The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1870-07-02
WAYNE COUNTY, IND. JULY

for being light fingered, because
its officers are gentlemen, but it
would not be to be wondered at if
they were somewhat lax in their
ideas concerning perqusltes. But
generally, in regard to the service
of the State, it should be held that
the one who enters it has right
to two things. One Of these is a
fair living compensation the OH
er is a reasonable certainty Of con
tinuance in Office during good be-
havior, with q retiring provision
at the end.
He has a right to the former.
since the people can always afford
fair days wages Cor fair days
work, because the State is inde-
pendent of fluctuations in the la
bor-market, and because ordinar-
ily the nation demands the mans
entire seayice. Much of it's work
will brook nothing less A COM
mander cannot say, Il do not en-
1 ter the navy for storms st sea and
naval battles, and only for dock
yard duty He cannot in honor
resign because ordered to the
coast of Sumatra instead of to the
Mediterranean. He cannot so ar
range his cruises as to provide for
his family. This is true TO a de-
gree also of bureau employme euts.
If they are faithfully discharged,
they leave little time for the
chances of private profit. And
certainly in most cases they cut off
all hope of that adventure and en-
terprise by which mercantile for
tunes are made. The compensa-
ton for this disadvantage should
be permanence. If we get little,
let us get it surely. But five per
cent. per annum for our invest
ments, accompanied by the uncer-
tainty of the stock market, is not
what any man would choose.
1t is not right-but is it not ma
tural for a man to say, Since L
may go at any moment, and must
90 when this administration ends,
| will make all l can Let mer-
chant give his clerks to understand
that he is ever on the watch to get
others in their places at cheaper
rates, and lie will not long keep
honest men in his employ. Why
do our banks, as rule, command
the services Of men Of sterling fl
deity ? They pay only moderate
salaries, but every cashier knows
that he has place which is as cer'
tain as the earth's movement in it's
| orixy Ia
an income on which he can count
while he lives and can work, Try
rotation in office upon our banks.
what would our deposits be worth?
Next as to Legislative corruption.
This is sore subject. But is if
not greatly cxag'ratcd in the popu
lar mind? Allbusiness in public bod
les is not don dishonesty, nor are
all legislators accessible to bribes.
Special legislation has been the
fons &C or;go hJusce mali, and there
has been far too much special leg
islating Yet herein great deal
of the corruption complained of
belongs to secondary processes
to the mere expediting of business.
1t is like hotel bribery. Every
guest cannot be served first. If
you want the first service out of
turn, others must wait who have
an equal right, and you ought to
pay extra. You cannot complain
of the walters extortion, since
you paid the landlord for your
dinner, but not for the privilege Of
tantalizing dozen or more to see
you eat it. 1t is the men who
would not wait the due course of
public business who have brought
this upon us.
And the fact that we complain Of
| legislative bribery, and chafe un-
der it, shows that however coolly
we may talk of it's inevitablness,
we have not come to regard it as
right When race loses the prac-
tice of any virtue, is it not offend
ed at the presence Of the CORES.
pondent vice. We do not expect
a Fenian to set high value upon
accurate and measured statement.
| We do nos look for abhorrence of
unchastitv at Tahiti. An Italian
of the sixteenth century would
consider Iago as rather an est:m-
able character, and Paris takes
very easily the breach of the sew
enth coma andment. When we are
really callous to this condition of
our legislatures We shall say much
| less abont it. When we accept
the situation we shall choose our
representatives according to their
bribable capacity, getting the men
who do the most work at the low
| est rates.
But bribery is self-limitcd. 1t
implies a conscience to be prevent
| ed. There must be something
wol tn buying in the market In
| essence it means that the fidelity
which the legislature owes to the
general public is transferred for q
| consideration to an Individual
Bnt there it stops the man who
takes bribes indefinitely loses all
value. This fact will always make
bribery exceptional. There must
be some character, some con.
science-something which when
bought will stay bought. Abso-
lutte venality serves nobody's turn,
since when you have it you may
lose it to another to morrow. Nor
are such legislators acceptable to