, 1869-02-24
SPRI M0FIELD,
The Sickles Party.
EX-Rrigadier General John Cock.
Of S2Rgamon.
Ghe Go-onerative System in Legis-
lation,
The Houte and the Presg.

From Our Special Correspondent
sP81aar1xLD. Ill, Feb.a9.
Early In the session Mr.. Hiram sick.es. OF
Rock Island, suddenly broke the silence which
be- had hitherto wrapped around himself,
and offered resolution relative to news
PAPER correspondents here, which was at orce
laid on the table. From That day to thia
Mr.. Sickles has been heard no more In this
House. His lips have been sealed. He felt
that ce was In the right, but could not get
the majority on his side It stood Hiram
S:cls.es ri. the eishty-faur other members OF
the House - or ei.Lty-toor members Of
the uouse rs. uiram Sickles. Naturally that
depressed him, and, as I have said. he did
not open his lips until to-day, when one Of
the eighty .foun members seeded and iotued
him.
This seccder from tactious aud blinded
majority Is BEigadler General John Cook, Of
2augamon.
This gentleman is wealthy, since his father
left him rich Is asmemher Of the Legislature,
since his father left him rich; was q General,
since his father let: him rich !; and Is known
and has an independent existence, since lis
| father left him rich.
! i resident of Springfield, aud man Of
| much wealth, aud moreover quite hosplta-
| bic, he was made Chairman Of the Commit
tee on Public Buildings, and hence the new
State House came within his Jurisdiction.
When the committees we're made up, no OBJ
| jcction could be masae TO such an appoint
ment, and no Que did object. But II was not
very long before charges Of serious nature
| were made as to the way the architect and
| others had been acting. It began to look as Il
tbingslwerc not moving 30 smoothly. and as II
| there was to be a battle over the uprroprla-
| {or.f frare m -
Then 1t was that the Inconvenience Of hav-
Ing General John Cook Chairman Of that
COMMITTEES became arparcut. Hc felt tt. and
feels it, q matter Of personal honor, TO carrJ
through tho appropriation. Aa citizen Of
Sp1iupneld, he knew that 1t would be o1 great
advantage to The city, and, as citizen. be
felt thatit was expected OF him by every resi-
dent. He iclt TINT an appropriation was
and relieve the1u from the payment of taxes.
60 lie has been working very hard to save tho
State House, wosk king much more energetic.
ally than Il he had heen the Representative
from 10 Dayic1s OF Gaiiatfn.
Now, there are various why's In which the
| success Of rather shaky measure may be
i secured, none OF them, perhaps, 10 be found
! in trcasiscs On parliamentary practice, lnd
0 hone Of them, as lar rs know. commended
= By publlcists; but ut the same time they
may bu psalscWorthY aud ctulucntly fitted to
, be used In the Illinois Legislature. One Of
) them consists lii the payment 10 u certain
1
money Tor their votes, which IL called bribery
In the caasscly speaking outside world, but
: which IL also called commercial trans
; action, and members who arc ancnabis to
. as ''commcrcial members" Another way,
/ Vhlch Is Tot 80 expensive, aud consequently
b uaosc moral, Is the cooperative plau. Co
;, operation, as understood here, 10 the Joining
distinct measures, with the understanding
thai each plan is to receive the unlicd votes
) | Of the advocates OF all these Interests. There
Is, helicvc. prsjudicc atnst this way Of pro-
= ccedsng, though cannot SAY why, and eyen
y; those who Indulge III i. ure often tho brat to
~ ltunnnco II. To illustrate: tbs State Iiu,ss
.. alone lulxlt not secure enough votes. neither
s might the Lake Front BILL, nor The pEan to
&c tive plan sotes enough mi:ht b. secured to
puss them all, TO the great profit Of Spring.
