Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-02-23
HOW FAELENi

A generation ago the people of this coun-
try pointed to the Senate Of the United
States as the most diguiied, the most hon.
orable legislative body in the world. "Look
to the Senatel" was the proud acclsmation
of every man of that day when he was told
Of some measure pending before Congress
which was regarded as menacing tho liberty
Of the citizen or compromising the honor
of the country. But now how changed!
The evil times upon which we have fallen
have dragged that great body down to the
standard of the men who were thrown
to the surface by our late civil
upheaval, and to-day We find the
places of Calhoun, and Wright, and Web
s5er, and macy of their associates usurped
by men who would hardly have dared to
aspire to seat in the Legislatures of the
States which they assume to represent in
Senate. The st. Louis Republican has
grouped together some of the corrupt crew,
in order to show into what hands the
people have confded the welfare and inter
est of the nation. "There are Geo. E.
Spencer, Of Alabama, reelected by a
detestable breach of faith
and parliamentary violence On
the part of the Republican minority and the
Republican Lieutenant Governor in the
Alabama Legislature; Powell Clayton,
elected by Legislature in Arkansas which,
self, was elected by him, through sys-
EN- Offraud and violence which he did not
lare to have Investigated by a United States
,ourt; JAMES Harlan, of Iowa, alleged to
nave been elected by the money Of DR..
Dursnt, for purposes which neither MIR.
Harlan nor DIR. DUr2nt would like to
have made known; Samuel c. Pome-
row and Alexander Caldwell, of Kan
sas, of whom nothing need now be
said; William Pit Kellogg, of Louisiana,
elected by the usual reconstruction agencies,
that take no account Of the will Of the
people; Henry Wilson,, Of Massachusetts,
who, while escaping tlIs, Credit Mobilier
briberies himself, conniVe3 at them; Adel-
bert Ames, of Mississippi, pointed out as
the man who transformed himself from
district commander TO a Un tied States Sen
ator by his own bayonets; James ". Pat
terson, Of New Ham pshire, who
not only received Gre dit Mobilier
stock and dividends, but swore he
did not receive them; John Sherman, of
Ohio. reelected by an Andefensible parlia-
mentsry violation similar TO That by which
Spepcer was re-elecssd il Alabama. Patter-
SOD, of South Carolina, recently elected,
a according to the aaidayits of those
who voted for him, by votes purchased
at a cost of S75, 900; JONES'. Of Nevada, re-
Gently elected, according to his own
admission, through the influence OF
money: Simon Cameron, Of Pennsylvania,
dismissed from the first Republican cabinet
for practices unbecoming Cabinet Minister.
Here are thirteen of the jury whom pro-
scouting attorney would challenge and set
aside for cause; and if there be added the |
names of six other Senators against whom |
there are openly intimated charges of
bribery, the number of disqualified mem
,rs of this august Senatorial jury, would
be increased to nineteen. Imagine
these nineteen Senators trying each
other, one at time, with the consciousness
that verdict of guilty against one would
convict all the others-sDd we have
s,me idea of the hopelessness of any thor
ough attempt at congressional publication
from the United States Senate" Here we
have, in few words, picture of the rot
teness of the highest legislative branch OF
the government. Aud a change for the
better cannot be easily wrought, unless the
honest men in that body shall commence
the work of publication in earnest, and ex-
pel the bribers and corruptionists from her
midst.