Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1894-10-16
THE NATIONS SHAME.
II TELL YOU, RATLEFF, IT'S As coz
RUPT AS H-LL!"
Dimes Drink and Feast, all Unmind-
full of the Peoples Ills.

How the Belshazzars and Their Concu-
bines Drink and Feast, all Unmind-
full of the Peoples Ills.
The following comments on scenes
witnessed III the National Capitol at
Washington by a Mississippi Demo
crat and quoted by the editor of the
Alliance Vindicator in his paper just
before the late session Of Congress ad-
journed, portray picture startling to
contemplate and speak in trumpet
tones to the people of the necessity of
destroying the political influence of
the liquor traffic and the two old po-
litical parties which stand ever ready
to obey its beck and call and do it's
corrupt bidding. Read;
This Editor had conversation the
other day with prominent gentleman,
of the State, of unimpeachable veraci-
ty, prominent lawyer and a Demo-
crat who gave us a ray Of light into
the proceedings at the National Capt.
toll which was very humjuatipg to any
liberty loving citizen. Said he, Rat
lift, ! haven't seen you since we left
Jackson after the adjournment Of the
Legislature. | have just been to Wash
ington. | was there three weeks. |
never was so Disguised in all my life.
Could you believe that there were two
saloons in full blast inside the Nation
al Capitol building fitted up at the
governments expense and just as fine
as money could make them and turned
over to the saloon keepers, aud that
without charging nickefS rent? In
those saloons you can get anything to
drink you wish from the finest wines
and brandies, down to the very lowest
drinks. A restaurant is also run in
connection Herewith. Almost any
time you go in there, day or night, yon
see five hundred men and women
drinking and eating and debauching.
They are having IA high-heei time and
care no more for the suffering condi-
ton of the people than the man in the
moon. Ratliff, it's as corrupt as hi /!
There are forty Breckinridges to the
square rod. If the people of
this country could take IA peep into
our National Congress there would be
mighty shaking of the dry bones and
there ought to be. In many
instances where important measures
came up, there is no quorum for the
transaction of business. It's a shame
and a disgrace to civilized country"
The editor of The LEADER has long
admired the gentleman whose private
conversation is above quoted, and we
are not surprised that his honest and
sincere soul should revolt and turn
sick at the scenes he describes. 'It is
enough to make the very stones of
Rome rise and mutiny !" and wildly
recalls what Cromwell, the great re-
former of England, said to the corrupt
Parliament of England which was no
more corrupt than our American Con-
gress
SIT is high time to put an end to your
sitting in this place, which ye have dis
honored by your contempt of all virtue
and defiled by your practice of every
vice. Ye are factious crew and enc
mics to all good government. Ye are
a pack of mercenary wretches, and
would, like Esau, sell your country for
a mess of pottage. Gold is your God,
Is there one among you that hath the
least care for the good of the Common
wealth I? Have yenot defiled this place
and turned this temple into den of
thieves ? By your immoral principles
and wicked practices We are grown ut
terly odious to the whole nation. You,
who were deputed here by the people
to get their grievances redreSsed, are
yourselves become their greatest griev
ance. Your country, therefore, calls
upon me to cleanse this Augean stable
by putting final period to your mi
auitous proceeding in this house. L
command you, therefore, to depart i'm
mediately out of this place. Go. Get
you gone"