Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1893-04-13
Fl RIGHT OF PETITION.
How It Was Abused by a Gov
ernment Clerk
Ne styled Himself the wagevorkers
Political Alliance and Flooded the
Congregational Mall Box with
Cranky Documents


One % the most peculiar freaks ever
known in the capitol during a session
of congress was developed here when
the Fifty-second congress was young.
of course you know that John Quincy
Adams. as a member Of the house of
representatives,. long after he had been
president Of the United States. was the
leader in the debate which forever set
tied "the right If petition" by the peo-
pie Of this republic. That right is not
only exercised vcry freely, but il is
also abused. Not only do the people
send genuine petitions to congress. but
lobbyists interested in legislation have
petitions printed, leaving blanks for
signatures. and send them broadcast
over the land These machine Pc
t~itions" are signed BIZ persons who
know little and care less about the sub
Jet matter contained ia them. They
are all forwarded to the Washington
attorneys, and by them handed u mem
bers Of congress. either Of the senate or
house These alleged petitions are
dropped into a receptacle called a pc
tition box and the regular clerical
employees send them n the proper com
mitteeS The people have the right Of
petition but their petitions have al
no weight whatever with the
gentlemen who le-islate for the nation
Well, during the early DAYS Of the
last c0ugrcss there were petitions "a
lore upon all mann~r Of subjects from
he ~WagrworkcB Political ALI
anee-- The alliance FIRST made itself
known hy the Introduction Of numerous
bills and the presentation Of wordy Pc
titions To both houses Of congress
Prominent statesmen received numer-
Gus communications. signed only by
this remarkable body. and most Of the
bills and memorials which accompanied
these epistles were introduced Not a
few Of them. though. were thrown
aside. notw outstanding the fact that
they borc the seal II this great politico-
labor engine. by whose mysterious force
the world was t. be reformed in an or
Iyinal and highly satisfactory manner
That some of the bills were introduced
Is due 70 the fact that they were less &C.
centric than those which found a rest
Ing place in the waste basket.
DUST when the alliance commenced its
task of vicarious legislation is not a
matter 81 much moment, but IL was
early in the FIRST session Of the present
congress To a close observer il must
have been evident hat neither senators
or representatives paid any attention
to the cruditipn which was being dis
played, and after awhile the alliance
became aware Of the sluggish ~circula-
tiCn its alleged ideas were having. Then
the alliance caused a bill to be intro
duccd authorizing and ~instructing the
public printer to publish daily (Sundavs
exceptedl n periodical which should be
known as The Congressional Petition
Box" the same to be for g~ratuitous dis
tribution to all applicants.
Further provision was made for the
creation Of an ofice-editor OF The
Congressional Petition Box-the sal
AIRY u he four dollars per dav. The
duty Of the editor would be the AR
ranging, classification, condensation
n publication Of all petitions. me-
MORALS. bills. resolutions and other re-
~spectfully vor1ed communications
which he might receive from any citi-
zen Of this republic when such petit
ions. etc, were addressed either to
congress, to the supreme court or the
president; provided SAYS the bill,
that said communications shall clear
IL show that something is wanted by
some citizen of this republic and hat
the person who wants that something
can be found usually at the place stated