Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-07-11

n considerable number OF tho members OF the
Legislature, by q corrupt distribution Of railroad
bonds. IL quoted by Lord Grey. as q spsoimsn Of
the corruption which has infected the legislation
both of Congress and Of Tho. States, and as show
ing "the state of things which has arisen In that
country" IL was q very discreditnble occurrence
certainly, III truly reported. and Of that kaow
nothing J illustrative. hope, not Of IN state OF
things" which has arisen in America, but OF .
degree TO which large bodies Of men, Of whom
better things might have been expected. may some
times become 80 injected, when the mania Of
speculation il epidemic. that principle, prudence
and common sense break down In tho eagerness
to clutch At sudden wealth In bubble season
the ordinary rules Of morality lose their controll-
ing power for u while, under tho temptation Of
the day. The main current of private morality
in England probably flowed as deep aud strong
rs ever, both before and after the South Sea
frauds, when Cabinet ministers and Court ladies
and somo Of tho highest psrsonagcs In the realm
ran mad after dishonest gains, and this in Eng
lands Augustian ago. Lord Granville in reply,
observed that the ''early Liquidation Of England,
in such matters, WAS not 30 Tree from reDroach
rs to justify US in attributing tho bribery in
America, solely TO tho democratic character Of the
government" aud tho Biographer Of Goorse
Stephenson furnishes facts which abundantly con.
firm tho truth Of this remark. Ator describing
tho extravagant length to which railway speculA-
ton was carried in that country in lS43 l845,
Mr. Smiles proceeds
i"rHamen'' whose PREVIOUS oohoue' IN CON
hco''oh win railway 'eg'Sianon' was 80 open 70
r'prehens'on, lnterPosed no oheak' atemptea no
romedy' on tho contrary he,pea 10 intensity
,ne eS'' arising from ths unseem'y STATE o' tn'ngs
Many "i hs members were thomSe'es 'n'o"ou I'D
inc mania. anu ms muoh interested III l's eohtin
nnnce as even tho vulgar heard oi money grab
betr. lho railway rrospecluses now issued, un
like the Liverpool and Manchester and London
l...1 1.l
ana birmingham sohemos' were he"deu oy peers
paronnls' landed rr"rriet's, anu strings oi NJ. rs
ih"s 1t was iound IN loii that not lever tnan ono
huhdr'd ana h'tY.seven Mempefs oil iarl'ament
were on tho iiHt ol new companies ns subterloers
ior sums raging from TWO hundred ana ninety,one
Thousand p"unus storing lho' 'nr from nh'i'oh
ana halt OF dollars downwards! iHe proprie'
tors o new lines c'en came 10 bonSt oi NOR par
liamen'ary strength , ana ths number OF votes
they could command I" ,ho li"ns', lhe inhu'
ence which land owners had iorperly brought 70
bear npon Parliament, IN resisting ra'lwaya.wheh
called Tor by the public necessities, was now en-
pi"yed to carry measures OF Tar different KIND,
originated by cup'dlty, knavery and folly. hut
these gentlemen had discovered, by thus time. that
railways were a' n GOLDEN mino 10 them. They
sat ut railway boards, somstmos selling to them
selves Their own lands, Mt their own price. and
paying themselves with the money oi the unfortu
nate stockholders. offers used Me raiisoay ma
MA as ronrra,cnf. and 10 Themselves inexpensive,
mode ot purchasing const,ine"c'es. II was strong
y suspected thut honorable emembors.adopted what
Yankee legislators call 'lnRrolling; TINT Is, you