Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-01-29

Senatorial Elections.
The use Of money in securing an cleo.
ton to tho Senate Of the United States is
becoming altogether too common 1t can
hardly be expected Of men who have bought
their seats 10 the Senate that they will
not, when there, sell their influence aud
votes TO the highest bidder. The invcsti-
cation into the Caldwell case reveals the
extent to which bribery is carried. The
members Of the Kansas Legislature were
10 the market and sold themselves like
sheep Many Of them sold themselves to
both candidates and put the double reward
Of their dishouor in their pockets 1t is
pretty clear, also, that the North and South
Carolina elections we're no better, aud that
each Of the Senators elected recently in
those States will hold bis place, If at ALL
by fraud. Louisiana is in a state Of au-
urchy, and the claimant Of the Senatorial
chair has no colorado title to the place
He represents not votes, but successful
faction. There are whispers Of corruption
in other States further north, and we be.
liove, If the truth were known, it would be
found that many Of the Senators occupy
their seats because Of the purchasable quail
tiles of their State Legislatures. Gen.
llawley used to say that one Senator paid
hundred thousand dollars for his election.
This is very like the condition OF affairs
in England in the days oil Horace Nalpole,
when each party was forced into the market
by the corruption Of the other; when the
right side was compelled to resort to fraud
10 order to save itself from being over
whelmod by the frauds Of the opposite side.
Ia a limited monarchy such condition
might be rcctGed, but it seems almost
hopeless to look for it in a republic Where
the corruption has worked from the nation
al legislature down through the State legis-
lures 10 is dillicllt to fix any bounds to it,.
Yet one thing would seem to be the OBJ
vious duty Of the United States Senate, j.
e., to exclude from Its counsels all those
whose only right there is obtained by cor
ruption and bribery. If Kansas or Penn
sylyauia arc willing TO scud men to the
Senate who have bought their seats Mas
sachusetis and Vermont caunot consent to
recognise and participate in the transaction
by admitting them to the equal companion.
ship Of the Senate The people Of the
non-corrupt States cannot allow themselves
to be ruled by toe givcrs and receivers Of
brides. The Senate owes it to its dignity
and honor to see to it that no man who has
secured his election by dishonest practices
shall be allowed to hold his seat
The ideas aud sentiments Of personal
virtue in the management Of public affairs,
seem to have been lost in the neighborhood
Of Washington. Advent into public life
] hIItul1 10 UhNH II Alracllhuo Nlffl Oh lN-
dlyidua morality. Men who were pure
aud honest in private life feel the inau-
cuco Of the political atmosphere and soon
descend to transactions they would once
have seorned-aud to conceal their transac-
tions they resort to ialsehood and deception
and perjury. They sell themselves as read.
lily as they buy others, and when the day
of exposure comes they prevaricatc. Such
has heen the pitilul spectacle in the United
States Senate, in the last few weeks and
in this corruption there is no distinction Of
party. The buying and selling run,
not on political lines. The leading mel
Of both parties arc equally at fault, sc
that the remedy is not to be found in a
change Of party rule. The people ouly
90 .Itr fl.s Il r Nv oil a