Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1857-03-04
LETTER FROM HARRIsBURGH.
OF Tue hdI Itein NH u 1ouI nut
HARRISBURG, Feb. 26tlh, 1851,

MR. EDtroR Yesterday was one OF more
than ordinary interest on ssthe hill;'' il is
termed hero. Several weeks ago, the Cover
nor nominated DIR. VIM. r. Dewitt, for the Of
fee of State Librarian. The DR.. has general
ly voted with the Locofocos. lie swallowed
last fall, the Ostend treaty, Cincinnati plat
form, and all the pro-slavery and propagandist
features of the party. He has now held the
office tor three years, having been nominated
by Ex-Gov. Bigler. Having said much for
the Dr's. politics, would add, he has made
good librarian. 1t was supposed for some
time that the nomination would not be con-
firmed. On yesterday the Senate went into
Executive session on the nomination. Sever
al Senators made speeches against acquiescing
in the nomination. Among these were Messrs.
Souther, Scoield, Coffey and Killinger. The
nomination confirmed by vote of % to
8. There is general disposition here to CEN
sure the Governor for looking over meritori-
Gus candidates in our own party, and nomina-
ting from our political foes. There seems al
so TO be a feeling of contempt for the Dr.. who
is pretty we'll off in the world, an ole man, hav-
ing the charge, in part, of congregation, and
sSh SSStAiHS VhiSC NUN pOiitISd tBSiulcSs
To-day, the death OF DIR. Kane was an
nounced in the Senate, and appropriate reso-
lutions passed. Messrs. Sorsher and Penrose
made very excellent speeches on the occasion.
In the House yesterday, after the reading of
the journal, the Speaker called Mr.. Knight to
the chair, asked and obtained leave to make a
statement. In legislation, they have what is
coliad tha fa .
calendar come up in their order, and are pass
ed, if no one makes objection; but any one
man can object to bill on this calendar and
it is thrown off. Three bills under the care of
Speaker Getz had been thus objected off the
private calendar. 1t was in.relation to this he
made the statement. Whenfhe objection was
made to one of these bills, a friend of the
Speaker went to the objector to ascertain the
reason for the objection, and endeavored to
have it withdrawn. This friend was ap-
preached by one of the reporters of the House.
who told him that three hundred dollars
would do it. This friend of the Speaker made
an appointment to meet this reporter in the
evening. At this interview the reporter told
him that his friends who had objected to these
bills, would withdraw their objections, as IA
vor to the reporter, when the reporter should
ask it, but that he, the reporter, would not ask
it, unless $500 were paid cash down. He was
told this was corruption. The reporter replied
that he did not care a d-n, that he was poor
that it was his business to act as legislative
attorney, and that he would have to pay the
reporter on the other side of the House Sl50
who attended to bills on that side of the house.
After this statement, the House considered
the bills referred to by the Speaker, and passed
them through the I'd reading. After this a
committee of five was appointed to investigate
the charges made by the Speaker. with power
to send for persons and papers, This commit
tee have power also to investigate the conduct
of all reporters, and other parties, who may
have improperly approached members of the
House, and report such evidence to the House,
together with such recommendations as they
may deem advisable.
1t is said by some, that there is a very great
amount of corruption in legislation This is
not an evidence that there is more of it now
than formerly, but the reverse. Both in Con-
gress and the State Legislature there seems a
disposition to drag this corruption to the light,
and deal in proper way with the offenders.
military convention is in session on ssthe
hill'' to-day. They were called together by
an act of the Legislature, to advise as to a
proper means of better organization of the
militia system. Yours truly.
CUJrs