Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-11-06
Legislative RetainPrs.

The Burlington Free Press and Times Of
Monday last has the following sensible and
forcihle editorial:
The Constitution of the State Of Vermont
declares that . No nemher oF the Senate or
Fl 'nse Of Representatives shsll directly or
indirectly receive any fee or reward. tn bring
/ forward advocate anv hill. petition or
other business ~ be transacted in the Legis-
lature. or advocate any cause as counsel in
either house of legislation. except when en-
! ploved in behalf Of the State -
Fnr member ftha Legislature to accept
a secret retainer 70 stand up AMI argue
questions on public grounds. while bias d
b such private motives and to exert an in
/ fl1enre on legislation which NAV be great
hecausn supposed Il he impartial. hut which
would Re nothing If il were known that he
was IN the employ Of an interested party, is
not only contrary 70 the letter and spirit Of
the constitution. hut is not the part of a
MN Of hnn0r. We cannot. therrf re treat
a. lightly as the Montpelier JoUrral does the
- r .ilroad Dew. lnTments which appeared
in the B ,ston Trdreler last week. and which
have been extensively distributed in circu-
lars. sent up from Boston and gratutOusly
scattered in our community. Ii seems n rs
not a light matter that men Of such person
al standing. and occupying such responsible
positions as W NJ tTngrv. P. K. q eed,
George n Dale, j. E Dickerman and
George W. Hendee should be plscarded as
receiving retainers from the agent of the
Vermont Central managers during 4 session
Or the Legislature of which they were mem
hers, and which were vouched for as part of
the expenses 80 in resisting adverse legisla-
ton -
We can understand how an honest and
independent Vermont paper can await an
explanation before giving credence or circula-
ton to such statements; or if it believes
them, can remain silent through mortifca-
ton at the stain thrown upon the State,
through some of its public men but we
cannot see how paper of the standing of
the Journal, can undertake to pooh-pooh
such q matter out of the way. In saying SO
much, we of course, do not assume that there
is no possible explanation of these charges,
consistent with honor and integrity in the
gentlemen named. We earnestly trust that
there is such explanation, and that it will be
forthcoming 1t certainly seems to be called
for.
The occasion for any discussion of this sub
ject, is furnished by an article which appeared
las week in the Boston Traveller containing
what purported to be a voucher, or statement
of account by 10. D. Hatch, against the
Trustees and Manager of the Vermont Cen
trail Railroad for expenses incurred in their
business at Montpelier during the session of
the Legislature in 1869. In this voucher
the railroad was charged with the payment
of $50 each to w. NJ. Pingry, George n
Dale, j. f. DIckerman, and George W Hen
dee, who were at that time members Of the
State Senate, ard to P. K. Gleed who was
then a member of the House The inference
drawn by the TraUeIer, and which seems an
unavoidable one, is hat this money was paid
and accepted as a consideration for the friend
ly influence of these ersOns as members of
the State Legislature. o. course there ought
to be- and We think there can be, but one
p inion as to the character Of such transac-
ton, ana that opinion is well expressed by
the free Press. II is not only contrary
the letter and epirit Of the constitution, bur
It is destructive Of every principle upon
which honest eg'slation is sur prsed to PRO
G, Sd, and would be equally worthy Of ron
'temnation wire the constitution entirely ST.
en-: cp,n the subject.
IL Is, Of cou Sc, xpected that represent
itlvc body will not be Tree from interest 90 /
many questions which it is to decide; il fact,
ir ought not to be unIterested III anything. +.
l. - not possible either that the representa- p
I've should rot in some cases be Influenced /
ry v hat are the immediate interests OF biz /
part GUAR con tituents; but there will be Int /
G legislation calling into activity such int
esrs, if the legislature does not get Beyond |
{ proTer s. here OF legislation. There II /
90 d fhcuty, however, in Distinguishing such !
cases from those IN which the member IS
really acting as paid counsel, and IL not repre-
S ming has constituents but is in fact repre-
seuuns some railroad corporation, or some
ether ojy that can affold to pay for the Sc
v.c.s Of more members than 1t can elect.
By the recent constitution OF Illinois near
ly al private OF special legislation is prohlb-
ted, and. as a good result of 1t, it IS said
that the business of the lobby, which, IN
der the previous constitution was large and
profitable, has been reduced to a minimum.
IL is not easy to change the human nature
which leaves it possible to corrupt legisla-
lures, but it is possible to lessen the occa-
sions for such corruption by prohibiting much
Of the legislation which furnishes it its op-
portunity. The people of Illinois have I'M
douotedly taken hold of the best means of
accomplishing something for the purity of
legislation, and the people of this State will
be wise if, without waiting for corruption
which has made the legislation of New
York synonym almost for debauched law
making, they put an end to legislative
lobbying and legislative retainers, by pro-
hibitlng the legislation which invites that
kind OF interference and which makes it profit
able.