, 1873-05-27

Report Of tho Spccfla Committee, Sub.
nstttcd by Judge tso0iSinus
To tbs COMMITTEE NJ Seventy:
Tho special committee to whom wns roforrod
tho plan and scope Of tho aims and objects
sought to bo attained by tho conalituoncy repre-
sorsed by tho Committee Of sovcnty, with i'll
atrucslons to report tlloroon bog lonye to submit
tho following report: It IL not, In tho opinion OF
your Committee, desirable or oxpodiont to limit
tho efforts Of this organization to tho advance
mont Of n single reform, lowovor desirable
TINT reform may bo. Tho vicious
principle, or, rathor, want of principle, with
which society is pormoatod ut the prcsont timo
domand Of evory citizen o careful and tliBpaB-
8ionate confederation OF tho situation, nutn firm
purpose, manifested by systematic and onorgotio
our beloved country from impending ruin.
Thcro aro tloBo OF great experience in public
1ifo who openly declare that our Government is
moro corrupt than any other in tho world. Wo
do not uoed to ncccpt THU conclusion 90 abso-
lutcly truo but TINT corruption and wrong aro
rifo in cur land, and that tho Fohple hayo tho
powor, It tlley havo the will, to purify tho body
polite, and correct tho prevailing oyila no intel
High official positions have become tho sul,-
1ccts Of barter and ealo. Legislation las been
controlled by bribery SO frequent as scarcely to
he dcnied by tue yonal and corrupt factors
through whoao agency tho wrong Inns been dono.
Municipal affairs hayo boon managed by corrupt
rings, who haye atolon millions Of tho peoples
money. Corporations have boon managed In tho
interest OF private individuals, in fraud, not
only Of thor stockholders, but Of tho pcoplo at
large, mud TINT, too. when tho highost judicial
authority of Tie nation has over and ofton de-
clhrcl thom to bo of 30 public character that
tho oitizen may bo compelled against his will to
aid i'll their construction and maintenance and
crime las become 90 common that 10 ono can
nj tn1fff, fn1
upon tho royoltinE and Bickening dotlilH, and wo
foel an impulse to cast the papor aside in disgust
Or to exclude It altogether from tho family cirole
Thore are Indications Of q healthy reaction in
Organizations haye been formed, md efficient
work has boon done in tho correction Of abuses
Wo congratulate the State Of Now York upon tho
SUCCESS Of tho roform movement in tho election
OF an upright Governor. We congratulate tho
City Of Now York upon 4 liko SUCCESS IN tho cloc-
tion Of nm honest Mayor, who, wo believe, will
execute tile lava. Even In our own city tho pop
ular fooiing has shown itsolf in public meetings
Of large numbers Of citiz;ona. "ho. aeoing tic
tho. execution Of tho laws against Of
fcndo.s, blindly, to 10 auro, by donouncing
tho original instead OF tho nstrumontnlity that
made him such but still healthy in tone, show-
ing TINT tho popular mind was in measure
awake to tho prevailing evil. - " ~
Now, 1t ID III the boef Of your Committee
TINT no eat atBfRctory result can DO attnnel by
singlng out one Of the abuses and aiming nmr
must work upon q broader baeis. Honesty aud
purity arc cognato and cooperative, rs also aro
fraud mud crimo, ana their promotiyo causes.
Lot tho forces Of each array themselves, aud, if
Fraud md Crimo are strongest, lot them win.
II Honesty and Purity aro Btrongost lot them
win. Tho forces Of owl have tEoir union aud
concert Of action that is nocessary to the tri-
umph ofany cauAo, good orbad. For example, there
is nn Organization II this city calling thenneyes
Tho Liberal Citizens Of Chicago" Their
businoss is to promote branch OF trado which
every Intelligent man knows causes from four
tfths to nino-tenthB OF MI tho crime TINT B conf
mitted. Thoae citizons are no doubt 't1iboral"
in their way, liberal III tho manufacture Of
crime but tholr " liborality" is much like tho
extension Of the "area Of freedom" which one
Section Of cur country 6on1o ycar8 ago cla1norol
for, in the annexation OF territory whcroby
Tue area OF freedom was made vastly bigger
With each freeman free 10 own his own ,nigger,
But when we turn to tho estimates Of expenses
for support Of the City Government for the cur
ront year, and 500 that $685. 900 is tho sum de-
maudoo for tho Police Department, with tho cor
tainty that at tho current rate Of tho increase Of
s1,000,00o, tho "liberalty" to those who nay
tho taxes TINT 60 to mako tip this sum III not
worry apparent and then tlore aro wiyos beaten
and thrust out Of doors, With tho weather ut
zero, and children educated for the street, Tie
poor,honse, the prison., and the gallowy, ali tho
results Of this liberal traffic. tn contrast with
this We can point to q county in this State where
this "liberal traffic ia prohibited; whore orino
scarcely exists, md tho poor-houses aud prisons
aro empty. It now remains for tlo people to
choose for themselves which of tho two courses
they will adopt, ,wlotherthoy will join tho libera'
movement Or unito with tic forces of law md
ordor., What no urge upon every man who
loves ! his country, and desires to maintain her
institutions in purity, honesty, aud true pros-
pelity, is. that they unoquivocally and unauali-
tlediy demand for every Official postion men Of
prronouucod principles, mon Of integrity, and men
Ct viii, who, knowing their duty, will do it.
sayo thoir land from the power and influence Of
dishonesty, fraud, and orimo, aud to guarantee
TO every man, woman, and child tho protection
to which, under Divine Providence aud tho laws
OF t4o lind, thoy aro entitled. Respectfully sub
nlittcd on behalf of tho Committee,
s. B. GOoKlNg. Chairman