Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1865-03-06
Errers In lIovernmens.

The Tribune, in recent article On cor
ruption in Legislative bodies, makes the fol
lowing observation:
ut is not the fact, though often affirmed
or implied. that legislative venality is novel.
Our State had Legislative more than fifty
years ago, 30 glaringly corrupt that Govern
or Thompkins waa constrained to- dispense
it. Georgia had one 4 least sixty years since
which was so shameless in its briberies and
rob6erics, that its successor burned its re-
cords, rcpudiating rs most important act as
gigs ntic swindlc S0ith been elsewhere,
and ior generations 1t least.
ssBut 4 Ia true that legislative vsnaltty Ii
faithfully increasing, having already become
the mighticst evil Of our day. 1t must be
extirpated, or republican institutions are q
failure. What is to be donc?"
The answer is plain. Cease to resort Ia
means which large and dear bought exper
| ience-the best and most incontrovertible
| teacher shows win not produce the results
We seek. Case to act through governments
| in regard to al things which can be done by
the individual. Case to call on Government
to educate our oh ldren. Cease to attempt
to develop industry and to regulate com
merce and currency by governmental inter-
ference. Cease to control the action Of IDEAL
tiles by the interference Of distant central
lied governments. This is the only radical
cure the only one that accords with the
laws of tire Omniscient and Beneficent Rul-
or Of all things, who has evidently made it
impossible to act through agents SO as to
force each and every one to contribute their
full quota to the means Of enjoyment and
well being ofall Every other remedy-in-
crcasing or decreasing the number officials,
replacing bad men by good men, paying
higher or lower sAlaries--these and all 9TH
ers are either palliatives or aggravations Of
existing evils, but they cannot reach the
great fundamental cause Of them-the i'm
poetsnt fact that the Creator of all things
has evidently ordered that man shall never
attain the samebeneficial resultSN hen acting
by deputy as when acting directly himself.
Al long rs this natural Law exists, govern
ments will ever prove failures and sources
Of far greater evil than those they ovcscome,
unless limited to the mere protection Of life
aud property. Y. Com. Adrertiscr.
A SLIPPERY DEsERTER CAUeHr.-Thc
Burlington Hd,fksys gives the following par
ticulars Of the nearest Of deserter named
Willis H. Smith, who escaped from the
hands Of the officers in Burlington last Oc.
tober:
"He deserted from the 4sth Indiana in
December, 1862, was arrosled at Muscstinr
and taken to Davenport, but succeeded in
escaping from confinement by tunnelling,
and next turned up in this city. After being
chased away from here it appears he went
to Gslesburg. Michigan, where he was found
sporting the title Uf DIR. N w. Lucas, and
= his handbills set forth, was peculiarly
skillfnl in the treatment Of all diseases, and
especially affections Of the eye. Also. assist
I'd by his wife. he was engaged in the am
brotype business, and when arrested declared
he wss doing we'll" He was taken
into custody by w. L. Smith, Deputy Pro;
v0st AarshAla Of Henry comfy, who
at oncc started for this place with him
Upor arriving at Chicago Mr., Smith stop
| ped " the Adams House md desirinkto step
into an adjoining apartment, lcft the pris-
oner for an instant IN charge of another
officer who nrelesaly permitted hba ~ es-
j Cape Just NJur weeks Aftermath Ne was
re-arrcsted at Battle Greek, some sixteen
miles from. Galesh,arg, and was broueht
thrOagk without trod6le. He 4 4 sl(ppefy
customer but we rather think has got about
to the end Of the fnYp 49,