisations, that the working men of the United States have organised an independent party, and thrown over Republican and Democrat alike. I There is a hope for republican institu- 1 tions when the majority of the intelligent I workers rebel against machine politick The working men's party has a distinct aim in view ; they know they have only themselves to trust to, and the chariceS are about level that they will carry the next elections, and indie ate the policy of the Republic for weal or woe for years to come. Land monopoly is doomed. So also are railroad and trade monopolies, fostered by an iniquitous fiscal system^ and in the case of railroads by grants of ! land and money. The railroad moncnoly has become a grave menace to the Refpablic. The corporations defy Congress to enforce their charters, and refuse to pay interest on public loans. Four or fiv« men may now be said to control the entire carrying trade of the country, While their interests clash the politica danger is kept in the background, bul when by a stroke of the pen th§y-cai transfer the farmer's profits next harvesi to their own coffers, through the devic« of discriminating freights, it will be seei that a very dangerous power has growi up. The railroad corporations are strong© than the Executive, and with the Nev York money ring, openly and covertl; plot for an empire. They are stron enough to buy and. control State. Legisla ture, and are at work at this momen upon Congress, with every show of sue cess. THE DECADENCE OF RELIGION. Canon Farrar and Dean Stanley hay much to answer for. Having satisfies themselves that the orthodox hell is s least doubtful, they said so ; whereupo Henry Ward Beecher went one better i Plymouth Church, and took a solem oath that he would as soon worship Sata as the vengeful being which Calvanisi had enthroned. This is putting Hem Ward Beecher's declaration in a mil form. The buzz in the religious worl has been tremendous ; and every pulp in the land rang, and is still ringing, wit pleas for and against hell; It is wonderfi the fascination this subject has for son minds ; and very estimable clergymej while failing to convince themselves witM out ocular demonstration like LazariH had boldly declared that there certain™ should be a place of eternal torment, I only to punish the aforesaid Henry Wafl Beecher if he were guilty in the matter H Theodore Tilton's pet lamb, or to sinfl his accusers if innocent. The balancfl however, declared against the bottomleß pit, eternal punishment, and predestihM tion ; and yet these very men^vho by <fl| exercise of their reason dl&ard tfl orthodox hell, denounced the famofl free-thought lecturer, Colonel Bob IngeM sail, a few months ago, for saying t^fl same thing, with the logical corollaH that there was no heaven (in the orthodß sense), and all that this negation impli^M But when the great lights of orthodpß tossed over the penal clauses of DiviM revelation only, they .. liad no scrujM about following suit. They have got xH of hell. Having discarded a place H future punishment, " Colonel Bob" wai^B to know what reason there is to believeH a place of future reward. Are the rewarH to be bestowed indiscriminately aflj without reference to merit 1 A difficiHj point for solution ; but the people s^M fast outrunning the clergy, and unleH they can check the stampede by snatchiJH a boulder from purgatory, which majj clericals are doing, there is imminent ri^B of the Protestant Churches collapsing America, as far as theology is concern^H and becoming mere social clubs. THJ true blue Presbyterians are making^H gallant stand, but the young people do^H take kindly to the narrow bridge of lo|H by which Calvin connected the life t^H now is with that which is' H come. The Roman Catholic Church istH only Christian organisation in the Uni™B States which shows vitality. It is rapic^B on the increase, and being essentially nsH sionary is always on the war pa«H Strange that the Syllabus should be JflH cepted so generally by Catholics in^HH democratic country. But scKJ^^^B Catholicism stands by its creed aHH fession of faith ; Protestantism hai^^H generated into Scepticism, the voH clergy leading the assaults upon the lai^fl marks of faith which the Fathers set with so much care and watered with tflß blood of the martyrs. |H Henry Ward Beecher, who derives^H princely income from the rich, and v^M denouncing the working classes for fusing to toil for what would buy br^H and water, making no provision for shel^H and clothing, has made a grand mista^H Hell was an admirable weapon in hands to perpetuate the social inequalitSH which he preached as the benencJH design of an all wise Providence. 2J^| that the fear of it restrained the r^H from their oppressions, or the sain^H Henry from a "nest-hiding," but that hope of it gave the poor patience to b^Hj unrequited burdens. The police bat<flH which the man of Nazareth put into hands of the Church have been broken its chief constables ; the doors of the t^B mal prison, are shut ; Cerberus has b«H chained below ; and everything is love^Bj Let them look out for the beginning sorrows. On a mere question of pol^H these persons are wrong. The closingj^B Tophet means the increase of police a^| gaols, additional taxation, and liv^H times in general. HI