The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1872-07-31
Honest Charley Buckaiew

The particular friends of Mr. Buck
alcw boast that he is an honest man.
We deny the assertion, and can prove
him to be one of the most shameful
and daring public plunderers in the
State, and we challenge any person
to DENY it.
We have 33 Senators, and we find
by the report of the Auditor General
that for the year ending November
Both, 1869, when that body had a
majority Of Republicans, the pay of
THE Senator'S for whole session of
/ the Legislature, including the mileage
and stationery, was as follows: Pay
of members, including mileage and
stationery, $35,415, go.
AT the last session of the Legisla-
ture n committee was appointed to
investigate the election OF Gray and
Mcclure, which was composed of
four Democrats and three Republi-
cans. OF this committee Senator
Buckalcw was chairman, and had
the casting vote. This committee
did not set, including all the sessions,
more than FIVE continuous days. 1t
was held in Philadelphia All the
members had free tickets by rail, to
travel backwards and forwards All
their expenses for board and liquors,
&c, were paid by the State for this
committee Of seven, at the Washing
ton House. They made the State
pay bill for their board and use of
a committee room, of 1884 30, equal
to S342 for each member All their
assistants were paid heavily alsO,.as'
the items of the shameful hill will
show. sas.s. .se,. .s.F
The members of the committee
Were paid $1,000 for their services as
Senators. As Senator's they made
this investigation, and all extra cx-
penses they bad charged to the State
vet this committee. of which Mr..
Buckalew was chairman, voted them
selves $500 each out of the State
Treasury in addition to their salary.
The taking OF this $500 additional
out Of the Treasury was absolute
stealing. But Mr.. Buckalew took it
and sanctioned it, 1t amounted to
about SI5 pay for each member, for
each meeting they held, which was
open robbery-they stole it because
they had the power to take it, just as
a robber does when he has the power.
But this is not all-they stole for
all their friends thousands of dollars,
and run mp bill to the amount of
no less than S26,065 | for this in
vestigation, when the actual expenses
need not have exceeded S6,00C, and
would not have exceeded it if con-
Quoted honestly We here assert
that convicted robbers, who are now
serving ont their time in the peniten-
tiaries of the State, are not as guilty
as this committee. because these per-
sons Were public officers, sworn to
protect thelt interests of the people
whom they represented, and the chair
man who approved of and sanctioned
such wholesale thieving, is the most
criminal of the whole lot.
Public plunderers and thieves may
sanction such conduct and pronounce
it honest, because these men had the
power to steal in their public capac-
itv; but no honest man, we care not
to what party he may belong. can
sanction such conduct, much less sup
port such man for Governor of the
State, who would thus use his posi-
ton to steal the public funds for him
self and those around him. We de-
nounce the Republican members of
that committee just as much as we
do the Democratic members; but the
Democrats had the controlling power,
and they had the power to check it.
If even one of the members desired
to do so--but they did not, and the
chairmrn of the committee approved
of it. ea
Here are the items of expenses of
that swindling committee, which is
unparalleled in the history of the
State. For reporters and their as
'sistants, s2,55I so; for printing evil
denee, 500 copies, Sl,703 26; George
J. Bottoms bill (Washington House)
$2,391 80; sergeant-at-arms and as
sistants;-s350; elerieal-and messen-
gers service for committee, $500;
John A. Loehridge,o Prothonotary,
$45; contestant for l,049 witnesses
in attendance, $l,5T3 so; contestant