New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-09-30
SHARING TIE PLUNDER.

SHARING THE PLUMBER
If there is one thing in this world which we
dOte upon, it is perfect frankness. III there Is
one thing which brings tears OF JOY TO our
eyes, it is candOr If man is one OF your
money seeking patriots, one OF those VINO thihK
too much of their country to serve her Tor
nothing. one of those who believe that Mem
Der of Congress is valuable just in proportion to
the amount which he charges the people for his
services, we like to have him boldly bring out
his opinions, and challenge for them the ad-
miration and approval of mankind. Such
course is far manlier than for him plously to
roll IN his eyes, sweetly to talk OF COD ana
goodness. Providence and piety, righteousness,
temperance, and Judgment to come. SWlndIlng
is bad, but upon the whole we are inclined to
think that hypocrisy is worse. The Members who
have more or less mOurnfully returned their
Back PAY are more or less entitled to honor
the Members who have more or less reluctantly
given away what did not belong to them, are
no longer absolutely disagreeable to look upon,
even if they have been buying votes with the
nations cash but the beauties, the altogether
lovely characters the charmingly rounded pee
ulators, are those who swear to keep what
they have got, and, by implication, to get as
much more if they can. In the same way the
virgin candidate who wants to be elected
simply that ne may make money out OF his
Office. and who manfully advertises his merce-
nary motives. is not a dangerous though he
may be a disgusting character
If these things be as we have set them
A.. uooJor will ;oi,, will, ,Is N sOun1inO
the praises of a certain Californian, Dr.
Williamson, who offered himself as candi-
date for the Legislature at San joaquin. In
order that there might be no mistake about
his opinions, he went before the Nominating
Convention and said: If | am elected to the
Legislature | shall serve you as well as
"can under the circumstances, and if l should
unfortunately steal anything L will bring 1t
down here to San Joaquin and divide 1t
with YOU" Could anything be fairer !-cOuld
ANYTHING be more liberal, more magnanimous,
more seductive? Was there ever more
beautiful illustration of that honor which
should always exist among thieves and should
always irradiate larcenyl Half is only fair,
and a grab smells sweeter when it is miti-
gated by liberality and benevOlence. Clearly
our Doctor should have won the nomination
trumphantly, and undoubtedly would have
done so, only in the enthusiasm of the mo-
ment he went "A little too far. In sounding
his own trumpet he let slip rather
suspicious note or two, when he
said: 81 know bow to steal can steal as
well as any man and l think that is the
kind of man to send to Sacramento" Here
i. a
fatal to the Doctors prospects. He represented
himself as altogether too smart. With such I'M
paralleled and unapproachable powers of steal
ing as he claimed to possess, how were the San
JOaqunians to be sure that he would not steal
that part of the swag which rghtfully belonged
to themY What security had they for fair
settlement, when the day of division should
come In short beautiful stealer might be
an equally beautiful liar; and so the candid
Doctor was put aside for some other man who
might brag less and possibly steal more, in
asmuch as according to the proverb it is " the
silent SOW that sups the broth" This frank
physician must content himself with less profit
able bleeding than that of the body polite.
On the whole is it not little dubious, this
new system of swindling in Washington to en-
rlcn the nome CONSTITUENCIES FOR instance,
if Member this year gives his Back Pay or
other plumber to found a church, a school
OF library, an asylum, institute, or monu-
ment, how can his fellOw-citizens be sure that
in the future he will retain those pure and
elevated notions of duty upon which he has
for once acted 7 Suppose that some auspicious
opportunity should so enrich him that the seat
would no longer be an object. Or suppose that
he should only divide the proceeds of several
small thefts and selfshly pocket the profits of
the big one A cheat may have various VIZ
tues and graces-he may be affable and polite,
soft of speech, and even religious :" yet how,
in spite of all his destinations, are we to know
that he will not cheat us Our safest way is
not to trust him at all. If we do, we deserve
to be disappointed; and Congressional Dis
trict which sends back an Honorable Grabber
just to see how much more money he can
fitch for the benefit of his neighbors, deserves
to find itself in the end not one dollar richer
for the little game.
----
MANHOOD AND MANACLES.
Mr.. James Freeman Clarke of Massachusetts.