The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1874-03-19
LIE sANnonN coNTRAcTs.


It is a well known and admitted fact that
this is a day of ''rings'-a term which
means combination Of individuals who
may or may not unite for the accomplish
ment Of some unworthy object Rings are
not now generally formed tor the further
ance Of the public good, but for selfish pur-
poses or improper gains. In and about
Washington City, men may be pointed out
daily who infest the Hobbies Of the Capitol
for improper and reprehensible purposes.
OF this class SanbOrn is "a representative man.
Knowing that there were unpaid taxes due
the government, which the collectors had
failed to gather, and knowing what set Of
comorants the Representatives and Sena-
tors in Congress were, Sanborn made the
proposition to collect the several sums due
for one-haIf, and pay the balance over to the
government. The very proposition ought
to have been received with indignation, for
it was equivalent to asking the government
to take money from other men and give to
the applicant that he might fleece all. 1t
was the duty of the collectors to do just
what Sanborn proposed. They were paid
literally for it. But his proposition was
entertained, and the Committee on Appro-
priations added a clause empowering the
Secretary of the Treasury to make contracts
for the collection Of unpaid taxes, which
was struck out, but afterwards inserted by
the Senate conferces upon the condition,
proposed by the House, that a statement
under oath should be first filed setting forth
exactly the companies, corporations or IN
dividuals who owed the taxes.
By this arrangement the government has
been robbed of thousands of dollars, and
there is no doubt that several members of
Congress pocketed large sums as their part
of the job. The facts have been recently
ventilated in the debates, and present a
most sickening spectacle to the country.
Beast Butler, true to his instincts, and
always ready to enter into any combination
for plumber, shifting the spoils from afar and
RECALLING his sordid appetite by anticipa-
ton, was Sanborn's champion, not directly
but as a representative who wished the
government benefited. OF course he had
received his part of the uncollected taxes;
but standing up in his place, he defended
his action, repelling with apparent indig.
nation, any improper motives in the posi-
ton assumed. He said that if it was the
gentleman from Ohio, (STr. Garfield, who
engineered the bill through, that gentle
man had not done badly in that respect.
''He had seen in the public prints shat he
Butler,) had engineered it. They did him
honor over much. If he had engineered
that bill in the interest of Sanborn, he
would have seen to it that Sanborn would
have got the contract first" We have given
Buffers own words, which show the man
in all his unblushing corruption.
Is it any wonder that the best interests
of the country suffer and languish wher
representatives and senators take advantage
of their positions, and deliberately plan
and arrange schemes for robhing the gov
eminent whenever an opportunity is pre-
sented2 What would have been said abou
such men as Calhoun, Clay or Webster, i
it had been known that they even listened
to such propositions But as an indica
ton of the corruption of the public mind
men can be found all over the countr!
who will say that it was a Legitimate job
that there was nothing wrong in making
fifty or hundred thousand in this way
Let us hope that the day tor such pecula
tons are about to pass away forever AM
that soon, in both Houses of Congress
able, honest and true men will be foun'
who will legislate like statesmen, and b
ever ready to protect the revenue of tn
government, as well as the interests of al
sections.