Weekly Clarksville chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 185?-1857, 1857-02-06

u
discoursgemenl of home manufactures, and In
the latter, their encouragement, until their pro-
ducion will equal the demand, when Imports
lion must necessarily cease.
o. We know not what may be the result
of the investigation by the Corruption Commit
tee or whether any good will follow; but Of
one thing we feel we'll assured-thal they have
material enough out Of which to make true &
startling expose. 1t is said, by persons well
qualified 10 judge. that, for many years, not
bill involving $lO0,0 900, has passed Congress
without the expenditure of ten per cent upon
the members and outsiders having influence 10
the House. With this data, we can, by re-
ference to particular bills, form an idea of the
immense sums expended in corrupting the
peoples representatives. The grant Of land
to Illinois was of 5000 900 acres-worth, at
Government price, three millions, seven humid
red and fifty thousand dollars. Ten per cent
upon that sum, gives three hundred and seven
ty five thousand dollars appropriate to purposes
of bribery. But the presumption is that the
bargain is based upon an increased value of
the land, after the appropriation bill has placed
it in the hands of the land jobbers who got up
the scheme, end that ten dollars per acre, 10
the basis of the estimate. This, in the case
cited, would have yielded three millions Of
dollars, as the bribery fund. And even at this
rate, the spectators make. imVense fortunes.
II enables them to locate towns and cities, and
to give direction TO the routes Of railroads,
and in these advantages it is easy to discover
the sourse of immense wealth. after paying
the three millions to get the appropriation.
This is the way in which the lands which
belong to all the States, are squandered for the
benefit of the few. And the way in which these
land appropriation bills are gotten up, opens
wide the door for bribery and corrupton--re-
suting in frauds and disgrace upon the coun-
try. It is within The knowledge of almost
every observing individual, that men 60 to
Congress, year after year, who were poor, or
bankrupt when elected-who were impros ident
and dissiputed to a degree that precludes the
superstition that they expended no more than
their salary, and yet they continue to live fast,
and in some instances accumulate property
with a rapidly that astonishes their neighbors
Have we not, in the foregoing statement, a
solution of this mystery? 1t is known fact.
that the Pacific Railroad Company, of Missouri,
paid twenty thousand dollars to get land ap
preparation bill through Congress. 1t is need
less to ask to whom this money was paid
Congress is paid from the treasury for its
lnbors, and every dollar received by member
from an individual, or a company, for the
purpose Of promoting the passage of hill, is
3 bribe, and for receiving it, such member
should be expelled as q convicted knave.
1t is true--ond for the honor of the country,
we rejoice that it is true there are honorable
men In Congress, whom 10 one dare approach
with a dishouorable proposition; and for the
sake Of these, we desire full investigation of
the charge, now pending before the Commit
tee. Tie guilty should be made known to
their constituents that they may be punished
And if the people would only mark the course
and bearing of the candidates for their favor
and support, it were easy to determine who
can. and who can not be bribed; and then is
the time to protect their own interests and the
honor Of the country, by keeping at home the
unprincipled Ssprants to place and power
Watch the man in his canvass, and if he silly
ISLANDERS his opponent, and openly bellies the
record, his hand itches for the bribe--t price
of treason against your interest and your
honor. Unless the people will shake off the
letters imposed by the partizan demOgogue'
and look, like honest and sensible men, to
their interests, they ought not to complain of
The villainy of their representatives,. Under
existing circumstances. the dishonest man is
most likely to be sent to Congress, because he,
alone, will lie, and hatier those passions and
prejudices which the honest man strives TO
eradicate rather than foster. We have seen
crowds, with mouths agape, and eyes distended'
listen with boistrous admiration, 10 the grossest
lies and the most fulsome Aattery of them.
selves, from men who are not worthy Of credit
on oath, where their interests, or passions are
involved, These are the sort Of men elected
10 Congress, in many Districts, and II they
are not bribed, it is only because there are no
bidders.
M 1t is said the Corrupton Committee