The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1857-03-04

When we recently puo.isned Inc Iacts re-
specing The $3.50 coo of secret service money
distributed by General Scott while In Mexico,
we expressed our humiliation al The iacts
which i, indicated. That officers Of high rank
IN Mexico were willing 10 sell their country
for a private consideration seemed indeed
hardly credible. And yet The recent report
of the Committee of Inquiry show, that the
uses OF another sort of secret service money
are by no means confined to foreign capitals
or 10 times of war. In Washington, some OF
our own members of Congress can, il seems,
be reached by such considerations moIe ef-
efTecually than by any other.
That the action OF The Committee of Inqui-
ry was independent, manly, ard infuepced
by The purest and most honorable motives,
there can be no question. That it; ;ock bold
but mild view o. the case we have no doubt
Bu: whether they have got really TO the bot
tom OF The mater seems quite doubtful
Suppose three OF four members to be expell-
ed, would it be quite safe 10 sit down and
say, as do The Committee, that all beyond is
true that i, was for The interest Of the con.
spirators, if ever SO few, to magnify their
numbers, get up a report OF members oil Con-
gtess being so linked, in order 10 fleece mon-
ey more proiusely out of parties thus TO be
shaved? No doubt they exaggerated the
corruption, 10 swell the amounts, just as some
Of them professed TO be very Indignant at the
rascality of the whole thing, while roolly
swallowing the plunder. But after all, will
the county believe lhe other members of
Congress 10 be Immaculate II is true tha,
a certain ex-member from New York testi.
fes that he knows OF no corruption. But is
that enough? Perhaps he ard others might
differ as TO what is corruption, for Mr.. Simon
ton tells US that he had seen this same ex.
member call out twenty or thirty members,
aud after conversng with them they had
changed their votes. Why was not this re-
porter asked TO stale who they were. Prob
ably he would have forgotten.
One thing is certain; the public generally
will take more favorable view of thus case
than the committee have taken. Those who
defend men charged with such Infamous do.
inss, by the mere empty defamation against
"slar chamber" proceedings, will be suspect
ed, whether Justly or unjuslly we know not,
but they will be suspected OF being too closely
linked in with them 10 pursue any other
course.
Tie friends of some of the accused parties
will, no doubt, feel sore, and many will be-
ieve them not culpable TO the extent that
the report of the Committee would make it
appear. All this was TO be expected. There
nigh, not be unimpeachable evidence against
some of these men of directly taking bribes.
sufficient 10 convict them in a court OF justice,
as courts nowadays seem 10 arrange mat
lers. But that is not the point exactly. An
honorable body, like Congress, whose votes
decide all questions of national importance,
must be kept not only pure, but above all
suspicion. The corrurteTs Of public spirit are
bad enough, but il TO this il should once be
understood ths, the members can be individ
uaI!y approached by direct bribes, what shall
we come TO! Il may begin in a little book
jobbug, for Si4 900; il may so on al the rate
OF 81 800 Cor vote on railroad, ill il cut up
u quarter OF factory or use 100000 10 work
through bill bu, will ii stop there?
Will no, the section of the country thai
can carry the heaviest purse, by and by Sc
cure the TARIFF And when the vote comes
on claims affecting treaties, on questions o
North and South, peace or war, what is tc
| prevent The country being sold in lis homo
or lis dearest interests, for some private mes.
| of pouagee The fact of such thing as The
possible bribery Of Congress voles, TO say
nothing of the reproacb, is so unseltling II
its consequences Of ail public repose aus
confidence, that it is not enough that mem
bers be not proved guilty, but they must b'
above all reasonable ground of suspicion
men of sufficen, carefulness and discretion
MOTTO be compromised nor to compromist
Congress by any approach 10 corruption.
When in Rome gold could purchase vote
and the highest offices OF State, it was no
long before the country was utterly destroyed
| Thus we have been saved The curse of
standing army, because all were willing IL
submit 10 the votes Of the majority. But onc
lei il be understood that i, is not number
and moi justice that decide the questions be
fore Congress, but gold and bribery, and th'
whole foundation and stability of the govern
msnt is overihrown. Henceforlh govern
ment must inevitably arise resting upon an
other basis-.torce Let any grea, question
once come up, involving vast interests. an
who will submit TO have ii decided by tn
purse, unless il be backed by the power c
The rds-Publie Ledger.