The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1871-05-18

Dispersion Of the Forty Thieves
On Saturday last the Legislature $50
called) adjourned. 1t was the only act
of the Mongrels, which in their career
of infamy, will command the approval OF
the people. They were impeled to it not
by the voice Of censure, for their sensi-
bilities were dead to censure. Not by
public scorn, for they were impervious to
scorn. Nor by feeling of commissera-
ton for the impoverished people whom
they have wronged, because men who are
so lost to shame as to thrust themselves
into the offices of people who despise
them as intruders, can feel no more sense
of pity than of shame. Nor because
they had satisfied their greed of plumber,
for it is Unsuitable For their adjourn
ment the people are indebted to the we'll
grounded conviction of the Wreckers
that they chad gathered up" all that they
could seize. And true it is. The taxes
have been increased five-fold. An amount
of revenue will have been collected from
the people when the tax-collectors have
finished "going through" them, five times
more than was required to pay the expen-
ses Of the government in other days when
they were more prosperous than now.
Nevertheless, it has all been anticipated
and spent. There will be nothing left in
the Treasury to be stolen, nor seized after
the fashion of the highwayman, when the
Auditor shall have honored the drafts
which viii flow in under the sweeping
act appropriating sac hundred thousand
dollars for indefinite purposes.
Be this as it may, the curtain has
dropped upon an exhibition of open rob-
berry in the name of legislation-of tyran-
ny in the name of lava scene of de-
pravity, debauchery, and villainy-such
as the civilized world has never known
before Heretofore even the worst
criminals have paid to virtue the homage
of assuming its guise, but in the exam
Piles Of this conclave, there was no such
respectful Difference shown to her. Vice
stood cutsin its hideousness unrelieved by
a semblance Of drapery II came to be
well understood that the votes Of the
Mongrels who controlled the Legislature
were in the market, and every measure
which was passed, resolved itself into a
mere question of compensation. Various
were the prices which were paid OF
course there was no direct method of
ascertaining precisely how much each
vote cost for any given scheme; but it
was known that the market ranged from
thousands of dollars down to the doubtful
honor to an African member of drink,
on social equality principles, with Mean
White Skin in second class saloon.
Necessarily body thus corrupt was
the centre of attraction to all manner of
loathesome vermin- The galleries and
aisles and hooks and corners of the Cap
itol swarmed with pimps who assumed
the more respectable name of lobbyists
and whose trade it was to buy up votes
They made no secret of THEN disreputable
calling as procurers of bribery, villainy
and corruption. They arranged terms
between the contracting parties and
received their fees.
AS this game has progressed, THE
CLARION has from time to time described
it to the public at whose cost it has been
played. But we have fallen short of the
requirements of the case. Of the many
vile deeds that have been perpetrated,
one-half has not been told. But they
must all necessarily come in review and
will receive attention as opportunity
offers.
Meantime let song of joy be sung
throughout all the confines of the State
that the Legislature" has adjourned,
and once more let the. Eminent Man
who presides over the destinies of Mis-
sissippi," send out his proclamation to all
the people thereof to assemble in their
temples and unite heartily in a general
thanksgiving that the conclave of Forty
Thieves has dispersed.