The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-02-26

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have concluded that the Vice Pres
ident, not being proficient in Scrip
tural knowledge, COMPOUNDED the
characters OF Moses and Pharaoh,
and, while he talked of the former,
all the time meant the latter. Be
this asst may, the "swing around the
circle" has sent the President, as
Moses, into obscurity, and we
will probably hear little more of
him in that character.
But our object in abiding to this
matter is for the purpose of calling
attention to the fact that the language
of the President was in strict har-
mony with the character of our State
and National legislation. Our laws
are made by rings" Our institu-
tions of benevolence and learning are
managed by rings" We have paper
rings, iron rings, whisky rings, temper
ance rings and church rings. The
entire nation. socially, politically and
religiously, is assuming a circular
form, and why shouldn't the Presi-
dent have his "swing around the cir
Gle" We go to Washington, and we
hear of an immense ring" organized
for the purpose of increasing the du-
ties on imports. This ring has been
thrown around the interests of the
people of the great West, and prom.
Uses, unless broken, to choke the very
life out of them. This ring, too, is
largely composed of iron, and on that
account is the more difficult to be
broken. One would naturally sup
pose that paper ring would not be
so hard to destroy. But experience
demonstrates that few rings have ever
been organized in this country more
powerful than the one now controlling
the action of Congress with reference
to the duty on paper. The desires of
the poor for knowledge are bound up
and prevented from expanding by this
terrible ring, and knowledge is taxed
and cramped that the ring may thrive,
grow and increase in strength. Com
ing to our own State, legislative rings
are found to abound, and the greater
part of our legislation is circular. An
Agricultural College cannot be To-
Gated, Normal School authorized, or
State University cared for, without
first organizing ring" Our Sink
ing Fund establishment cannot be
wound up without becoming entangled
in the meshes of legislative ring"
State property cannot be disposed of
without first swinging around mag
ic circle" and much of the proceeds
sticking to its cohesive sides. The
most desirable legislation is powerless
to work its way through our Senate
and House of Representatives, unless
it is properly shaped and set in motion
by one of the rings.
Our State penitentiary affords no
protection against the inroads of these
terrible rings. Our Legislature is
now assaulted by one of them, which |
proposes to roll back the car of pro-
gress, reorganize the galley-siave sys-
tenn of the dark ages, and apply it to |
the unfortunate convicts now confined |
within the State prisons dreary walls. |
Outside of ring" the project of |
leasing out the convicts of our peni- |
Tertiary to the. arbitrary rule and die |
tatioh Of one man. that he may make
money out Of them, would arouse feel |
ings of Indignation that could not fail |
to cover its authors with shame and |
confusion. Inside the ring, however,
they are indifferent to Shame, despise
justice and ridicule mercy. 8G
These rings are not only agrees
sive, but equally formidable as
institutions for defense. They con-
stitute Notifications around fraud,
peculation, and rascality of every de-
scription, more powerful than a
munition of rocks" and more intri-
cate and irresistible than VAU-
BANS best constructed system of de-
fences They are proof against in
vestigation, and laugh to scorn all
attempts to punish those who fee to
them for refuge.
It is our wish to-day only to call
attention to these circular institu-
tons and defend the rhetoric of the
President. Nothing can be more APP
propriate than for our State and Ma
tinnal Executives to talk about