The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1855-03-15
,,.-sx.s . From Ms Ledger
Our Lcgislafsre at Harrisburg.

contemporary declares that many of the
present msmb4s of the lpennsyivania Iegis.
lature, belonging to all partier, are thame.
fully incomPelst but attributes their cleo.
lion, BY what Stems at hrst a ta.adosIcal as.
sertion 10 thei utter obscurily as .indiyidu-
ais. Our Contemporary, however, is not far
wrong. Thee Gun be no question that the
standard Of 1Etss6raIi,y bias been steadily
deciiuing, Tor ffsny years, in Inc Legislature
oil this Commonwealth. We are not prepa.
red to say, with out. contemporary, that the
p resent Assembly is the worst we ever had.
but certainly Ills bad enough. Before ;thad
been in session a month, charges OF bribery
were SO openlyfmade on its Aoor, that a com.
miles of inquiry had to be appointed to in
vest'gate The subject. A Legislature ought TO
be, like cesar'siwife, abovNe Suspicion
When 1t becomes necessary 10 take notice
officially Of accusations like this, it may be
considered established that, whatever the
commit lee report, there has been corruption
somewhere. II we are to Judge ofthe way
in~which political affairs are conducted, by
the talk of politicians themselves, il Is regar-
ded no crime to bride, provided, to nse their
own phraseoiogy, they "cover up their own
tracks, When such language is employed,
We may be sure there is secret guilt.
Much OF the !seanpetency, prodisacy and
venality amongF Pc Legislators is to be stlri-
buled to the fact that politics has sunk into
a trade. Men nbw follow il for a livelihood,
and not, as formally, to enhance the public
good. The time was, and within the men,
DRY of many yet living, when Legislators were
chosen, like CifcInnalus, for their eminent
public virtues. But now, as our cotempora,
ny has obsersed ii is obscure men who are
most often electd. Obscure, We mean, as
individuals. Persons, unknown 10 their fel.
low citizens Centrally, either as worthy, in
t%ellisent, public spirited, sagacious OF hui
name.
But they are DOL obscure in the places,
where, by The depreciation to which politics
have suhk, TIE wires are pulled that elect our
representatives, Every grogshop knowslhem
every demagosue has their acquaintance,
every venal seeker after Office is in their in
iercst. Or i~hesr1s-uown, nomiually as re-
formers, bnt really is old political hacks, who,
BY a sort Of leap-ffog. mount 10 power over
The backs of the people. 10 a word, they are
anything but obscure in the world of trick
cry. double sh uffling: anG corruption, though
obscure enongh il The more elevated sphere
Of public virtue, patriotism, capacity and hon
esty.
To a certain extent, nevertheless, it is the
fault of the people that such Legislators are
chosen. l, is The indifference of the public
al large which enables artful men to make a
trade Of politics. AT the late special election
for Stale Senator, for example, but two.thirds
of the voters went 10 the polls and the delin-
quenls were about equally divided between
the Two parties. To ward meetings three
four,hs of the electors never go a, all. Is il
a wonder that the management OF public af-
fairs falls into ~tharhands it does? A msr-
chant, who shoun4 neglect the details of his
business, as citizens neglect the details of
government, would soon be ruined and is it
surprising, Therefore, that public affairs have
got TO their present pass? The people have
nobody to blame bttlhemselves, that Harris
burg is fuliof isuorani, corrupt, arlful and hyp-
o~cri,ical legislators that everybody beIives,
though nobody, perhaps, can prove, that bri-
berry is going on all The time; and that, if Inc
Commonwealth is not dIsgraced-ruined it
canaolbe, thank God!-i, is because the com.
tnnniis at large has loo high a character for
public virtue to be affected even by the acts
Of its agents.