New-York daily tribune., 1854-08-26
THE counUpTIoss OF wAsHlxGroS.

rTfdt hPnent Utfftl iIOul thr itN fsNeS~
from publicity for all affairs is the lmPos'io'ivo o
keeping secret any Of those arrangements for punde'
ie the people by OF the Government when Ia
despotic country employed with inpanity IAus
in France in l7s9 il found that so enormous had
beep the peculatons of the monarch and bis ii7ortes
and 90 proigate the debsucheres, the gifts the pen
sions in which the revenues of the nation had been
pept that tie astounded representatives of the peo
pIe did not dare unfold tue revolving record to tire
publjc rsze No doubt this is of the worst In
stances in history; but we may safely conclude that
wherever there is arbitrary Government aud Tree
discussion in Parliament and in journals /; not toIe
rated there abuses of the most odlous nature VIII
rsnkly thrive 1t is absurd TO contend that such Uov
ernmepts are more honest than that of England or
70 take more eminent example, that OF the United
States. The difference is simply that here every
thing is known, and the disposition is strong not only
70 condemn. but to exsgeerate the evil rather than
10 conceal it; while there the facts kept hidden
from the public, and all but the most salient crimes
suffered to pass without animadyerson or punish
mint.
Rut we have TO deal not with the state of affrs in
foreign countries whatever it may be, but with
what We know to be the case IN our Own; ana on
thi. head we to-day lay before our reader; some mel
apcboly exposures Of human baseness. We aildde
to the report of the Congressional Committee i'd the
case of the bribery and corruption alleged to have
been empoyed to procure sn extension OF tue patent
for Colts revolving pistols. 1t is due to justice to
say that the extreme charges made against the agents
and accompices in the alleged bribery are not made
out: but If anything the testimony presents worse
aspect than good solid bribng and the regular pur-
chase and sale of ngressona votes. The agencies,
which it is proved brought to bear, profits
of two or three hundred dollars piece for some
Door friend Of the solicited Congressman pistol for
bis SOD, midnight su2pers enlivened BY the nspira-
tons of wine and the Establishments of thrilling
smiles loans of small sums occasion, Paris gloves
to enlist the sympathes and active solicitations OF
ladies' dOueeurS TO newspaper corresponoents-all
pellmell of petty wies with nothing to relieve their
meanness by any CLEAN of large aud daring piece
of vilaiDy. As we said, it is repugnant spectacle
which excites quite as much contempt as disgust.
We do not assume that every fact alleged BY these
witnesses actually occurred stated for instance
one testifes to loan of $500 so, asked by third
party in consideration of the vote of the Hon Bern
hart Hem, of Iowa, while that gentleman explicitly
denies all knowledge of such transaction. In this
case 10 one can regard Mr.. Hem as implicated Il for
nothing more likely than that these brokers of votes
should cheat those who buy of them and take pay for
merchandise they had autbortyto deal in. Still if
the question had to vote without expOsures is
not improbable that Mr.. Hem, to oblge some clever
"feow nigh, have voted in the way the broker had
agreed he should thus aiOrding to Colts agent ample
ground for the belief that be had really bought up
that innocent but too accommodating Congressman,
at the cheap rate of $500. So, too. Mr.. ClDgman,
who seems to have enjoyed all the luxares of Mr..
DickersOns banquets with the keenest zrs testldes
that some of the blooming be suites who grted th It
midnight board one day summoned hun from the
Representatives Hall to an interview in some other
part of the Capitol, just as an important vote was
being taken: he obeyed tle seductive summOns and
the vote was taken in bis absence not he assures
us, from any desire to crafty the f,c diplomats who
thus beset him but because from other reasons he
Judged best not to vote All thi is no doubt highly
satisfactory as regards these individual Representa-
tyes, but no man can read this testimony impartiahy
and AVOID the conviction that Congressman. even
when not grossly corrupt, often recreant to their
duty, and allow their votes to be decided by cOnsid-
erations which foreign to their oaths and dis
creditable to their high position.
very considerable part in this affair played
by Mr.. Horace H. Day, of this city, and We have his
performance narrated both by Mr.. Dickerson, whom
be describes as bis "bitterest enemy" and himself,
According to his own evidence while he was ,ppear-
ing before the public the vrtuous antagonist of the
swndle which Colt and Dickerson la6oriIg TO
effect he was at the same time ia private, making
eforts IN comnoInd that sWindle for
suitable consideration himself Indeed, his hostil-
ty to the renewal OF the patent to have been
merely meals Of compelling the other party TO ac.
Quesce in certain schemes he was pursuing his
own part. 1t is seldom that so much pretended vir.
tue is shown by its own inventor TO have had none
but selfish ends; and if any person but Mr. Day him
self had alleged it against him. there would have been
good apparent ground for prosecution for slander
| This eminent speculator ms to have dealt not
only in patents public opinion and the mana cement o
Congressional votes but also to have had constantly
on hand suite Of reporters for the Journals each
with bis price we'll understood beforehand. If he de-
sired to act upon the public aud Congress- the first
thing to set at work lot of etter-wrters in the
columns of the leading journals. Several persons are
mentioned in this part Of the testimony, aud our read
can judge how far each is convicted Ofths disgrace
ul prostitution ofbis pen Some Of them we are happy
to believe come clean out of the ordea but it is nc
novelty that there mercenaries who habualIy sell
themselves to the highest bidder with the Journal,
to which they obtain access. Some of these con
dOtier are attached to long established papers but
most OF them live by writing for this and now or
that one, depending the black mail they levy
rol applicants for Congressional grants, than on any
honest earnings. But in the long run they make