Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1849-01-04


another appropriation will be asked of the
present legislature for some other work
about the pententiary. 1t is well for eve.
ry legislature to be cautious Of public con.
tractors, especially where The partnership
is composed of men of different political
parties, as is generally the case, not only
in this State, but in every State in the
Union, and especially in contracts for the
United States. This Union of men of diff
ferent politics is usually for the purpose of
uniting the different parties in the legisla-
ture in applications from the partnership
concerns for alterations, Improvements or
additions TO their contracts, and it is gen.
orally the strongest, most efficient and sue
cessful Of all combinations for log.rolling
purposes. and often produces results stri.
king legislatures themselves with perfect
astonishment. Such men, without being
the representatives Of any part of the peo-
pie, in fact being nothing short of public
swindlers, enter the halls Of legislation, and
offer members their support Of favorite
measures provided the members will advo.
cate their applications for changes, altera-
lions, improvements, or more pay in their
own contracts. Members are drilled pri-
vately, the wings by the wing contractor,
and the democrats by the democratic con.
tractOr-members of both parties are Uni.
ted in favor Of the measure, and this often
gives it the appearance, 10 such as have
not the time to investigate the matter, of
being just and right, when the application
is decidedly wrong. No body can doubl
now the correctness of the veto of the pen.
itentiary bill, yet that was passed by large
majority of the legislature. 1t is clear 10
every one that the main object on the part
of the lessees, was TO prepare the way to
pay the $4,000 of rent which they had
agreed TO pay the State and get pay for
whatever further Improvements the change
proposed might require TO be made. A
legislature should act upon such measures
with great caution. All their information
comes from men deeply interested in a Pc
cuniary point of view. And individual
members should be cautious how they
pledge or commit themselves, or barter their
votes in such cases. In opposing such
concerns, it is not unusual for a man TO
bring upon his head 5their opposition and
even violent abuse. For vetolng the peni-
Tertiary bill the executive was even charg.
ed with bribery and corruption and an
honorable member of the Legislature
William Carson Of Maron-was called
upon to prove this charge. He was chair.
man of the Penitentlary committee and
knew all about the matter. In reply 10 an
interrogatory in the case, he says in let.
9th ha
bribery and corruption on the part of the
Governor, was not spoken or thought Of
as far as he knew until after the veto of
the penitentiary BILL" "The first notice
saw of it was in the Visitor published at
Warsaw, either edtorially or by a cor
respondent did not impugn the motives
of the Governor nor of any of the parties
concerned"
Then the witness called upon to
prove the charge, says he never heard OF
it till "afler the veto of the penitentiarv
bill" and that "the first notice he saw of il
was in the Visitor" published at Warsaw,
either editorially or by correspondent
and this notice, which the witness first saw
was the false charge itself--published by
those making it. To say the least of it.
this was poor recompense for throwing
ones self between the Treasury and the
public swindler, and thus saving the taxes
wrung from the hard earnings of the peo-
pie; but public officer, in our times, is
more apt to be rewarded for a violation of
duty, than TO be excused for a faithful dis.
charge of it.
SYSTEM OF LEASING.
The present system of leasing the peni.
tertiary ought TO be changed or abandon.
ed. the interests of the State and the
reformation of the convicls both require
an alteration. To save the execute We in
the pardoning power,-one of his lAesl
important and delicate duties-a popeJ
not unlike that exercised by our creator IL.
wards ourSelves--even the worst of us--a
change would be made. This change i.
due TO the lessees. The present system o.
leasing gives the lessees the right TO all the
| labor of the convicls. This interests them
naturally in keeping the best men and mos
valuable hands, and in aiding the liberation
of the worst and least valuable. Ever,
exercise of the pardoning power deprive,
them of the labor of some hands, and usu
ally the best ones go first. This brings III,
executive and the lessees in collision, anC
every effort is made to embarrass him i,
the discharge of this important duly. TIL,
language is not the most elegant, yet it i
hardly figure of speech and 10 say, tia
the present system of leasing may have til,
tendency, at every instance of an exercis
OF the pardoning power, to force the ex.
ecu,ive under the direct fire of a floating
battery of falsehoods. The merits of tn
| ,o.o ,To,l HI, 80, ,ol;oc &c..