, 1860-05-09
The United States in the House Of

INC Nn44EA 0kAAEH Ia k4G k4nU34 OF
Lords.
Earl Grey, in late debate in tho British
House Of Lords on The reform question. made
the following references to the political e1pe~
siences Of this country:
Let their loreships look at what took place in
the United otates 1t ought to be warning to
ary. war was brought to close in that country
be'ieved that they bad framed constitution
which would provide checks against the poRer
Of an unlimited democracy; but every check
which was then provided against abuses Aad
been, one after the other, swept away, until
there prevailed both ia the federal and in the
States governments system Of unchecked
dominion Of power. lie believed that if the
contemporaries of Washington could he asked
whether they would prefer The form Of govern
ment whicu he had adopted, or that which now
existed, the answer would be, that they would
not sanction the present form at all. [Hear,
hear It was clearthet the frat Of these changes
had led to tho result which they now saw in
America. And how had those changes worked
for the benefit and happiness OF the inhabitants
Of the United Siatesf This was subject which
must be brought under their Iordships' notice,
aud i! would be mere false delicac5 to abstain
from stating those eyils which now afflicted
America, and which her most enlightened citl-
zens deplorcd. Hear, hear.] In the first place,
it Was admitted that The atlest and most en-
lightened u en- in tue United States were abso~
tute1y exc uded from all share in the govern
ment Of the country, that they had no influence
ut all over tue acts Of the government. The
utive, bad fallen into the hnnds Of those men
who did not scruple to fAtter the populace
[aear That Was clearly seen By the nets of
The Executive, and Of the legislature. Hear,
hearl Ofthe Legislature Of the United Statess
Let their lordships look at the manner in which
the proceedings we're carried on-.the coarse
violence which took place. lHear, hear.1
swept away the Byetem Of protection
and placed our rerenue upon a system
which 1t was admitted was Wise, sound and ben.
e6cial; but while public opinion had been strong
enough 10 do this in England, the people oi
America had. contrary to tbe wishes Of Con.
sress, maintained the very narrowest system Of
exploded protection; aud at this moment the
revenue laws OF the United States we're Of such
character that no man could doubt they 1u-
posed great and needless burden upon the
community for .he benefit Of few persons-
[heari-and, worse than that, tho system had
led to corruption being praet'ced upon the most
gigantic scafe. That was admitted aud deplor-
ed, but the system was not cor fined to one set
Of men or party, but was shared in BY all, aud
Que OF the authorities who confirmed it he would
venture to quote. tha President himself. who.
~.
the DISASTROUS influence which The lagish ex.
penditure of the public money would hare upon
the Institutions Of the coun ~. But the sYs
tenn OF corruption was openly avowed, aud it
was said that to the yictors for power belonged
to the spoil, the meaning Of which was that The
new President had TO make wholesale dismis-
sal OF the public servants, without any consid
eration as to the fitness for employment Of those
who placed hiu in office. They heard Of acts
being committed which all must condemn. 1t
appeared that it Was the practice to grant pub
lic lands in the Western States for the purpose
Of encouraging the formation Of Railways
Those grants were obtained from Congress, and
so obtained, they we're used BY the indepeud.
ent States IN the manner they thought best, aud
It appeared that railway company in Wiscon-
sin bad really purchased the whole government
There we're thirtecn senators who had received
9S5, 900 amongst them, in SUMS from e, 600 10
E6.Vo0. There were sixty members oftbc Lower
House who had received from 1000 10 $4,000
yoted for the bill who had not been bribed.
Laughter and d'hear, hear."1 The Governor
himself mad received Gl0. 900 for his influence
IN passing the measure, and his seer ctary re-
ceised el 900: Even the clerks of the House
had received from 81 900 to e, 900 each. 9TH
ers had received large sums Of money, and the
sum Of $4,000 Was placed for the acceptance Of
those who were called outsiders. Laughter.1 |
This statement did not rest upon mere run,or. |
but 1t was the result of IN ofclAl inquiry bv the
Legislature, and the whole transaction had been |
reported By committee Of the House Of Rep
resentatlTes. Snc1 was state of things which !
had arisen in the Unitei Estates. [Hear. hear.]
