The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-06-05

At the opening of the session of the Sen
ate, Thursday, we read that a bill was re-
ported from the committee on naval affairs,
and adopted by the Senate, giving the CON
sent Of Congress to the acceptance by the
officers of the steamer Monocacy of the sill
yer medals awarded them by the king of
Siam. At nearly every session of Con
gioss bill OF this nature is presented and
passed. Sometimes authorizing IN officer
to receive II sword, at others some kind of
decoration. and, again, as in this case, of
medals, in other instances it is simply A
cane, and SO on giving consent to the ac-
ception sof almost everything that can or
does pass for a gift. This action is neccs
saly under the provisions of the constitu-
ton, and without it the gift cannot be re-
ceycd. Our fathers, at the close of the
revolution, had a Just fear Of foreign influ-
cnco, and seemed to feel that the only
danger to the country would come from
that source. They, therefore, engrafted in
the constitution the following provision:
mo person holding any Office of profit or
trust" under the United States, "shall, with
out the consent of Congress, accept of any
cmolument, Office, or title, of any kind
whatever, from any king, prince or foreign
state.
To our mind there is something beside a
fear OF foreign influence, and an attempt
to ward off all danger from that source,
expressed in this provision 1t is pointed
condemnation of the practice Of making
gifts to public men. Why forbid it from
foreign states, if there was not fear that
the reception thereof would, perhaps I'M
consciously, cause such a leaning toward
that state, that the officer could not
act wholly and freely for his country as
against, the other? This must hav" room
the only reason for its adoption, and, in
fact, the debates show it, 1t is to be pre-
stunned that they did not think that the pub
lie men, who were to follow them, would
receive gifts from individuals or corpora
tons. Their whole lives show that they
thought, even, the offer Of n present was
Il covert attack on their integrity and resent
ed it accordingly. Thinking and acting
thus themselves, and believing that they
would be succeeded by similar men, they
did not undertake to prohibit the practice,
except so far as foreign states were con-
cerned. We, to-day, see their mistake. We
have seen in congress, on the bench, in
state legislatures and elsewhere, the pcrni-
cious effect of presents which are in re-
atty, and are intended to be, brides.
whether the gift be large or small. There
is nothing to fear from foreign influence
from this cause, but the whole difficulty
would be met by providing that these pres
ents should not be received from any
"person or corporation whatever"
We need such constitutional provision.
or law as this, if we desire to preserve
our free institutions and escape the pollut-
ing touch of corruption. We all know
that gifts are given to and received by pub
lie men almost daily. We know the object
Of the gifts and we see, unless we are
blind, that the object is generally attained.
What would have become of ColfaX's,
Patterson's and others shows in the Credit
Mobilier if the consent of congress had
been necessary before they could have re-
cciyed it? This is case in point, be-
cause the transactions between Ames and
the men mentioned were nothing more or
less than gifts. Ourpoitical history is full
of this class Of brides, and the country and
world have been scandalized and disgraced
thereby The human mind works strange
y, and, at times unconsciously. We can,
not, il we would, and many do not try
but regard with favor those who have be-
lriended us, or made us valuable presents.
and it is natural that we should sedl an
opportunity to repay the favors received.
ii not IN kind then otherwise. Public
men have many opportunities to do this,
and we notice that, in most cases. they do
it, If they have not the honor, the integ-
rity or the back bone to assist these inilu-
ences, as we see they have not, let us throw
n safeguard around them either by CON
stltutonal provision or an legal enactment.