The Placer herald., 1869-12-18
BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION.

contained plain and direct charge than ex
Governor Stanford, then and now Presiden
of the Central Pacific Rsiroal, had persop-
ally, 10 behalf Of The Railroad Company ap
preached the proprietors Qf that paper some
two years ago and otfers;i them valuable
consideration, in the shape Of blibe foI
their positive or negative influence 10 the
support OF measure TO De presented 10 The
last legislature which would render and did
render this officer and the Railroad Compa
ny public enemies. Here is that por-
ton Of the Unions article containing The
charge:
"About two years ago, Governor Stanford,
in behalf Of the railroad company, made an
Infamous proposition to the proplistors OF
the Union, the purpor, Of which WAS that
We should advocate or withhold opposition
to scbeme to be presented to II Legisls-
ture for The benefit Of the company and Of
parties 10 interest with il, Of which il was
proposed to make us participants. We re-
jocted the Offer and opposed the project
when i, was brought before the Legislature.
Ibe measure we were solicited to support.
or at least not to oppose. WAS one clearly
agains. public policy. We could have prof
tied in a pecuuiary way by advocating it
or negleclng to notice 1t n, all; but not
without dishouoring the character Of indie
pendent journalism and asserting to man
fest wrong to tie State and people,"
This cbaIge is direct, serious and damnng
to Stanford and the Railroad Company, IN
less it is mst and refuled. Over one week
has passed since the crime Of au attempted
bribery has been made public, and yet we
have not seen line Of denial, either from
Stanford, the Railroad Company or its news
paper organs. There are three daily papers
published in Sacramento that, in our view,
instead Of making or attempting to make
light Of or laugh this serious matter away, if
they are on the side Of the people Of the S ae
should unite in demanding tba, the Union
should be forced to make good its cha:ge
or be prosecuted for the libel
lbe CHtOH dsheIts tHhl ~ CHuGhl III tue
very act, party trying through bribery and
corruption to rob the people Of the State,
and that tho members Of the Legislature
were to be the instruments Of this robbery;
aud What man or newspaper having the
public good at heart but will join IN the
demand that the wbols truth shall be made
known and the guilty, only, suffer.
The charge says the infamous scheme
was presented to the Legislature, that it
Was one for the pecuniary benefit Of the
railroad company AMI parties interested
with it, and "a manifest wrong to tho State
aud people" rendering its concocto,s and
supporters public enemies.
1t could have been notb;cg lie. than a
scbems to rob the people Of the S,ate
through the action of their Legislature, for
the purpose Of putting money into the
pocket Of the company aud It's frieDds and
company by their silence admit the charges
of the Union to he true, then the Iegi4la-
ture now in session cannot lgnore the mat
Ter aUd let the charge rest without great
damage to its reputation. Nineteen Sena-
tors and number Of Assemb'ymen now
at Sacramento were members Of the Legis-
Ialure which acted upon the scheme to rob
tors were willing and eager 10 Tribe the
Sacramento Union. and did attempt il. then
every man in the State will say at once, that
as sequence, the same parties did also al
tempt TO brlbe Senators and Assembymen
aud may have in some instances succeeded
This is tie inevitable conclusion to- which
the people of the State must arrive at, and
the Legislature cannot, if it would, rest un-
der such an inputalion without tisgracing
the whole body and the people it represents.
The charges of the Union we're unqueslion-
ably made With deliberate desire and in
tenlion of eliciting and forcing an investiga,
ton, with full confidence in its ability to
sustain, Ivy evidence. every allegation. What
would the reputation Of a Senator or Assem-.
hlyman be worth who would he seen in con-
versalion or consultation with ex-Go,ernor
Stanford or a member of the Railroad com
pany while this charge goes unlnvestigated
md uurefu'ed9 The position of the Union
proprietors, The Railroad Company and the
Legislature all demand a speedy and
thorough Investigation. Then let com
ntee be raised at once With power 10 send
for persons and papers, let it compel the
Union propretors to state, under oath
every circumstance that occurred rpon
which the charges were made and published
to the world; let the Railroad company's
officers also appear and refute the cbarge,
and then, If The evidence demands it, let
every member Of the Senate and Assembly