Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1869-04-21
Tie Late Legislature.

The following graphic sketch OF the
Pennsylvania Legislature is taken from
the New York Independent, and Is doubt
less from the pen of THEODORE TtLToN. 1t
| contains more truth than poetry. Ihe
Pennsylvania Legislature is a blistering dis
srace-a fostering sore on the body poiitlc-
ami unless the people take it In hand and
reform it By electing men of character and
intellect, it had better be abolished altogeth-
er Here is the impression it makes on an
intelligent stranger;
Happening to be in Harrisburg DAY or
two ago, we made Il visit to the Pennsylvas
Legislature. Our curiosity to gaze upon
that saDhedrim was not prompted by the
line reverence which inspires one to make
pilgrimage TO some historic shrine We were
not as owerful drawn toward tia c,nolive
as II 1t had been convention of the signers
of the Declt ration of Independence, or the
trainers OF the Federal Constitution. New
errheless, fiuding ourselves within an easy
walk of the legislative presence, and the
weather being tair, and the train not due
for two hours, W. saunrered toward the cap
itol grounds. swung open the olly-hinged
gate, roaned awhile up and down the grav-
sp ing birds, and then entered tn ungainly
brick cdihce, ard sat down to compare the
innocent tret- op notes out of doors with
the human jaTgon inside. More than q COM
mon bed.uu sa,uted our ears. The Key
some Legislature was on that day double
choir OF diScord5. La both houses there was
wTangllng enough for ten taverns; but the
lower house in particular was in an open riot
Of unruly tongues. The speakers gavel
gave passionate raps for quiet, but only ad-
ded 10 the hubhub of noise. 4 certain
member personal character had been wan
tonly assailed in public print, and he was
tremendously repelliGg the just aSpersiOns
In our travels We have visited many legisla-
lures, and never saw much decorum in any;
but We have never heard such an incessant
ouzz OF Babel in any other so called deliber-
ative body as in the Pennsylvania House Of
Representatives. But the chief disagrcca
bieness Of the spectacle was the noticeable
look of inferfori,y which u large majority
OF the members wore on their faces. Never
before have we seen so squahd an array of
low brows grouped together in any one leg
Is!ative chamber, not even in Albany Solid
PennSy ylvanIans say freely land with many
lntersrrlnkled damnations) that the present
Legislature Is The most corrupt that ever
preyed upon that bleeding commonwealth
We take no part in this accusation-not
merely because we cannot subs:antiate the
authenticated facts, but because men may
have bad looking faces without having i'll
meaning hearts. Far be it from us to insn-
uate that the Pennsylvania legislature is
corrupt; we simply mean to characterize it
as the most suspicious looking public body
we ever saw. After sitting an hour among
the sorrow stricken spectators, we returned
joyfuly TO the fresh air, the blue sky. the
singing birds, and the common people. And
We soliloquized as follows: What country
is ours Gods bounty is iavished upon it,
Natures smile daily glorifics it, and even
man s misgoyernment is not able to ruin
IL -