Rensselaer Union, Volume 5, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 May 1873 — “The Salary Steal”--A Plea for Charity. [ARTICLE]

“The Salary Steal”--A Plea for Charity.

To Me Editor of the Laportr Herald: It was either Henry Ward Beecher or Mrs. Wpodhull who said we should not be hasty in condemning a man who sells his vote. That’s- a charitable suggestion and I like it. Few of us have a chance to make five thousand dollars out of a single ballot, and in the absence of such opportunity we should not be too positive what we would do. So thinks your anonymous correspondent, whose case proves that a man may be out of congress aud yet bis intellect have the "back action” movement. Everyone has his own "standpoint,” and of course, sees things in ia particular attitude, and by this means all sides are viewed. But the masses are apt to take &’ superfidal view. This.congressional robbery strfiek the commonsense of the common people as being utterly without excuse, and they had tii email hood to eay so. But wlpttio

they know about it, removed as they are from temptation and unacquainted with the subtleties of congressional lore? It remains for an anonymous correspondent—nevertheless, a man for whom you can vouch—to dig down to the centre o"f political wisdom where he can compete with no allowance for parallax, the true position of these congressional stars, not, thank Heaven, ‘‘fixed stars.” I stand corrected. The salary steal was right; “whatever is, is right”—tiiat covers it. Of course stealing is wrong in the abstract, or in concrete when done by the really needy—dn fact, it isn’t respectable; but when sanctioned ollicially, it is too sacred for criticism ! No doubt any one of these grabbists would have spurned the imputation tHat he could do such a thing had it been suggested when he was clamoring for olttce, and perhaps asked in pious indignation, “Is thy servant a dog that he should do this thing 9” Ho was in a different atmosphere then.-r He had “scented the battle from afar,” but not the spoils. In order to carry on a political campaign with spirit, there must be virtuous indignation; wickedness in high places must be combatted; n;eu of “great moral ideas” must be put into power. Once there the “average congressman” is found to have lost all squeamish notions about “political corruption” and can sing with complacency—“The fear of terror at our side, A smiling angel seems.” I repeat then, we ought to he charitable. Distance lends enchantment to the view, and between enchantment and cold facts, there is a wide difference. Who knows what a carnage of slaughtered principles may have taken place in the breast of each of these congressmen (especially Butler !) before they surrendered to the great (?) temptation? Who knows what a balancing between principle and interest may have troubled the conscience (!) of the great Jasper before he went under? Why, the “extra pay” would enable these men to go to Florida, to Europe, and but for that fawning sycophancy which can never stand straiglit in the presence of a full purse, i t would enable them to go into instant and everlasting contempt.— And yet they are honorable men—“So are they all, all honorable men” —Shakspeare. “The powers that be, are ordained of God.”—Bible. Then we ought to be charitable and bear in mind that any man can afford to be a gentlemen when there is premium on

rascality.

R. P. L.

There are 240 seal)) of Indians in Indiana. Logansport claims to have a population of 12,000. Average Mishawakers sit up all niglit wrestling with checkers. Mcdaryvillc boasts a 410 pound woman who has a BJG pound husband. Bass, salmon and other first elass fish are abundant this spring in the Tippecanoe river at Monticello. The sum collected in St. Joseph county for taxes week before last was $22,555.41. A New Albany mother says her spirit baby draws nightly nourishment from her breasts. An Elkhart man was recently yshucked off from 40 feet of tapo worm, and rather enjoyed the operation.

The Register estimates that one family in four residing in South Betid kindle their fires with kerosene. The Catholic priests at Laportc are said to he favoring the strict enforcement of the temperance law in that county. Michigan City fishermen report the weekly catches of fish .average 1,200- to I,SOO pounds, which is reckoned as unusually poor. The spring rains are reported to have damaged the Wabash & Erie Canal between Delphi and Lafayette to the extent of SIO,OOO. The enumeration of school children in South Bend just completed shows the number to be 2,765; ad increase of 165 since last fall. The Rochester Union Spy says of a rival editor that he “was born in batter-cake timc, and they put bitF ter in his head instead of brains. 1 ’ It is still hishonable at Laporte for respectable parents to leave their infant offspring scattered about on other people’s door steps. Up at Valparaiso they compel respectable butpooryoung men who get drunk and can’t pay their fines to work the streets iq a chain gang. The Huey chair manufacturing company at South Bend, of which lion. Schuyler Colfax is Vice President, recently declared a stock dividend of 7| per cent. Dr. John A. Ilenricks, Liberal candidate for Congress from, this district last fall; has been elected a member of the board of school trustees of South Bend. “Lack of water” caused another of those frequent boiler explosions at Indianapolis last Monday, by which three or four thousand dollars damages werg done and seven or eight people injured more or less severely. —— f —.

On Saturday, May 17th, the people of Walnut and Green townships, Marshall county, will vote on a proposition to levy a tsx of two per centum in said townships in aid of the Chicago & Atlantic •Railroad. The aggregate sum proposed to be raised by this vote will be $13,551.

There are 14)2 real estate lirips in tlic city of Indianapolis ns reported by the Real Estate, O'aaette. Among them we see the name of Mr. Nathaniel W. Fitzgerald, formerly ft teacher in' our town schools, who is highly complemented for his “prudence and keen foresight” in real estate in attars, Mr. Donnelly, whose marringo to the daughter of Aaron ltogors, of Valparaiso, some time since, made such a stir in that “burg,” litis lilt'd a bill for a divorce. The grounds of such action are charged lo ’be abandonment, cruel treatment, and refusal to cohabit. The Doctor lias dismissed his libel suit •ogaiupt Mr. Gurney of the VitJelfeT— Liiporte Heraid.