, 1879-04-06
MIR. NEVINS, CARD.

6neci0l Dispatch to The Tribune.
SPRINGFIELD, ILL.,, April 5.-CouNT1 JAZZ,
SANGAMoS Co., ILL.,, April 5.-7o the SPEAKER
and Gentlemen Of the House u Representatives: In
my published dispatches to The CHICAGO TR1B-
UrE from Springfield, + have limited at some of
tho vices which have disgraeed your body.
have By no means told ell the truth; but, per
haps for the reputation Of the Thirty-irst Gen
eral Assembly, and the honor Of the State,
enough has already been said. Yet feel con-
strained to add that there was time when it
was esteemed an honor to sit in your House;
but there are honorable, high-minded gentle
men upon the floor to-day who feel humbled by
the conduct Of some OF their fellow-members,
and are ashamed to be there Members OF the
General Assembly have visited the newspaper
Offices in Chicago with
STORIES OF JOBS AND BRIBERY
which have caused the editors Of those papers
to suppose that this Legislature was little less
than an organized banditti preying upon the
interests of the State, and have begged the
press to stir up this frog-pond Of
filth. covered with the green scum Of
corruption It is well-known fact
that the deus of vice with which this city is
crowded are nightly filed with members OF your
body. For evidence Of this your Investigating
Committee have but to call upon the police OF
Springfield, or the gamins, guttersntpes. and
tramps who fnfest the town, or upon
THE BLEAR-ErED BAwDs
who are the partners Of their commerce, among
whom these facts are notorious. From these
places Of 1nfamy they straightway hfe and seat
themselves at the social board among the wives
and daughters Of the best citizens Of Spring
field.
1t has been stated in the nature OF complaint
against the press that the people Of Illinois are
beginning to think that the Thirty-frst General
Assembly is vaeabond, worthless body The
press is not responsible for any ill-opinion the
people may have of it, for the reason that moth
ing has get been published in any newspaper
that these members have not said OF themselves
1t has been said by member OF the House
OR. Scroggs) that The TRIBUNE has always
been engaged In stirring up investigations, and
that Mr.. joseph Mcdi1, its chief editor,
would never forgive this Legislature for elect
ing John A. Logan to the United States Senate.
1t seems strange that the honor OF this house
should be so suddenly wounded when
TT Is NOTORIOUS ON TIE sTREETs OF SPRING
FIELD
that acts q hundred fold more disreputable than
anything which hare ret been published are
criticism that the Speaker Of the House bartered
his vote for United States Senator for the
position be now holds.
hare been called UPON for the source Of my
information What know was given to me By
= gentleman Of the House, whose yeracity is un-
fmpeachable and whose standing is as high as
that OF .any, under the strictest pledge OF Sc
eresy. II an exposure Of some Of the potosious
practices Of the members of this Assembly is
seeking sclf-martyrdom, as the gentleman from
Coles (A1r. NcaD has asserted on the floor of
the House, then acknowledge myself open to
the charge Of seeking self-martyrdom. The
gentleman from Coles also says: ut seems to
be the business Of newspapers to make promis-
cuous charges" Probably he considers that the
publication OF the names OF the members OF the
General Assembly who recently made the tour
Of the bawdy- houses OF St. Louis was nromis-
cuous charge! FRANK E. NEvINs,
Correspondent CHICAGO TRIBUNE.