Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1824-07-20
tn, the Yoters Of Madison County.

1
tn, the Voters Of Madison County.
! When an individual offers his services
as Representative to tue General AS
sembly,it becomes an important inquiry
( wnh the people what are ,be motives
| that induce the candidate thus yoluntari-
! ly to offer his services. No one Will
dispute the assertion that in choosing
Representatives, ii is OF the highest I'M
| poglance that men should be selected,
who are honest, intelligent and faithful,
who have no selfish moiises, and are
disposed 10 legisIa,e for the good of thi.
people, and nol for themselves.
10 aid SO desirable an object, no douh.
the 10Th sec. OF the I'd article of the con-
stilulion was inserted, which forbids any
Senator or Representative from being
appointed to any civil Office created do
/ ring the time for which he was elected
Have any of the candidates who have
Offered their services, or are before The
people by nomination been guilty of ID
violation of the obvious spirit and ioen-
ton of this clause Of the Constitution !?
Is il not the object of the Constitution 10
prevent the members from being gov
erned by selfish, and personal motives /;
and will not much mischief result to the
J people OF tins state il the members ofthe
Legislature are permitted to pass laws
creating places for themselves? VIII
not laws Of this description if no, check
cd by the indignant trown Of the people,
convert the meinbers OF our Legislature
into Office seekers, and barterevs for pro-
fi'able places! May not members be in
daced 10 vote for pernicious laws, in or
der to procure themselves profitable Jobs
Hy consulting the journals OF the last
session OF the House OF Representatives,
pages 276, 277 and 27s, it will be found
that bill came from the Senate to " pro-
vide for the improvement, Of the internal
navigation of this state" with the name
OF Nicholas Hansen in it as Commits.
sioner. Motions were made to strike
out the name OF Hansen, and insert the
name O! Emanuel J. Wesl; wnlch mo-
| tons prevailed, and we find Mr.. West
! voting tor the Bill with his name in il as
Commissioners. Can any thing be more
derogalory TO that disihtcresled and pa
trioiic feeling that ough, to acIua,e mem
bers OF the Legislature, than squabble
which OF two members shall nave Job !?
The same journals page 277) also show,
that Mr.. West voted against a motion TO
strike out the names Of the other mem
ners t thcl Lesislature wbo.were appoint
ed Commissioners by the Bill. VIVA,
security have the people, tina, the Legis-
lasure will call thepubiic agents and Of
ficers 10 account, when the members are
those officers, and agents
A single fact within my knowledge
speaks volumes on the Improperly OF
permitting members Of the Legislature
to be appointed to places where they
will have the disbursing and issuing the
public money.
During the last session Of the Legis-
lature OF this state a law was passed au-
thorising the appointment OF two Com
mfssioners, one by this state, and the
other by Indiana, for the purpose Of ex-
ploring and ascertaining the obstruction
to the navigation OF the Wabash River.
The Commissioners under this act have
performed thei: duty, and detailed re.
port OF their proceedings has been pub
lished in the " Illinois Republican"
From this report it appears that their la
bors were very arduous, and that they
must have employed several persons as
surveyors, chain bearers, &c. il, order to
complete their surveys, and take the le-
vels OF the different falls.
For their expenses, and for the pay
ment OF the necessary assistants employ
ed by the Commissioners, they have rem
dcred their accounts to their respective
states, embracing all the charges except
compensation for their services, which ex.
pcnscs amount to but8s s. These Com.
nissioners were not meuAers Of The Lee.
lsisla,ure. rhia fact svohs 10 lead The