The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-03-18
THURSDAY, MARCH Is, 1859.
Cur,ossties Of Legislation.

into the hopper, providing for every imagina-
hls rurpose. from the regulation OF bounues
on rat scalps to the incorporation OF gigantlo
monopolies. Private interests OF all desoriP-
tions have been promoted, and subjects OF all
kinda have in turn been up for ac-
tiou. except those which relate to the
true business of the Legslature-the con-
sideration of wise general laws promotive
of the general welfare. This multiplicity
of propositions necessarily generates confu-
sion in which corruption revels, for when
men are called to act upon mass OF bills
aspiring to the dignity of laws, which few
read and none thoroughly understand, they
are compelled to seek refuge from ignorance
by finding motive for action in favoritism;
and the practical question becomes whether
they will support this or that measure merely
to oblige q friend or fellow-member, or whether
they will insist upon higher remuneration
Yesterdays session offered good illus
tration of the prevailing mode of managing
public affairs. The proceedings of the Senate
opened with flaming speech from Mr.. Beck,
Of Lycomipg county. He is no chicken in
politics nor in the ways and wiles of Harris
burg, for in former years he was member Of
the House; but he bitterly complained that
he had been made the victim of a conspiracy,
''frst to secure his absence in Philadelphia,
and then to Perpetrste this outrage (Which
consisted of an abolition of the Seventy-ninth
judicial distrct), concocted and put through
by a resident of Williamsport," whom he
charged as sone of the most corrupt scoundrels
that entered the halls of legislation" In the
novelettes of fourth-rate literature the abduc-
tion of innocent young ladies is frequent
occurrence, and in real life it sometimes hap
pens that beautiful dsmsels, or even ugly
men, are spirited away. But who ever before
thought or heard Of anybody Except an in
dividual whom it is scarcely proper to men
tion to ears polite) running away with mem
Der Of the Pennsylvania Legislature This is
decidedly a new sensation, and we do not
wonder that the walls Of the Senate chamber
resounded with the indignant plants
Of the unhappy sufferer. OF course
q villain of the deepest dye-an Iago, Robert
le Diable, and Barbe B!eue all rolled into one
must have been the instigator of this fsndish
plot; and accordingly Mr.. Beck assures US
that he was Zone Of the most corrupt scoun-
drels that entered the halls of legislation.
No words can add 10 the hideous enormity OF
this description, and the cold blood must have
shivered in the innocent audience OF the irate
speaker, as they contemplated the depth of
moral turpitude thus fearfully portrayed.
After this explanation, II was impossible to
resist the appeal Of injured innocence to undo
on Wednesday morning the work of Monday
night, and the Senatorial Solons resumed their
patriotic labors.
Soon afterwards a bill relative to plank
roads and turnpikes in Philadelphia came up
for consideration, which provides for needed
reform by furnishing mode for the transfer
of the ownership Of these thoroughfares ITO the
city upon the payment Of the appraised
value" II is but right that toll gates should
be abolished within our municipal boundaries;
but the reporter, in commenting upon this
bill, naively informs MS that, although pre-
vious efforts to amend it, so as
"to provide that a majority Of the
stockholders should consent to the
damages to be awarded by the city," had
failed, on this day they were successful,
through the jealous efforts of Mr.. Stinson
OF course AS an issue was likely to arise
between private corporations on the one HAND
and the body of tax payers of Philadelphia OF
the other, the Senate would scarcely havt
been true to itself II it had failed to prejudg,
it in advance in favor of the companies.
Fortunately the session was not entirely
fruitless, for the bill allowing parties in inte
rest 10 be witnesses passed finally, as well a
a bill granting additional powers to the PArl
Commissioners.
In the House, on the same day, bill whicl
had been previously introduced, providing 70
the prevention of the deflement of the water
of the sohuylkill, was referred back to tn
Committee on Corporations, for the allege
reason that 1t would injuriOusly affect tn
manufacturing interests of Philadelphia
Here again the guiding principle OF legislatio
once more prevailed.
But the chief business OF the session wa
the discussion OF the aet relative to Bates
Military History. No enlightenment wa
youchsafed on the important question whethe
this work ia, in matter and style, worthy {
its great theme, or whether it will portray i
truthful and vivid colors the immortal deed
of the Pennsylvania heroes of the war, a
though it is exceedingly desirable that tn
task should be skilfally performed. sTh
issue involved the integrity OF the prints
rather than the capacity Of the historian. M
Davis explained, In reply TO the structures