The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1838-08-11
Number 16.

may be mentioned his sanction of the re.
charter of the Bank Of the United States.
Owing TO the dispute ON the subject Of the
Gubernatorial candidates which divided the
democracy in 1895, the opposition succeed
ed in electing majority Of the members of
the House of Representatives. Taking ad-
vantage Of this accidental circumstance, and
aware that the power thus acquired would
not be prolonged beyond the then session,
the Governor and his friends in the legis-
lature, conceived the iniquitous design of
revlving, for the period of thirty years, an
institution which the public voice had once
and again, condemned. Without single
petition from any quarter, or request en-
mating from any number of citizens, a bill
was introduced into the1ower house, under
a title calculated to mislead, by committee
to whom the subject did not belong and
lest the people in the exercise Of their CON
stitutional right, might demonstrate against
the preparation Of this fraud, and thus inn
pede, if not altogether defeat the design of
the conspirators, the bill was hurried thro'
the necessary forms with the most indecent
haste, and received the signature Of the Co
vernon, when, without the slightest previ-
Gus intmation, the community Of Pennsyl-
vania were astounded by the intelligence
that an odious institution was recalled from
the grave to which the popular voice had
consigned it, with increased energies and
augmented power. ~ %84
We will not enlarge on this painful topic.
All the facts attendant on the nefarious
transaction are so deeply impressed upon
your memories as to render it unnecessary.
We may, however be permitted to add,
that SO gross was this infraction Of popular
rights, and so dangerous to popular ascen-
Fdency, that the Convention which lately
sat to propose amendments to the ConstitpA
ton, by vote comprising the assent of men
of all parties, recommended the adoption of
a constitutional clause prohibitory, in fu-
ture, OF course of Legislation necessarily
tending to corrupt and demoralise, by hold
ing out an example of successful fraud as a
temptation to abuse the power, temporarily
delegated to our political agents. ..,.ya y.
Ifno other objeCtion could be urged
against Governor Ritner, his participation
| in, and approval of, this most disgraceful
prostitution of power, it ought, of itself, to
be sufficient to prevent his reelection. u So
far as Joseph Ritner and his advisers are
concerned, the question is not one depend
ing upon the utility or inutilty of the Bank
of the United States as a fiscal agent, OF the
benefits it confers, OF the dangers it entails
on the community. 1t ought to be sufii-
cient, in the estimation Of virtuous people
that the act which recalled it to existence
was concoctcd in fraud, and consumated in
iniquity. c..
This is an instance of his readiness to
lend himself and his constitutional preroga-
tive, to the promotion of vicious and injudi-
cious legislation.
Permit us now to furnish an example Of
his willingness to sacrifice the public good,
and to contemn an expression of the legis-
lative will in a case where the supposed
interest of favorite demanded it at his
hands.
1t will be recollected that in December,
1897, the legislature passed bill making
partial provision for the further prosecution
of our system of internal improvements
Among the several appropriations, was one
10 the Gettysburg rail road, to pay off ex-
isting debts. accompanied by a direction to
suspend further work on that road after the
first of January then meet This proviso
was inserted because of the strong doubts
entertained by the Legislature, of The utility
of the proposed road, and, in view of the
embarrassed state of our finances and the
heavy load of debt under which the state
is groaning, from the desire to avoid unne7
cessary expenditure. But the chief iavor-