Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1869-04-21

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Yesterday a. twelve O'Clock. bot
branches Of the Legislature adlouruc
sint dlf, aflcr what "a popnlnrlv snr
posed TO have been session Of ihrc
months and sixteen da,e. but wha
was really one Of not more than eixt,
days, counting eight hours as a da,'
work Adjournment over. from Fri
day TO Monday or Tuesday, and shor
sessions, were always in order. pre-
cious time having been wasted il
useless debate, NO that we will havl
another ponderous volume Of th,
Record when the contractor chooses
10 finish il at his leisure during IN,
summer and fall Of this year, which
will cost the State forty or fifty lhous
and dollars for printing. and at eas
an equal amount for packing anC
postage
On all sides, by men Of all partie,
and in all circles, it is freely admitted
tnat the Legislature of 1863 was th,
most venal aud corrupt body of mer
that over sat in deliberation in the
State Capitol. We do not pretend tc
say there are no Senators and Repre-.
sentatives who are above aud beyond
the influence of bribes for filthy and
dishonest legislation, but we do assert
II, leeiing il ~ be our solemn duty to
give the people warning on the dan
gers of sending ignorant and dishonest
men to the Legislature, and it will
not require five years of repeated ses-
slons like the one just closed, TO bank
rupt the Commonwealth, bind its
laboring energy at the feet Of tyran-
meal corporations, invest individuals
with special privileges 70 hold and
control the resources of the Common
wealth against the welfare and inter
ests of the great mass. Anything
that had money in it, however unfair.
disgraceful aud destructive it might
be, could be embodied in the shape of
a bill and passed, while anything
which could not be manipulated and
money made out of it, however fair
or absolutely necessary il WAS for the
establishment of justice and the vim
dicaiion of right, was ignored and
treated with contempt, unless, indeed,
the ring which controlled both Houses.
condescended to let it become a law.
Divorce bills were openly scld in
the lobbies and the rotunda. Divorce
bills once killed could be revived,
although the proceeding was in direct
opposition to positive rule, just when
ever the parties were willing to pay.
For five thousand dollars any man
could divorce his wife; for pretext,
lny voloptuous wife of easy virtue
could fling her husband away by the
lld Of the Divorce Committee oil the
House, which committee was fercely
accused, in open session of the House.
Df taking bribes. The tax on petro.
cum and coal was brought through
he House, and when it reached the
$1,000 a vote was offered for
Is passage. Tho money TO buy the
,attle bill through was exposed as
hlly, in both branches, as are the
unds Of a sheep drover when he is in /
he market 70 purchase stock. Of
ionrse our declarations will excite
'ancor and resentment among the /
yuilty, and we disregard their hate |
md indignation if we can convince \
be people Of the necessity of electing
lonest men to the Legislature. What |
We thus make publie is but the repeti. /
ION OF what was daily avowed in this
ity by men Of character and by legis.
ators OF honest reputation. No two
intelligent men ever attempted TO
anvass the merits of bills without
greeing in the main fact that cor.
upton ruled the hour; the journals
1 Philadelphia and Pittsburg daily
harged dishonesty in connection with
measures before both houses, and now
be public have the facts that reform
necessary to save not only the honor
T Pennsylvania, but to protect the
rdlnary rights Of even the humblest
liizen from usurpation by some act Of
utrage on the part Of corrupt legis-
ltors.
We repeat our declaration that
lore dishonest and corrupt legislative
ody, than that just adjourned, never
coupled the Capitol oi Pennsylvania.