Before leaving this subject there was another
po'ns to which he wished to call attention. He |
had stated that the President Of the United |
states had, with the most praisewor;hy spirit, |!
"rltten . letter In which he hnd alluded to the |
demoraliz;n Effects Of the system described, |
LIE was sorTy to say that the President himself !
VI, vas unable to resist the effects Of the system
There Lad been m inquiry into the state of the |
uasal department Of the United States, the |
result Of which had been the publication # |
certain documents which no man could reau
without astonishnent. Contracts bad been |
habitually and avowed'y made for the promo
t'on not of the public bat Of private interests.
a physician had been appointed to superintend |
the purchases OF coal, w6o knew nothing about
coal, and never had anything TO do with pur-
chasing it before, but who received tho M
po'ntment in order that he might share tie
profits With certain other persons. More than
one letter had been addressed to the highest
officer Of the government, calling upon him to
grant contracts as reward for political seryi
ces. 0ne letter had been addressed to Mr.
buchanan, when President, urging him 10 take
care that the contract for the pumping machine.
r in steamship should be giyen to purticu-
lar house in Philadelphia, with a riew to OBJ
tanning their poatica! influence in the election.
There was no Disgusting the fact. It vas nut
distinctly on the ground Of the Importance Of |
obtaining their support in the pending elections.
lie appealed to tleir lordships if letter had
been addressed to the prime minister of this
country making demand uf that kind, and if
it bad been proved that be had lis :ened to it,
aroused the indignation of all parties in Par.
lament, and whether be would not hare bean
subjected to the severest cepsure
But how did the President Of the United States |
treat the matter: The letter vas simply sent
to the Secretary Of the Nary, with the endorse.
nsnt, "Ihc enclosed letter from =. Of Phila.
delphla, is submitted to the attention Of the
Secretary Of the Navy. B." The political
corruption which prevailed in the United States
nao had an effect upon every interest and every
class, and, also, be was sorry to say, upon the
courts OF law. Some years ago the Supreme
Court was court Of the highest authority, and
its decisions were treated with the greatest
respect, not only ut home, but IN this and Other
countries. The Judges of that court we're en-
l'ghtened and honorable men, and their dccis-
'ons were often quoted for their great moral
weight. How had this state of things been al
tered? Under tue system which had arisen in
America. the appointments Of the Supreme
Court. IKE all other appointments, had been
used for The promotion Of party purposes, aud
the court had lot the high character it former
y Possessed. 1t no longer commanded the re-
Fpect "h'ch it did formerly, and some Of it's 1e.
cent decisions had created a feeling almost of
dlsg"st among all high-minded men 10 America.
But thus AS not the worst. In 1lapv of the
states the judges were elected-they we're not
only elected originally, but elected for short ne
RODS, aud. consequently, hnd 10 be re elected.
ae believed IN EGE,e Of the Stetes annually.
their salaries being paid BY an annual vote.
Al THIS had arisen IN consequence Of the adop- I
ton Of system which PLACED, all the political
power IN The hands Of one class, mud that the
lowest; aud the effect had been one of the most
character, both upon the church
and the bar. He had seen it suited in Ameri
confirmed ty impartial observers the laws
Of that county had become a mere tissue Of
cobwebs for the purpose Of resisting either
rich man, or one who had attained . fleetiue |
popularity. twas stated truly enough that tie
rich man had gery little, indeed, to fear from
the operation Of the Law in the United States.
He would merely mention one fact, which oc-
CURED so far back as lS6S, 10 show the .niser-
able state ct the administration of the Law in |
America. Il sort Of quarantine existed near
town in which criminals we're placed, but which,
having become offensive to the inhabitants,
they attempted in vain to get removed, but fail
ing to do so, they actually set Gre to it aud
burnt it down. The outrage was an open one,
duly advertised beforehand, and every particle
Of the programme was carried cut. Proceed
ings we're taken against the rioters, but after
what had been described as a protracted furce
the Judge pronounced the decision that as the t
Quarantine had been pronounced nuisance bY !
the Grand jury, tho rioters were justified IN /
burning it down. That was SAMPLE of how
iaT was administered ia the United States. and |