St. Mary's beacon., 1858-02-04

the black catalogue Of sinners. So with kIe
legislator in Congress or elsewhere. egmpIoyed
TO make laws, not break them, In befFaxzng his
high trust-selling himself for filthy Idcre
deceiving the people, abusing his prerogakive.
cheating conscience-searing it in view Of gold
--he falls into lahyFinths Of disgraee kkzslnd
The power ol language to portray. We SasikR,
therefore, that an imperative duty rests ufon
Congress to investigate this matter. Let the
public press and every other means hs empIoved
which can aid in throwing Light UPON re sui
ject. And when such cpadjufors ere kius'
respectfully pruHersd tlsQsss SO slaea|
be guarded, lest ssanathema marinatha recoiIs
not upon their own heads. !. It is no new thing
for egislat0rs-mrnicip pal, state and nationsl
to invite, By q singular course Of action, scFu-
tiny into their course, and suspicion Of their
motives. szr
Allegations of this character could not occur
so frequently without some just ground Of COM
plant nor would they be increasing in double
ratio, were there o perfect freedom from COM
plicity in the offences alleged. Outside infu-
ences so palpable and 50 often brought to bear
in Washington, would not have an existence
if every Senator and Representative stood aloof,
as they should do, high above mercenary or
selfish encroachments. Nothing can so efiectu-
tually add strength to o nation as confidence
from the people in its law giyers. This quail
ity of human nature in. the aggregate gives
stability t. finance, to commerce, and TO all the
social relationships of life. No monied insti-
tuition can stand and act healthy without il
1t is of infinite moment, therefore, that the
fountain head he pure. that the source whence
flow waters fife be not mixed with poison.
No sacrifice is too great TO purge, purify and
place our national administrative conclaye in q
position, not only above all suspicion, but in
such attitude before the world as to command
its fullest respect and confidence. The primi-
tive purity, simplicity, honesty and patriotism
Of thtse who formed eearly Congresses of our
country, when Washington, John Adams JEFF
ferson, Madison and Monroe, presided over
them, would be q good, example for those Of
lat,r days to initiate.
To the complication Of modern politics, the
aggrandizing spirit Of self-alnbitious dema-
glgues, the inordinate desire fof position, power
aad wealth, without sufficient honesty of pur-
pose. purity Of motive or patriotism, may in
great measure, be traced most Of the evils and
corrupting influences which, OF late years, have
entered Congress, furnishing it with disgrace.
The incipient manmuverings of partizans, who
themselves have base ends In view, often be-
comes instrumental in placing dishonest men
in position by and through which they are
heedlessly swept along the popular current to
high places; and thus public evils are fixed
upon us without knowing scarcely whence or
how they came 1t would be well in future for
the sovereign masses to apply the corrective at
this point. If we want q pure, honest, up-
right Congress, we must see to it in the outset,
and send men there whose characters partake
of these virtuous qualities. 1t il desirous,
however, to see the alleged corruptions at pre-
sent charged against Congress fully expose |,
and those having the slightest tinge Of bribery
resting upon them, made to feel that they can
neither defy the scrutiny of an intelligent
pres, nor the just indignation of free, en-
lightened people. ...-.- ,.......'
We shall look with fervent solicitude, to sec
how, where, or to whom, the eighty-seven
thousand dollars, charged upon the books of
Lawrence, Stone & Co., agents of the Middle
sex and Bay State Mills Manufacturing Co,
as having been given to Congress except 5000
for the modification of the tariff on WOOL were
disposed of. If it can be shown that any Con-
gresham or Senator bartered their votes for
money, thus turning To- personal account the
Legitimate property of the nation, sacrificing it
for base ends, the dignity and sacred reputation
Of our national councils require an expulsion
Of all such from further participation in the
honors and Offices of free government.