Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1824-08-24
From the Illinois lutelligencer.
TO THE PEOPLE OF ILLINOIS.

ter it; IT will be well to inquire into the
TACT whether, lis sacred temple has been
violated with lnnpnnity, and if SO, to con-
cert measures for better guarding it in
future, and at the same time to punish
those who have disregarded rs isjunc-
lions. 1t is by unremilting watchful-
ness, on the part of the people, that
the fundamental principles of the
government are to be preserved unsul-
lied, by the ruthless hand of construc-
tiUe innovation. The Individual who,
with this view, calls public attention to
any particular department OF the govern
ment, To invite candid ioquiry, must al
ways stand excused al the bar of the peo-
pie, even should his opinions happen TO be
erroneous. The subject 10 which | will
invite the attention of the good people
OF illinois, is one Of vast importance--no
less than the constitutional qualifications
oil the members Of the general assembly /;
en- which | viii take the liberty Of SUBJ
hitting my views with candor, but with
out passion, referring the solution OF the
question, to the better judgemen, Of the
people.
The 18th section of the second article
OF the constitution, reads as follows, 10
wit: No Judge of any court of law or
equity, secretary of state, attorney gene
raj, attorney for the state, register, clerk
! OF any court vi record, shcrltior collector,
members Of either house Of congress, or
person holding any lucrative Office un-
der the United States, or this STATE,
provided that appointments in The mill
tia, post-,nasters, OF justices oil The peace,
shall not be considered lucrative offices
shall have seat III the general assem-
bly,: nor shall any person holding an
office of honor or profit under the govern
ment of the United States, hold any office
of honor or profil under .he authority Of
this state"
To ascertain whether any individual
is disqualified under the aforesaid clause,
two persons arise within the scope Of my
present purpose. First, does be hold
an Office under the authority Of this state ;
secondly, if he does, is there any COM
pensation attached to the Office No
| mater how small the fec, salary, or com-
pensation may be, if there is any thing
given as a compensation for the duties
OF the office, though ever So small, then
the office is iucratire within the spiriy
| and meaning oil the constitution. There
/ Is no other land marx 10 guide u.s.
| BY the "act establishing the State
Bank of Illinois" II will be seen tina, The
state is the.oniy stockholdcr, aud re-
| spoDslble for all the contacts of the
bank, and is entitled 10 all the prof os
he institution. Ii further, appears by
The 18th section OF that act, that on ali
| loans made at said bank, to individuals,
an interest at The rate of six per ccntum
per annum, is to be reserved TO the stale !;
and by the IL h section, that all secnr.-
ties taken a, said bank for loans, are to
be 10 the president and directors, for
the use oil The people OF the state of Hi.
nois." So that it would be difficult to
imagine an institution more fully identi-
fled with the state; the Offices OF which
could be more fully state Offices.
The 18th section of the same acl,
reads as follows, to wit: " Tha, the re-
spective presidents Of The principal bana
and branches, shall, as a compensation
for their services, in addition to the
amount which as individuals they might
be entitled to, have standing accommo-
dation in their respective banks, giving
the same security as in other cases, aud
paying at The rate of two per centum IN
terest per annum the president Of the
principal bank, the sum OF two thousand
dollars, and branch presidents one thou
sand dollars, and each director shall be
entitled TO standing accommodation Of
seven hundred and fifty dollars, on the
same conditions" So that the president
OF the principal bank receives eighty
dollars, and the President of the branch
banks do receive a compensation of for
! ~ dollars each, by way of loan without
interest, iavors extended to no other per-
sons. l, is true that the compensation
is small, but the fact clearly establishes
the position, that these are offices which,
member of either branch of the gene
raj assembly, cannot constitutlonally
hold. The state has, in that bank and
branches, the office of cashier, which in
the branches, is paid with stated salary
! Of eight hundred dollars.
i 1t will be well for the people to in
quire into this matter, and ascertain how
many presidents, directors and cashiers
of this bank and branches, hold seats in
the general assembly, and to determine
whether it does not present a fit subject
tor legislative inquiry. l. will be recol-
lected that usurpation on The fundamen-