The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-03-25
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Tusadag. .htarning, ,Karoh. 26. 1873.


bring. Ityprovides that any person who
shell pay Or receive money or other com.
psspsation. directly or indirectly, for the
purpose Of securing the passage or defeat
,oi npy measure by the General Assembly
81 that State, shall be guilty Of misde
:.naeanor, and. il convicted Of it. shall be
,panished BY confinement in Jail not ex-
-cseding twelve months, and By fine not
e1oeeding 1000. And any. person who
shan employ paid agents Tor the purpose
Of giving information Of, any, so.ion
which may be taken by the General A.
sembly, in order. that il may be used 20
seSdrs the passsse or defeat Of my mea.
sure by'it,, shall likewise be, guilty Of a
misdemespor, and punished in like man
nor. This; law is, designed TO meet an
evil OF widespread influence and, deadly
character, whose effects have been felt In
State Legislatures, in Congress, in mn-
nicipal and local bodies, and in railroad
and other corporations. The seryices Of
an agent Or counsel ~ in The intereat Of in.
tereatsa parties ifea member Of such
bodies. must neeessAlily come in conflict
wilR bis oidat8 a. : lsgialator or. toorpo-
fAtos. Fetsonh Who tpesi ~. i thhs1 II
tiMad may sdelaida ithamselve. with the
eideN that they can faithfully ssfye la
boM capacities, and It may be 80, while
they rlA parallel; BIZ. when, they pull
against :1each other. the stronger and
more sslesh' VIII prevail. Besides. It is
unseemly. and not in accordance with q
oofreck vish Of pessonal honor, or a Just
sense 9: Official responsibility. for one
voluntarily TO assume fuuptions the dis.
charge ofJwhiohj even If untaihted With
corruption, will subject his motives to
suspicion and cavil, and bring the eye Of
,distrust upon his public conduct. Very
few OF those who engage in this sort of
work are entitled to The benefit OF any
lingering belief that We may beldisposed
to entertain. Of their, honsst and fair deal
ing il spch an equivooal position. Judge
Merrick. OF Maryland, in the speech
which he delivered upon the resolutions
for the expulsion Of Brooks and Ames,
speaking from persohal observation to
menswhoahad-p -psEsona k1nwledge of The
facts, MHth hfd1lf saia:a
'.We see geandals before us greater,
perhaps, and more enormous. Mr..
Speaker than the scandal Which ne are
called on to pass Judgment .uponi here.
We iee.in the halla Of Congress, and in
the halls OF thet various Stats ,Leaisla.
lures. mon kushihG into; them; men who
go there Tor the expresS purpose of;sub.
serving their owp personsl interest; men
seeking to beplaoed upon committees.
~hsze they shall have an opportunity sof
crushing ont and preventing action upon
those things in regard to which they
have the liveliest and deepest personal
interest to prevent legialation."
Another insidious form under which
the evil presents itself. 10 in the active
measures and pressing opportunities Of
professional lobbyists. With. retainers
in their hands. and with the prospect Of
incidental profits further ahead. they
slip from member to member, plying
their hateful vocation. taking advantage
OF weakness to brow-beat it, Of iguo.
rance to deceive it, and Of greed to pur.
chase it. The system Of special legisla-
ton, which is so general, supplies an
ever ready temptation. It has been
strongly urged by the New York Tribune
and the Baltimore Sun, that suotl powers
of special legislation ought to be taken
away from Legislatures, or restricted
within the narrowest and stfictest po5si-
BILE bounds. We have seen here in our
Legislature how its exercise has enlarged
the field and multiplied the demands
and the opportunities for transactions in
votes. No remedy is possible here as
things are now. Laws against bribery
and any improper influence are. and for
time will continue to be, mere dend
letter. By.and-by we may hope to reach
healthier public sentiment, which will,
in due time, exert it's influence in effeot-
ing higher standard OF Legislative
morality, and in curtailing those legisla-