The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-02-05

ASSOCIATION win LIS piaos ne - fast weakening
and running the strength OF England, he is a..
the sam time, by her aid, creating for himself
q dominant influence in European affairs, aud
fortify ing and consolidating his power at home.
Both as a diplomatist and q fnancier, this ex-
trsordinary man il puzzling and confoanding
the cid fogies who have hitherto m mayed the
political affairs OF Europe. He at once outwi.s
all the diplomatic veterans and out-maneuyres
all the leading capitalists. To such a man no
thing is impossible. We have seen him since
his accession to power pulling the strings Of
Almost every political movement in Earope.
Where and when the influence he is likely to
exercise on the destinies of the present genera
ton will end, God alone can tell.
Colts Patent, Grog and the spolsmen-Tre-
mendous Scramble for the Plumber.
The debate in the House Of Representatives
on Saturday last, on Colts pistol patent ex-
tension. presents us the most revolving feature
J ct officially disclosed of the tactics of the
Washington spoilsmen in working through their
schemes for the public plonder. From the re-
ports Of the investigating committee of the last
session, we had supposed that subsidies of cash
to letter writer's, douceurs Of kid gloves aad
peIfumery to influential ladies, beautiful re-
volvers to beliigerent members, oyster tuppers
to The gourmands Of both houses, and other
appliances to members and their friends, co a
pretended the game of the lobby. Now, how
ever, according to the official declarations Of
the House committee, the trump card Of the
hobby men is to get their claimant "intoxi-
Gated" soa to wheedle him and plumber him
at discretion.
We are sorry to learn from the testimony of
tie chairman Of the House investigating COM
mittee, that the lobby have carried this
/" soothing system" to such an extent with Col.
Colt, that when called upon to testify before
the committee, "he was drunk, and his mind
was obfuscatcd." This obfuscation of his in
tellect throws q food of light upon the "ff-
teen thousand dollars on the books Of his
clerk unaccouDted for" and explains the
intense interest and industry of the lobby
men in support Of the extension Of this
pistol monopoly for seven years longer. In this
case, they have a man Of almost unlimited re-
sources of supply, a generous fellow, who may
be "obfuscated," bamboozled and plucked ad
hbitum. His bill involves a monopoly of mil
lions of profits. To fleece him it is only neces.
sary to :" obfuscate :" him; and if they can secure
the passage of the bill, who shall presume to
estimate the subsidies, commissions and per.
Of the lobby
How many thousands in pensions, Gal
phin ~indemnities, land warrants, Iadian
claims, contracts, and what not, are thus
extracted by the lobby from the poor vic
Tins to whom the money belongs, in sob.
their intellects? Who can answer
the mighty catalogue of spoliations effected
by the Washington spoilsmen through the agen-
cies Of oysters, liquor and cards? Who can
conscientiously say that these demoralizing ap-
pliances do not affect the morality, and even
the mortality, of the two houses of Congress?
How many models of virtue, integrity aud
patriotism are carried off from Congress to the
gravey ard, by these lobby carousals among
bon ~ripdnts, blacklegs and scheming spoils-
men How much of Congressional legis-
lation is conc0cted and perfected among
the lobby mysteries Of Pennsylvania ave.
VuCh Will VIC udC vi TetUTm TcuCu
these deep roots Of the ~corruptions which
threaten to overwhelm the government?
Who can answer these home questions i?
If there be any place under heaven where a
rigidly enforced Maine Liquor law aud an anti
gambling law would be the highest blessing
to the local community, and to the whole coun-
try, it is the city Of Washington.
We are dealing, however, with Colts patent.
What are the arguments urged for it's extern
sion? Its advocates plead that Col. Colt has
invested his profits in the building of new
manufactures. Very likely. He has a prince
~ establishment at Hartford, from which he
supplies the American army with his revolvers;
another at London, from which he supplies the
British army; and we have been informed that
be and his agents are about establishing
another immense factory in St. Petersburg,
from which to equip the multitudinous barbara
ans Of all the Russias. Such vast operations
require heavy ~outlays; and it is not surprising,
therefore, that Col. Colt should ask the extern
sion Of bis monopoly for seven years longer.
His arms are also said to be of a superior
quality, and hence, it is argued, Congress
should secure to him the exclusive right of
their manufacture.
This Is the sort Of pleading urged in support
of this proposed extension. 1t is : lame aud
impotent." According to the decree of the Pa
tent Office, Col. Colt has received from the pub
lie a liberal reward for his invention, and the
bureau has refused its extension, on the ground
that the government has fulfilled its obligations
10 the inventor and owes him nothing. Tais
decree is just. The attempt to supersede it, is
piece of invidious, intermeddling, log-rolling
spells legislation, which should be defeated. 1t
is a bill taxing the community Tor the benefit Of
o monopoly already enriched from the b,untics
of the government, drawn from the pockets of