Here is one who steals a loaf for his kids --

He is put to jail for it; here is another one

Who steals the whole country -- he makes

Himself to be the lord of its ruling house.

It is at the gates of the presidential election

That we find justice most strongly professed --

Isn't such thing stealing benevolence, justice,

Righteousness, privilege, authority and right?

The candidates hasten to become greater robbers,

Carry off the whole state and steal righteousness

With all the gains springing from the use of ounces,

Barrels, rates and, in the end, the entire Treasury.

Even the rewards of coronets have no power

To influence to a different course, and horror

Of the extreme penalty have no power to restrain them

In this case -- the game is worth the candle, as they say.

The giving of so great gains to robbers,

And making it impossible to restrain them --

This is the terror committed by the ruling concerns,

The payment of whom weighs on the common men.