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

him as powerless as tho driver of
runaway team after bis rcins are
broken.
But there is one fact stated by him
which will astound you when IL is
mentioned. He says that the Office Of
Treasurer is the most lucrative in the
State Its profits must, therefore, ex-
coed the enormous sums received by
tho officers Of the State House row in
this city. This, he says, induces
regular scramble for tho treasurership
on the first week Of every session
and thon be adds that the votes which
elect the Treasurer arc notoriously
bought by tho successful candidate.
The Significance Of that simple state
ment Of the Secretary will hardly be
understood without little reflection.
Remember that tho Treasurer is paid
by fixed salary.
Mr.. Howard. Five thousand dol
lars per annum.
Mr.. BLACK. No man holding that
Office can, by any possibility, make
out of 1t one cent beyond the $4,000
allowed him by law, without being
guilty OF some act as dishonest as the
plainest stealing that ever was done
by common thief Yet, somehow,
the Treasurer OF tho State gots of
from bis office enough to buy up a
majority OF the Legislature, and alter
making all the deductions necessary
Tor his reimbursement OF that ex-
pensc, there is enough left in his own
pocket to enrich him beyond any 9th
er oincer; These things, mind you,
are not Oil done at once. The Treas
urer does not take all OF this sum at
one grao nor does he buy up the
members by wholesale, He has TO
make separate bargain Win each
individual, IL you could suppose one
Oh tnese dreasurers 10 DO convicted
OF every distinct onenco that he has
oeen gul'ty OF 10 a year, ana tnen sup
pose MN 10 oe sentenced according 70
iaw' upon each conviction, what would
become OF h'm AT the most moder.
ate calculation you can make, II would
take MN AT least niteen hundred years
70 serve his time out IN the pen,ten.
tiary, liaugnter,J ana ior portion OF
that PERIOD ne would DO accompanied
6y majority OF tho members OF the
Legislature More laughter These
are the men that are entrusted with
the collection ard expenditure OF all
your revenue, with the control OF all
your public affairs, and with the pow
er which glvos or withholds security
to your lives and property.
But, Mr.. Chairman, l do not know
that we ought to blame the members
Of tho Legislature too severely
Something ought to be allowed for
the temptations with which they are
surrounded. They walk among snares
ana pit-iaiis, ana man-traps. In fact
they DO not represent tus. Weare moi
governed by The men We send there
our masters are the members OF the
loooy. Lucy are organized into O
third House whose shadow is over
powerlng and omnlpotent. They pro
pose the laws that suit themselves
and the interested parties that send
them there. The other Houses sim.
ply register their DEGREES. That ouI
rights and liberties should DO in such
hands is disgusting in the extreme
for they are generally tho most loath.
some miscreants on the face Of the
earth.
My friend from Dauphin (Mr Mac.
veigh) spoke of legislation under the
figure OF stream, which, he said
ought always TO now with crysta
water IL IS true that the Legislature
IS the fountain from which the cur
rent Of our social and political Life
must run, or we must bear no life
but as it now is, we keep IT merely Of
"a cistern for foul toads to knot arc
gender in" do has described tho tree
OF liberty, as his poetic fancy sees it
10 .ne good ''me coming, "ncn weary
men sna,l res, unuer ,ts snaoe, ane
singing o'rus saa'l lnhao'' lts oianene'
anu ,nake must agrceaole music bu,