Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-02-11
CORRUPT USE OF MONEY.

There Is no more alarming indication for
the future of our country than what we
regard as the growing tendency to infiu-
ence legislation by the corrupt use OF
money. Men of wealth and ambition are
graspin9 and scheming for power, while
the unsuspecting masses are unconsciously
submitting to be robbed of their rights and
privileges as freemen. Who will say there
is not q strong tendency in that direction
The time once was when measures were
considered on the basis of their merits.
Public sentiment would have regarded
with contempt any man who, enjoying the
high position of q representative of the
people in the Legislative department of the
country, would accept q paltry sum of
money in consideration of any vote he
might give as such representative. How
is it now? If one-half We hear in refer
ence to State Legislatures be true, we must
tremble for the welfare of the people COM
posing this great Republic.
1t is certainly true that the lobby is far
more influential than formerly. a wealthy
corporation or a wealthy individual may
exercise an undue influence over legisla-
tive bodies, and procure the passage of
such measures as will perpetuate them in
power by increasing their wealth or add
ing to their privileges. This is certainly
the tendency. Indeed, in great MANY
instances, lobbyists have had complete con-
troll of legislative bodies, and have used
their powerful influence. made powerful
by their money, to eXtort from the masses
the means to perpetuate monopoIies. and
thus make the people party to their own
oppression. Through this means money
has been procured for the use of powerful
corporations or wealthy individuals, who,
instead of using it for the object for which
it was ostensibly procured, put it in their
own pockets, to be used in its turn for
more bribery and wholesale corruption.
1t is humiliating to us to make such ad- |
missions, but nothing is ever gained by the |
concealment of facts. It is right that the /
people should understand the way we seem
TO be drifting. All power is understood to
be inherent in the people. IF the people
SO decree, this diggraceful and humiliatino
state of affairs will cease, and that before
long. Thieves and scoundrels may stalk
abroad in the light of midday, and with
unblushing effrontery ply their Infamous
vocations, unless public sen timentis apains,
them. But public sentiment is O powerful
agent i'll the regulation of mems conduct.
so powerful that few men care to come in
contact with, or to oppose its behests. Il
all the people will treat thief as his voca.
ton deserves, without regard to his station
IN life, whether he be rich or poor; whether
he is clad in rags or whether he is clothed
IN broadclcth, faring sumptuously every
day, he is not likely TO appear before them i,
as such; but if public sentiment will con- /,
denim the former and make respectable the
latter, we may expect to see thieves in
high places.
Our hope is in the people. Let them
treat q man. who steals away their rights
for paltry sum of money, who votes away
heir money and their privileges in q legis-
ative body, because some one pays him to
10 SO, as we would any common thief, and
We will soon have less of it. Let rigid
,enal statutes be enacted on the subject.
nd send a few such gentlemen to the peni-
entiary with other and unpretending
ogues, and they will not so unblushingly
AIRY on their daring schemes. We WILSON
lear no more of such conduct This is our h h
My safety. The whole matter is with the
eople. If they are content to hold their
,ngues and say nothing against such COM Gt
nations, they will see their mistake when an
is too late