The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1867-03-21
Adjournment Of tl,e Legislature
from the indianapolis Herald. l2:h. ]

| From the Indianapolis Herald. l2;hl
The General Assembly adjourned si:.
die. yesterday. The closing scenes were
little more on the mutual admiration. ordcl
than usual upon such occasions. The pre-
siding officers of both branches, and thei,
assistants. were compiin,cnted in honelFeC
terms for the ability. coprieiy, integrity
/ impartiality. ETC.. which had characterized
the discharge Of t..e;r official functions
and in return the presiding officer:
complimentcd the legislators for thu
fraternai feeling which had been exhibited
during the session, and the astonishing
amount of business which had oeen trans
acted. To be sure something has becI
done. but much more would have been
accomplished if the members Of the Leg
islature had directed their attention and
6erp.ed their energies to tha advancement
OF the public interests. regarile 5 of party
or personal considerations. Such spirit
and such a purpose did not seem to actuate
or influence the members of the present
General Assembly during the Legislative
session just closed The necessity of re.
trenchment and economy in the public
expenditures. in view of the straightencd d
financial condition Of tie people, did not
appear to have much if any weight with
the Legislature The appropriations, gen.
eral and specific. when they are footed up,
will probably reach sum far in advance
Of previous years. when they should have
been cur:aIled And what else could be
expected from body which has the
credit of being Influenced by sordid con-
siderations far in excess of any legislature
which preceded it? A prominent repub-
lcan, one Of our most influential and
upright business men, who has been
brought in contact with the legislatures
which have assembled here for several
years, remarked the other day, that the
General Assembly which has just closed
its session was, in his opinion and exper-
ience, the most corrupt that had ever as
sembled. He had bill which he wished
to have considered upon its merits. As
eoo:, rs the fact became known that he had
q proroSitio, or measure before the Leg
islatjire, tie inquiry was promptly made
OF him as to how much he would give to
secure It's adoption. lie responded most
emphatically, a!tho,!gIi a pious man, t.at
he wonld sec tho whole concern IL TOphit,
or some other warm piece, before lie would
be thus bled dollar. Another gentleman,
who has had large experienced with every
Legislature which has met hero for l;.any
years, remarked to Us yesterday that he
had heard of a. least twenty cases similar
to the one we have rected and it was his
decided conviction that the present Iegs-
lature was the most venai which ever me {
in the State There were large number
of schemes on foot TO rIletc the treasury.
and If any filled it was attributable more
to the hostility of these who were outside
OF the ring, because they were not IN it,
than from regard for th9 public welfare
or any ''elevating principles. There Is
bat little hope for purity in legislation, or
economy in public expenditures, when
members not only permit themselves to be
Influenced by pecuniary considerations,
but offer heir votes for sale, like a market
able commodity, to tie highest bidder. and
in fact. invite bid. Ii is u common ru>
NOR, and we fear that i. Is founded upon
facts. that at the two previous sessions OF
the General Assembly measures were bar
gained through by parties interested,
with votes purchased Just like cattle are
bought in the shambles by such operas
tions. q position which an honorable and
honest man regards as undesirable, as a
tax not only upon his time but upon his
pecuniary resources, IL made paying in
stitutioa. There is no security for the
rights and interests OF the people when
legislation il controlled by recuulary con-
siderations and rruption-whcn the pas
sage Of bills can bc secured by the pay
ment of money. for dollars and cents. 4
member of the House, about two weeks
before the close of the session, had the te
merity to demand committee to iuvesti-
gate the foundation OF current reports in
regard to legislative bribery anl corrupt
ion. The committee was granted ard ap-
p pointed, with powers invested in a grand
jury, but it soon reported that nothing
could be developed to substantive the
charges OF course not, and the innocent
member who brought forward the propo>
sition should have known in advance that
such would have tcen tie result. Is it at
all probabl that Legislature. or party In
the lie sislature, would permit itself to he
thus compromised and srgnalized? 1t
is currently reported that bills have been
brought forward and passed solely for the
purpose of forcing the parties interested
to come down with the pewter. If the
veil should be lifted which now hides
many of the transactions which have oc-
CURED during the last three or four legs>
lative sessions, corrupt practices would be
developed which would astonish the mul-
titude who have faith in the virtue, the
integrity, and unselfshness Of Legislators.
1t is well, perhaps, under present cir
cumstances, that the Constitution limits
the Legislature to biennial terms Of sixty
one days The more infrequent the ses,
sions the better, if corruption is to be the
rule. We believe that all the laws neces-
sary to carry OH the State government for
two years have been enacted, and If sor;o-
thing is left undone which should have
been done. the advantage of stability or
permanency in the laws that we have Will
more than coun.crbalance the inconven>
snces which may resultirom any deficiency y
in legislation.
Some of the penalties which nature in