The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1867-03-05
resyendence of the Chicago Times.

correspondence OF the Chlcag0 Times.
"a SPRINGFIELD, LII, Feb'y 81 |
THE LAST MEASURE OF THE RING PASSED.
Last night the last measure of the state |
house ring-the ring that has controlled ev-
cry measure passed by the legislature since
the organization of the state--passed the |
house This was the bill for the erection of
the southern. penitentiary. / say this ring
has controlled every measure in which were
the ''shekels" since the organization of the
state. Now, that is a long time. Illinois
became a state of the Union on Aug. 26,
1918, rs Will be seen by an examination of
her great seal" But then the .ring" has a
sort of perpetual succession, although not
regularly corporated with leave to sue and
be sued. About l840 or Al, q gentleman
named Samuel A. Buckmaster might have
been seen driving up to the American Hotel,
in this city, in a stage coach and four, filled
with his friends. His purpose was to break
into the penitentiary sring," in which his
uncle, Nathaniel Buckmaster, ESQ.,, was the
principal operator. Samuel had been EN-.
ployed by his uncle in subordinate position
in the penitentiary. But he wanted to be a
partner-that is, he wanted to get into the
"ring" but the uncle would not allow the
Inks to be broken. Sam, however, knew
MS foFccs; knd not only broke into the ring, >
but captured It besides. From that dayand
for many years thereafter, the penitentiary
formed the only measure of the .4ng" The
latter lived on it and by it, and waxed fat
and saucy upon the proceeds thereof Grad
ualy, however, other measures forced their
way in,-the old canal bill; the old railroad
system, inaagurated in Governor Duncan's
time, DC. But still, though thene were new
measures, the 'ring'' was not broken i,
was only enlarged. Sam Buckmaster re
manned IN it until he resigned out on<6ccouni
of i'll health. q few days since. Sam Casey
remained In it until he also resigned. out
There are in it to-day, however, the descend
ants of the Edwards, the relatives of the MAJ
tesons and tae Stuarts in fact, the sons OF
neighbors of the same old state house clique
which has had control of the dislarsementl
of Illinois since 1918, and even before
When new man or set breaks it, it is onl,
by sheer force, and the insiders only yielt
and enlarge the circle because they are com
PEELED to do SO in order to preserve it from
destruction. The penitentiary .rinE'' ha.
now been almost entirely rejuvenssrd, Blu
few of the old heads remain in it. 1t ma,
now be said to have been taken possession
Of by the "Grand Army of the Republic,
with Gen. Baine, of Quincy. Gen. Tom Os
borne, of Chicago, and Col.Reuben Hatch, a
its principal managers. But the penitentiar,
'4ingn lis now only portion of the CRANE
chain Of other "rings" which control the #
nances of the state, and the fortunes of al
of which are so linkedtogether that you can
not separate one from the other. There ar,
thus the state capitol building "ring" ths
northern penitentiary ring" the cana
"ring"; the southern penitentiary "ring"
the state reform school "ring" the state in
situations "ring" the industrial colleg,
'ring" the railroad aringr; the state print
ing ring and the sete house 1fringn prop
er. All these ssrings' mutually assist anl
support each other. It will be noticed tina,
the magic number ID was the expression
of this "ring" in the senate. The rraud
s.ringa had II votes on every question affect scs
ing one or all Of the lesser rings Moth.
ing could break into this magic NUMBER
Fuller tried It frantically, but failed. AID
ans assaulted il until he was almost purple in