Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-05-04

sistent practice, or to any creed indeed which
is logically coherent, and inevitable in its
results on conduct. Neither of them, SO far
as we have been able to learn, processes any
doctrine of the proper sphere and function
of government, distinguishabIe from that Of
the other, or aims at any line Of policy
which may be regarded as more than an ex.
pedient suggested by circumstances, and to
be turned this way or that as the prospects
of mere party success may be adverse OIL
propitious.
CORRUPT LEGISLATION.
meanwhile, " as result of this want ol
fundamental convictions, the practical legis-
lation everywhere, in our municipal councils
in our state legislatures, in Congress, is fall
ing into all manner of disorder and vileness
What the New York city government is, is
only too notorious; its venality, its profit
gacy, it's almost brigandage, has passed into
a proverb: to say that one is an alderman is
prin1a facie to brand him as a rogue a per-
son with any tolerable amount of self-re-
spect, called by that title, would feel himself
obliged to resent it as a libel, or to get up an
affidavit to clear his fame Offices are cumu-
lated until obscure clerks get more salary
than the Presidert of the United States,
siifc-thc-sradersx Is the Ring few years
ago needy emf .s ants, now own acres of real
estate in the aoart of the city, and stable
their very horses in palaces. The taxes here
are higher than are the taxes of Paris, the
most sumptuous city of the world, which has
been lately almost rebuilt on a scale of un-
heard of magnifcence; and yet for all this
taxation, the citizens receive worse than no
return the streets are the dirtiest streets to
be found in any metropolis the sewerage is
the least seryiceable; the markets are the
flthiest; and the piers and wharfs the most
rickety and unsuitable for their purposes
With the amount of money that is now
spent, New York, with the splendid advan-
tages of its local position and circumstances,
should be the cleanest, the best drained, the
most convenient, and the most beautiful city
on either continent, instead of being the
reverse.
:" Our State Leg islatures are possibly not
quite so degraded as the New York Common
Council and still, if we may believe the
reports that come to us from the new legis-
lative bodies of the South, and many that
have been circulated for years without con-
tradictiOn in regard to those of New York
New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana
and others, they are rapidly on the way to
the same Serbonian bog 1t is charged that
considerable number of the members of
these bodies are always open to purchase.
We know, at any rate, that certain sort of
egislation-legislation by which lucrative
franchises are granted to a select company Of
individuals-is always in great favor with
them; when bill is introduced, the first
question is said to be, Is there any money
in it?' and a numerous lobby, which lives at
great expense, and seems well provided
with greenbacks, is the inseperable fringe
and border of every session. Special com
mittees, appointed to inquire into abuses,
become either matchmaking or whitewashing
committees-which is understood to be the
same thing; while many of the mammoth
railroad corporations, which have new priv
ileges to obtain or old ones to enlarge, set
aside a bribery fund for representatives., with
as much a matter Of-course regularity as
merchants put proft-and-account on their
ledgers.
TIE MORALS OF CONGRESS.
Congress, we are glad to believe, main
tains higher standard of worth than the
State legislatures to which we have Just re-
rs--~s oo----.-,,----1-r -
names ut least which 10 honor to the selec-
ton of the people One recalls debates of
important questions that were full of a con-
scientious, prudent, far-reaching considera-
tion. of an evident anxiety TO compass great
public ends. But we recall, at the same
time, much personality, vulgarism, super
worse, we recall much mere party rancor,
mere squabbles for small triumphs and tenn
porary successes But what is worst of all g.,
1t is charged that many representatives allow
themselves to vote and speak for schemes of
legislation in which they have personal in
terest, for schemes which propose to build us
one class at the expense of another, which
take for the measure oftheir fitness, not their
rectitude according to some established prin-
ciple, but their expediency according to some
tuctuating need.
What is the difference between Smith of
the Senate, who imposes a mode of taxation
on the country intended to foster the busi-
ness Of a few of his immediate constituents
and friends (himself included), and Smith OF
the Common Council. who takes a share in
plan for poulticing the streets instead of
paving them? What is the difference be-
tween Jones of Washington, who votes mon
ey into the pockets of class of iron-masters
in Pennsylvania, and some other Jones, OF
New York, who votes il into the pockets oi
another class-say the street contractor III
Congress may grant away our vast public
domains, almost without condition and with
out price, to great railroad corporations,
why may not State Legislature grant a
monopoly of city streets 10 other great cor
porations, without condition and without
price If these corporations initiate with
wealth until they ara able to stand at the
doors of Congress or of the legislature, like
the whippers- of Horace Walpole, to buy
new franchises, to ward off restrictions and
inquiry, to raise fares or resist taxes. who is
to blame but the authors of them? Or if the
honorable Mr.. Tom abuses the frankine
privilege to procure free transportation fol
his wife . wardrobe, or coversEwith the name
OF contingency petty theft of pen knives
and writing desks, hardly worthy the ability
of a sneak thief, can he complain that Dick
in the Custom House takes small bribe, ol
that Harry of the revenue service hob-nob'
confdentially with the knights of the whis
aya * tgb gbiars several sorts s ct plgnds'
They all use the 74sIic means for privat,
advantage; they ar regard the government
not as an agent for collective society, but al
the tool of private cliques they all perver
| its functions from their proper sphere int.
unlawful channels; they all aid in so vita
ting its action that politics is turned into
scramble fer profits and spoils-into a selfish
mean, venal and corrupting intrigue, il
which the most brutal scoundrel or the Gun
ningest rogue has infinitely more chance o
succeeding than the broadest intellect or tn
noblest heart.
at will doubtless seem very strange to
man VINO leglslates cOnsc1entlOusly, lor tn
encouragement of certain branches of trade
to find himself classed with the commo
herd o. fspeculators and pilferers, and person
ally, no doubt, the classification is who'll
unjust and undeserved. We intend thereb
to cast no reflection upon individuals. w
speak OF systems individual conduct ma
be redeemed by the fact that one honestl
supposed himself to be pursuing the gener'
good.
bad method is none the less bad becau'
the motives of those who resort to it al
pure. More benignant designs never actu'
ted men than those imputed to certain schoo
of socialists during the French revolution
lS4S; they wanted every man to have work
they wanted every man to have property
they wanted every man to have credit in