The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-10-09
SHELBY M. cuLLoM's STEAL.
An openLetter to A. shuman, Republl-
can Candidate for Lieut.. Governor.

An Open Letter to A. Shuman, Republl- |
can Candidate for Lieut.. Governor.
To Hon. Andrew Shuman, Republican candidate
for lieutenant governor of Illinois.
DEAR SIR:-I noticed. 10 the Chicago
Tribune of the 18th inst, letter from
yourself to Hon. Joseph Utley, canal COM
missioner, ETC., in which letter you take
occasion TO expatiate at length upon the
attributes OF our party, and the dangers
that menance the nation should the tri-
umph of the Democracy be secured at the
coming election. l-." N/r.
Passing over the fact that your letter is
addressed to a man like Mr.. Utley, and
passing over the fact that your own re-
cord as one Of the commissioners of the
Illinois penitentiary is not so fair as it
ought to be, desire to ask you if, in your
opinion, there is not some danger in the
elevation to the high and responsible posi-.
ton of governor of the great state of Hi
nois such man as is depicted in the fol-
lowing history, as collected from the off
cial journals Of the house of representa-
tives Of the twenty eighth and twenty
ninth general assemblies of the state OF
Illinois.
battling for the success Of MIR. Cullom and
the Republican party in this state when l
consider the value OF the prize which may
ultimately be yours in case of such success,
for it is coniectured that despite Mr.. Cul.
IONS protestations to the contrary, he will
be q candidate for the United States
senate, and will doubtless take Mr.. Logan's
place by the dispensation of Republican
legislature in which case you will succeed
TO the executive chair. Ii the people OF
Ills, after persuing the following chapter,
can go 10 the polls aud deliberately de-
post their votes for Mr.. Cullom. it only
shows that they are willing to give to him
the increased opportunities which the gov
ernorship offers to enter into collision
with the political favorites for continuing
public spoilation. But here is the re-
cord:
On the lst day Of May, 1873, a senate
joint resolution came into the house tor
concurrence, which read as follows:
Resolved, BY the senate, the house OF represen.
tativee coEcurring therein, that when the general
assembly shall adjourn on tuesday, May 8, 1t
shall stand adjourned until Tuesday, Jan. D. 1874,
az IL O'Clock, noon. No member, officer, en-
pioye shall receive any pay during the recess.
except such members rs are required 10 act on
committees during the they shall be paid
state In committee.
When the vote was taken upon concur
ring in this resolution Mr.. Culom voted
against it, an act which must strike the
readers as very significant Of his intention
and desire to aid his friend, Mr.. Shep
ard, in ACCOMPLISHING the then proposed
plan to flch few thousand dollars from
the treasury. The resolution was never
theless concurred in, and became a solemn
legislative enactment. binding all to strict
compliance with its provisions. But
neither Mr.. Cullom or Mr., Shepard were
to be bafnsd by any puny legislative sub.
terfuGes like this. There was an oppor-
tunity, and both we're men for opportun-
tiles.
So, on the following day, resolution
was prepared and placed in the hand of
Hon. George W. Armstrong to be in
troduced 10 the house. In this act
there is manifested two strokes of saga
city eminently worthy of better cause
One was the precaution taken against
making the resolution joint enc
lest the senate might take it into Its
head to squelch it; and the other was
placing it in the hands of Democrat fol
submission to the house, that violent OF
position to it frtm that side of the
house might be forestalled. This is thu
resolution:
'Resolyed That the clerk of the house be al
lowed to retain his assistants such length of tim
M he may deem necessary, not exceeding 80 days
during the recess OF the general assembly in whic
20 carefully review, correct, and prepare for copy
ING and publication, the journals Of this house, an
compare the same with the minutes and bill resls
Ter. to the end that the said journals may be faith
ful, concise and correct rep ut Of the transaction
of the house; and the clerk Is hereby directed L
take charge Of all bills, reports and other paper
now In possession of the house. and such bills an
other papers ~ may be turned over TO him Ivy tn
chairman of the standing or select committees, an
he shall carefully keep and preserve the same unit
the adjourned meeting of tins general assembl Is
And the clerk IL hereby directed Immediately upo
the adjournment OF this general assembly 20 pre-
pare synopsis OF all house bills and senate bill
reported 20 the house as well all senate bills an
house bills pending in the senate; show
ing what bills have passed both houses an
Been signed by the governor anu the order
which each b IL stands; and cause to be prin
cd 1000 copies Of the same. And IL directc
10 mail each member of the house five copies ,
said rynops ., and the balance he shall retain an
preserve To- the use OF the house at it's adjOurne
session. And for his services he shall receive II
per diem now allowed him by law; me time TO
certified Do the speaker.
This resolution, as introduced by Nj,
Armstrong, was adopted, but that gentle
man declares, and there are others read
20 verify, that the last clause 10 italic,
was added after it had passed the house
and was otherwise changed so as to cut o
the limitation OF 30 days.
BE this as it may. however, the fact n
mains that neither Mr.. Shepard or hi
assistants were employed more than
days after the adjournment OF the gener;
assembly, in which time all the work col
templated by the resolution was accom-
plished.
Let the reader bear in mind that tn
TRANSACTION occurred in the last days of tn
first session of the twenty-eighth Reueri
assembly, and that the number of day
between the day of adjournment and tn
day OF the meeting of the second sessio
was 224, which, ut SO per day, amounts, I
$l,464, which amount Mr.. Cullom, q
speaker of the house, certified that Nj
Shepard was entitled to, when he kne
that he had not earned more than 500 {
it. 10 days service
But this is not the worst phase of th
petty plundering. At the end Of tn
second session of the same general aseeu
bly,, q similar resolution was adopted
directing the clerk to retain his assistant
for 80 days, and to attend TO comparin!
proof reading aud revising the journals
the house, until their publication and di
tribution the time TO be certified 10 ii
auditor by the speaker OF the house.
1t is well known that Mr.. Shepard di
not tarry in Springfield "a hours after ii
adjournment Of this second session, an
that his assistants, who were each paid !
per day Cor their services, completed til
work contt mplated by this resolution
something less than 10 days. Yet Nj
n,,il Ia fa1 tlaf