The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-02-17
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY II, 1870.
A NEW IRON CLAD OATH

THE House Committee on Military Affairs
& endeavoring to ascertain whether there is
any truth in the allegation that cadetshlps
have been sold by members or ex-members OF
Congress. No testimony sufficiently positive
to ensure conviction appears to have yet been
submitted, but it is reported that citizen of
Philadelphia testified that he paid one thou
sand dollars, in 1862, to secure nomination
for his son. The money was not paid to
member of Congress, however, but to another
party who has been summoned to give an
account of his proceedings. charge against
an eK-member of Congress from the interior
of the State that he had received eight hun
dred and fifty dollars for q cadetship was also
Investigated, and several witnesses appeared
TO sustain it, but the ex-member implicated
alleges that the money in question was
applied to the payment of party debts, and
did not enure to his personal benefit These
cases indicate that plausible defense can be
set up even where money has actually
been received by Congressman, for
bribes, when given at all, are given in
corner, or through the aid of go-betweens,
and not in the presence of cloud of wit
nesses. The facts already elected, however,
will have at least some influence in strength
ening the suspicion that Congressman and
Senators do not always confne their per-
auistes to the strict limits of their pay and
mileage; and if it is the desire of the House
to set this suspicion at rest forever, it would
be well for that body to extend its investiga-
tions to matters of more Importance than the
eadetships and Collectors of In-
ternal Revenue, for instance-as we'll as the
means by which men who enter official life
poor suddenly become rich. 1t was saying
of Jefferson that the whole art of government
consisted in the art of being honest, and in
spite of modern progress, many of the public
men of this country display with each new
year an increased ignorance or disregard of
this fundamental principle. Some years ago,
after the charge that various national offices
had been sold was tolerably we'll substan-
tiated, Congress passed an act requiring
that officials of certain grades should
append to their receipts for salary an oath
that no portion Of the moneys they received
from the Government was paid as premium
to the persons through whose influence they
had been appointed. But this check is no
dppllCHDio W Ill CdSSS, ahNt 40 SolluptiOu III
creases stronger safeguards are required
Perhaps a new iron-clad oath, specially de
signed to protect the Treasury and to aver
the appointment of unworthy men from cor
rupt motives, might prove useful If Con
gressmen and Senators can be induced tC
take solemn oath that they will never re
ceive, directly or indirectly, for public ser
vices, any other compensation than thei
mileage and salary; that they will not vote fo
or against any bill on account of promises o.
gifts of land, bonds, Stocks or greenbacks
and that they will not favor any aspirant fo
Office on account of present or prospective
pecuniary considerations, and if these oath
are religiously respected, the nation can affort
to double their legal pay, and still save mil
lions of money by the transaction. The worl
of territorial reconstruction is now well-nigl
finished and if the honest men in Congress
will perfect plan of moral reconstruction
that will make the public welfare a para
mont consideration in all the proceedings il
the Capitol and the Executive Departments il
Washington, they will do more real goo
than will be accomplished by the fifteent
amendment OF the triumph of the geners
policy of the Republican party.