Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1873-05-14
(Cbntinxed from first page

cot fraud upon tho public or upon
individuals whom committed by or
through the Legislature is consecratcd
and protected. 1t has wrought intol-
orAbie mischief. II gives Indefinite
encouragement 10 the worst form OF
public immorslity. 1t shelters evsry
villain Of q certain class who can get
away with his booty; and sti6os In.
quiry into the worst wrongs by max
ing Il practically useless. II legisla-
live acts were void from corruption,
what man or what corporation would
think il worth while 10 pay bribes /!
We can and ought to abolish this
absurd and iniquitous principle. Let
It be done with such reservations as
will prevent any loss to innocent peo-
pie, but let US cease to pay q premium
for Legislative rascality.
vi. Spear or affirm epery member
before he takes his seat that he piH not
only support but obey and defend the
Constitution in all things. The oath
to support il required by the federal
Constitution, was intended as mere
test of political opinion, to exclude the
enemies Of the new government from
officc. To support docs no mean to
obey. You support the church when
you rent a pew and pay tho preacher,
though you do not square your moral
conduct by it's procepts. But this pre-
liminary oath being promissory in its
nature, / do not think IL just to make
the subsequent violation Of II punisha-
bio as perjury. Where it has been
taken in good faith, with pure intent
10 keep, a breach Of the promise 1t
expresses does not justify a charge Of
false swearing. That among other
reasons makes 1t necessary that there
should be another oath or affirmation
upon which perjury can be assigned.
VII. Require every member at the
close of his last session TO render an ac-
count of his own constituents at home
Make him swear or affirm, specifically,
that be has obeyed the Constitution,
that no has not listened TO private
solicitation, or taken any bribe, or
knowingly done any other act in his
official capacity interdicted by the
fundamental law. If his hands are
clean hc will be willing TO show them.
If they are not, and he declines to
show them, tho public can have no
further need of his services, and he
should not be eligible to the same or
to any other office. The necessity Of
taking this last oath will effectually
cut him off from all intercourse with
known lobbyists, and free him CON-
pletely from improper influences, for
unless he is o moral monster, he will
not do thing with the preconceived
determination to swear that he has
dono it. l do devoutly believe that
&his measure, connected with tho
others proposed, will mako our legis.
lation as puro as it was in the days Of
William Penn.
In conclusion, let me call the atten-
tion OF gentlemen to the resemblance
between these provisions and those
which prevail in analogous cases Of q
private nature. A member of the
Legislature is charged with the ad
ministration of the most important
trusts known among men. II any
body should be held, and held hard,
to his duty, it is he. Yet we only
propose to enfore his obligations by
the same means which we use against
private trustee. When an executor,
administrator or guardian takes his
duty upon him, you swear him to obey
the laws. When he goes out you
compel him to render an account, on
oath, in which he specifics the particu-
lar acts he has done, and If he swears
falsely, you indict him for perjury
And If he serves his own interests by
nakiug contract in fraud of his
cestm que trust you hold his act to be
void. Why should not tho great trust
Of legislator be subject to the same
rnles {? Is it because you are willing
the public trust shall be betrayed, but
desire the private one to be honestly
administered This will hardly bt
the answer of those who oppose US
What it will be know not.