Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1872-10-28
T5otlp Argus.
From the New Orleans Times.

From the New Orleans Times.
How Corrupt Proposals were Once Treated in
Congress.
An illustration of the great difference be-
tween the sentiments aad ideas of the early
administrators of the government, and those
OF our period, may be found in the report of
the proceedings Of the House Of Representa-
tivss in 1896, in an affair very similar TO the
Credit Mobiler business This report will
be found in the first volume of Col. Benton's
Arrangement Of the Debates of Congress,
page 6l7. The facts may be thus briefly
stated
Two men of the class now called smart
and enterprising, Randall and Whitney were
their names, conoocted grand land grabb
ing scheme by which they were to obtain for
themselves the title Of the United States to
all the lands now forming the State Of Mich
lyon. on condition of receiving quit claims
from the Indians, and removing them be-
yond Lake Michigan. The scheme was put
in the shape of q joint stock company, SINH
lar to the Credit Mobilier. The stock was
divided into forty or forty one shares. That
of these shares twenty-four of them were to
be reserved for disposal BY Randall and
Whitney for such members of Congress as
assisted them by their abilities and votes in
obtaining the grant from Congress. That
the said twenty-four shares we're TO be equally
divided between the eastern and southern
members of Congress. Randall undertaking
to manage the one and Whitney the other
This was the scheme, and the managers
proceeded to Philadelphia, where Congress
theu sat, to carry il cut.
Unfortunately, however, for them, though
fortunately for the honor of the country,
they had very different sort Of men to
manage from those who, of late years, have
grown suddenly rich in the hitherto unprofit-
able and unlucrstive position Of member of
congress. The very first attempt to enlist
supporters of their scheme resulted in an
information, which was promptly communi-
Gated to the house by the representative to
whom they made their proposal. Tie
house Immediately suspended sll other bus
mess, ordered the arrest of Randall and
| Whitney and causnd them to be brought to
its bar, when the case was fully Investigated,
counsel appearing for the prisoners, and
witnesses heard at length. This testimony
resulted in establishing the purity of the
house, and there being some doubt whether
the acts of the party could be justly aeld al
breach of privilege, the accused were
after short imprisonment and q stinging
reprimand from the speaker, for the gros
immortality of approaching the representa-
tives of the psople with such proposals anC
attempts to influence their votes, discharged
:, This, with the utter failure of their enter
prise and the stigma attached TO their name
!, and characters, were regarded as sufhcien
punishments. Thus it was that the father
; and founders Of this republic acted toward
1 persons who dared to approach them wit
venal proposals. Il remains to be show
whether their successors have the virtu
l. even to institute an investigation of affirm
alive charges on good grounds and with I"
v strong probable cause" of the actual an
: successful buying ard bribing of larg
4. number of the most prominent and inauen
' tal members OF congress.