The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1877-03-14

AN OUTRAGEOUS STEAL. The large amount
ofstationery grabbed by the Legislature whose
session closed on Friday can only be properly
designated as an out and out steal 1t is the
most barcfaced and conscenceless steal that
has been perpetrated in many years. The
constitution was amended few years ago ex-
pressly to put stop to the annual scandal and
disgrace brought upon tbe State by what came
to be known as the Stationery swindle''
That amendment provided that !" Members of
the Senate aud General Assembly shall re-
ceive annually the sum of five hundred dollars
during the time for which they shall have
been elected, and while they shall hold their
office, and no other aiiowdnce or enlolument,
directly or indirectly, for any purpose schat-
essr.''
Before the adoption of this amendment the,
members had received So day for the first
40 days and $3.50 per day after the expiration
Of that period. Ii was believed that the very
liberal Improvement mase upo9 this by the
provision above quoted wonld etiectually re-
move all temptation to stationery steals, and
Il at in AIRY event, the comprehensive and
sweeping character of the prohibition would
prevent it.. Bat it seems that neither con-
siderations of regard for the taxpayers of the
State, of common honesty, nor even of re-
spcct for the express inhibitions Of the funda-
mental law, could, all combined keep the
thievish fingers of the Democratic party OIL
this plnnder. They had been too long ac-
cnstomed to the stationery swindle to give it
up now even though Constitutional barriers
had been erected expressly to keep them away
from it. Bills for stationery aggrcgating fifty
dollars member were presented in the Incl
dental bill Of the House, and it was notorious
that the great bulk Of this was procured and
distributed SOLELY as plander. The outra-
geous swindle was denounced at the time
the plumber was brought to the Capitol, in
the huge dry goods boxes, by Messrs. Griggs,
Cooper and other Republicans, and resolu-
tions We're offered by shenl looking to its res
titution to the state, or its value TO the
Treasury. The steal was again denounced on
Wednesday night by Messrs. Griggs, Cooper,
Vanhise, Vail, Howell and other Republicans,
and on motion Of Mr.. Cooper one of the most
outrageous bills was bodily stricken out. Mr..
Cooper reminded the House that this year the
stationery bill Of that body amounted to
30, 600 while last year. under Republican asa-
mn'stration it had amounted to but $957-
The committee that procured and furnish, d
the plumber, had q Democratic chairman and
was under Democratic control. One of the
two Republican members of the committee,
Dir. Van Hise, Of Ocean, publicly announced
on the floor Of the House, that he had never
been consulted as to these purchases, but had
been ignored altogether.
The steal was indeed a natural product of
"Tilden and Reform, = the most gigantic Pc
litical fraud of the nincteentli century.
Whenever and under whatever feature that
party gets into power, the FIRST thoaght seems
to be to makea plunge for the treasury. The
taxpayers OF New Jersey take note of these
things. They are keeping q watchful and in
telligent eye ON public affairs, and next Fall |
these shameless and faithless :. Reform y
humbugs will see the effects of it.-State Ga
ssste