~ ~ lleld, The illinois Central aud Sam Duckmas-
). te5:
5, evening paper sent private despatch, al
leginc that a combination, similar 10 the ouo
y usrd above d an Illustration, had actuxlly
- - been formed. This despatch vas printed,
The aty.two members who voted for tbs Lake
Front bill, among which may be found those
Il. oi Nr. Couk, OF SauEalnnn, aud every ntm-
beE Of hs State House Committee.
ry OF the fity-tWo members who voted for the
er Lake Trout bill, General John Cuok Was the
to only one protesting that peculiar deltcacy oi
IN IN honor and subtl.ty Of perception which Gus,
te b'cs one to know when honor has been ial-
Ia | pueEe1 and reputation wounded. As d trus
iii soldier, he has q keen consciousness Of what
y" ever nttacks his spotlcss reputation. So. he
or alone arose and made 1urious 5peech, de.
;et manding protection, balm, and the denr
,s Us Lord knows what moi, alter which he intro.
re- rs dnccd m 1mDertinent resolution processing ia
- e1Ee the reporter, to whom the House had
ID. extended the courtesy Of seat upon tho
'as 1oer. The resolution was laid on the table
1..- -4r = 3M1,. r L..
en 5 to investigate the charge, which, to use Mr..
of Cooks choice words, '' was made in COLI
he The matter really amounts to nothing, but
ar it affords opportunity for one or two :edee-
ed ticns. In the trst place, it is horrible uon'
es. eense, about representatives Of papers hold.
"a "a ing seats on this tlo,r By the courtesy oi
=. the House. II Is the business Of the House
aut also the duty of the House 10 be grateful
ior for the privilege Of having constantly before
J 1t its eyes persons who furnish the public Hith
ON an account Of Its proceedings, honest o'
nm dishonest, md thus. to certain extent, keel
hie 1t IRON falling into the most ou1rageou
he legislation. 1t il rank folly to talk Of th'
ny courtesy Of the House. There is no under
~ standing that when person lakes sea. npo1
Ss Ss1 this floor, he Is to write in milk; tha. he
Il TO pet and fattez aud caEess, or ct tn
ore worst, keep quiet. JOHN Cook, Of Saacs
sed mon, represents few thousand people. Th
tho representatives OF these papers b. attack
tne .n Of expcllirg!
,;s9 isa In the next place, when one man oat {
tier ffty-two a6sumes that he Is attacked. The
gis. no 1ne else thought so, It indicates, not
! b. sore conscience perhaps, but it does sho
&c Of great folly
ma The facts really are that General Cook
., 70 anxious to zee the State House constructs
ntir But be has not been brihed, nor has he pa
o brtbes. lie haa not tried to gain votes
ols- any such way. II any such charge we1
our made, it would be cruelty unjust. But &c,
gu eral Cook, convinced of the necesait
,e ,ns of 4 new State House,
~ the integrity Of the Commissio
ers, Of tie capacity of the architee
!" and Of the wants Of the State, has bccA
equally and ho1 estly convinced of the nece
LII silly Of Leasing the Peniteutiary aud relieyi,
[uots the State from thc oppressive charge. or t
q for necessity OF the Lake Front bill nt3 70
New shows that he wEs convinced. Mr. Cas-
)cUo. saw the necessity Of the Lake Front bill !;
n,,e sees the necessity OF leasing the Penltentiar
h.rc and be is now seeing the necessity Of CO!
faTc pletinr the State House. Mr.. Coy saw Il
ray necessity Of the Lake Front bill and the PEI
;Qte. itentiary proposition and he sees the pccsss
100 tT Of the completion Of the State Hous
hins | What can be more natural and what mo
1ede charmings It simply appears that these M
2yth are convinced Of the honesty and eternal {
.ate, ress OF these three measures, which may
the NAV not be successful. Nobody here blam
q a O. General Cook. He il the idol Of Springfield
He is the Moses OF the people, who Is to le
ms thtm into the pleasant pastures of apprep
old atioEs, where the5 shall never want.
anal
0dS bS THE COURTS.