The Lincoln County herald., 1873-04-16
TROY, NO. APRIL as, 1878.
. Distinction with ,us . Dinereues.

thet the recent "back pSy steal. yes
"stesl" is the scrd, for ahs men shc
voted for the measure sere elected si.h
the csplcit understanding tha. they
sere to receive 70 much, and no more
for their services. There existed an ss
tablished contract between the people
(governmenD and the officers elected by
them. The latter igsored the contract
and 10 the name Of the people, Vi,bou'
,beir consent, enacted a law increasing
their wages and allowing pay fer services
rendered two years before its passage, 10
proportion to the increase. This was
nothing more Der less than a bold rob
berry Of about a million and a half Of
ehe public funds. 1t wa. not e party
steal-bo,h Democrats and Republicans
supported and voted for thence the
individuals themselves must be held re-
sponsible and President Grant no less
than the originators. If ever there was
an act that den1ndcd Of the President
sn exercise Of bis veto power, it was in
this instance; and the people of the
whole country, laying aside political
prejudces, would have opplauded him
for his decision. But that delectable
body Of men who assume to represent the
masses, knew too we'll the groveling,
sordid nature Of the President not to
guard against such a contingency 40
annual s25, 700 increase Of his salary
was sufficient to buy his signature to the
bill, and he stands convicted with the
other supporters of the measure. Our
own representative, Andrew King of St
Charles, too, stands among the dgraced
nnd blackened mass Of dishonesty that
thrust their covetous arms into the pub
lilo treasury--a disgrace to the thirteenth
district.
What redress can the constituents Of
these corruptionists resort to? None
The law is defective, and the honorable y
pilfercrs 90 unwhipt Of justice. 1t is
even 80 with the bribed and the bribers
who prove recreant to their trust and for
stipulated sums purloin the public money
and lands and hand them over to monopo.
lies. The most grievous punishment that
has yet been apl reached is expulsion,
and that is generally evaded by the con
victed party resiguipg. o, the rarity Of
congressional honesty, and the lameness
Of the laws to punish corruption.
Let us step from this higher (?) to the
lower walks of life and observe the
marked distinction that occurs there IN
relation to the punishment Of crimc
\ poor bare foot or hungry vagrant steal,
a pair Of twelve dollar boots, or barre
Of -four and few sides OF fat bacon fol
a miserable wife and half dozen ragged
children; perhaps he may steal the
money to buy these things, lcgislating in
his own mind a bill claiming that the
world owes him living, and by an uuan
imous vote Of one he passes the bill, anC
at once puts his new claw" into force by
thrustiug his hand into Sharpening 4
Starvem's money chest; he is detected
taken to Jail, tried, convicted, and Law
says he must do the state somc service
TO atone for the direful result Of hi
little piece of personal legislation, The
public applaud the verdict, because it i
just; such people are dangerous to
community, aud it will not do to turI
them loose, for theft is gross crime.
But how much better are those mel
who vote to Themselves money that doc
not rightfuly belong to them? TIE.
are not whit more justi6able and ar
emlnently more cowardly and reprehen
sble, for they take the money in tn
name Of the people, whom they will
fully and Intentionally misrepreseut, an
whom no law can reach, while tho formc
does the same on his own responsibility
Give him the Intelligence and the posi-
,ion Of Butler, and Ames, and Caldwell
and Harlan and others, and he will be jus
as refined and complacent about feather
iuG his nest as they are.
The law is lame, but with existing col
Puption VIC don't see how il 10 to be rem
edied, SO we'll have to content ourselvt
with seeing only the lower order OF erin
iuals gracipg our penitentaries.
The Richmond Conservator says ii