Sentence:  It is said that democratic institutions necessarily lead to political corruption. I can only say that it has not been so in this Colony. Members have schemed, <WSD>finessed</WSD>, log-rolled, to serve their districts, but never to put money in their own pockets. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  To evade (a problem, situation, etc.) by using some clever argument or strategem.