Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-05-26
A Specimen Of Democratic Legislation.

A Specimen OF Democratic Legislation.
THE late Legislature of New York was,
beyond question, the most infamous legls-
lative body that ever disgraced the United
States It does not appear to have had a
single redeeming feature. From the open
ing day of the session until its adjourn
ment, it was job in the House and job in
the Senate; Tammsny controlled both,
and subsidized every man whose vote was
essential to the success of its schemes,
Blackmail, open and avowed, was levied
on almost every corporation and interest
throughout the State which could be
touched by legislative statute, in order to
furnish Tammany with the required funds
for the purchase or the hire of legislative
servants. Not one measure OF real public
importance was passed; special legislation
was the rule, and the programme of its
enactment was submitted daily by the
New York ring
After Irving was driven out, a new draft
was made to buy Winans. The bargain
was probably an expensive one, if we &C
cept its sequel as an index to the mood of
morose and desperate villainy which took
possession of Tweed, and impelled him to
lead the New York Legislature to the pill
ory of shame and fraud. The whole
character of the legislation which preceded
blO WAS WuOllJ W
the Republicans. The bills passed were
either read by their titles alone prior to
taking the vote en- their passage, or, if
read in detail, the Clerks elocution was
such as to render their contents gibberish,
and to put into his pockets the reasonable
sum of one thousand dollars for the sue
cess of his effort. In this manner bills
were passed by the dozen, and it is only
now, as they come out over the official sig
~ Tt. INA -
their features become palpable to the
astonished, nay, the dismayed and con-
founded people of the city and State. 1t
was known soon after the adjournment
that the tax levy in New York city would
reach $25 per head but it is a matter of
only recent public knowledge that there
was bill passed modifying the Code of
Procedure.
1t was Democratic Legislature that
passed this bill. 1t was conceived by
Democrats, by Democrats framed; SNUG
gled by Democrats through the secret
sewer-ways of Democratic Legislature,
and brought out thence law of the State
of New York, only lacking the signature
of a Democratic tool in the Governors
chair to enforce its provisions.
1t abolishes the freedom of speech and
of the press in New York city and State.
1t places every public journal, every
member of the bar, and every private citi-
zen absolutely at the mercy of Judge
who may deem criticism upon his actions
a contempt. Under the statutes which the
bill repeals, punishment of this offense
was a fine not to exceed $3.50 or 80 days
imprisonment; but the fair publication of
the proceedings of any court was sane
toned by the statute and did not consti-
tute contempt. Under the new law, the
common code replaces the Revised Statute !;
and by the common law Judge has abso-
lutte right to decide what constitutes
contempt, who is the guilty party, what
shall be his punishment and how it shall
be inflicted. If the Governor signs the
bill, any paper in New York publishing
the proceedings of Barnard's court, fairly
or unfairly, respectfully or buried under
periods of denunciation, renders its con-
ductors liable to be summoned by Barnard
before Barnard, by Barnard indicted by
him tried without the attendance of coun-
Gil or the presence of jury; by Barnard
convicted, by Barnard sentenced to fine
of ten dollars or hundred thousand, and
by Barnard relegated to prison for any
length of time, from one month to twenty
years. and from the decision there is no
appeal!
The bill further provides that in all cases
of prosecution of corporations by individ-
uals, the issue shall be tried in the city
where the chief offices of the corporation
are located This is legislation direct for
Erie. If that corporate thief were to steal
all the property of a citizen in any village
of the State, cut up his lands, run off his
cattle, and murder his relatives, the citizen
would have some chance to recover dam
ages if he had funds enough to move to
New York city and prosecute the Erie
corporation. People ruined by corpora
tions do not usually have funds for such
gigantic purposes.
Another clause of the bill forbids a
Judge to order the books of corporation
to be produced in court. This clause was
inserted also for Erie, and nothing except
made it possible for Judge Blatchford to
compel Jay Gould to produce the Erie
books for examination--a consequence
this clause was especially designed to
avert.
The bill prohibits defrauded stockhold.
ers from seeking redress in courts outside
the city where the chief office of the COM
pany is located; it vests in the Judges the
sole right of choosing referees; it vests in
the Judges the absolute power to deter
mine what questions shall be put to an ad-
verse party on an examination before trial
it increases fees to an extent that will rem
not possessed of millions to carry it
through; it deprives prisoners of trial by
jury abolishes the right of appeal, subverts
justice, degrades the people into serfs OF
notoriously corrupt Judges, overthrows
and annihilates the most valuable rights OF
every citizen, gags the press, and abolishes
freedom of speech,
The Round Table, a somewhat decent
Democratic journal, pronounces it "mon-
strous law" The Nation prepares to drop
its curtains and mourn the death of NUM-
cipal liberty. The honest and courageous
press of New York city and State find no
language adequate to the expression of
their anger aud alarm and the New York
bar, without distinction of party, met en-
nsasse to protest in indignation, grief and
shame against the manacles and gags pre-
pared for them by the New York Democ-
racy,
Hoffman dares not sign the bill He
dares not openly refuse TO sign it, but he
will probably play with its parchment
until the expiration of the period fixed by
law. His signature is not necessary 10 the
elimination of its atrocity. 1t stands be.
fore the world specimen OF the legisla.
tion to be expected from Democrats wher.
ever political power is placed in their
hands. Let the people look to it, Chicago
Post
A WASHINGTON editor is mad because a
compositor headed his editorial "The
Champagne Opened" when he wrote
"The Campaign Opened" He says that
printer Is always thinking about some.