Vidal Gore — Eighteen Seventy [1674]

Evil is a constant in human affairs,” intoned Zach. Chandler. They were marvellous. The guilt had been transferred to the Marshes in order that that obscure couple would be held responsible through all eternity not only for the end to Grant’s hope of a third term but for a possible end to sixteen golden years of Republican rule. — Vidal Gore, Eighteen Seventy, 1674

Note

This line succinctly captures the shifting blame and political maneuvering taking place, illustrating how the characters deflect their own guilt onto others. The phrase ‘the guilt had been transferred’ effectively conveys the mechanics of political scapegoating.