Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-12-30
Correspondence of The New York Herald

W,srlyGroN. Dec. Ii, 1886.
The E.r,cm N L,Lby G">'mss-lvho "r' E"g"sI,
IN Il! TIE Way 'Embers If Co"sr'ss Tr"h
array Tirir Pftr,i,.,r> rnf q" R"h, W.
Your ,rnunciation of lobby members, &c h":
created good deal oi lu;teriu amongst thai class
patriots. Wills. yuu do them ful' justice, you do no
:" far enough in exposing tlt evil. oi iclsn'."h mere
The lobby members by this term Is Included
TX members, newspaper correspondents, ana fellows
Ike Tiur"" Weed, who. having graduated n Alba
ny AMI around the Common Council halls III New
l".k imlcst this city regularly i!e.gri prac
iitioners-conld do bat lille damage, they .!'d not
inl amongst the members tIemiscv"s The most cor
rupt aud plant tools. Tbs is the ruliy. Il - Wei.
| known here that uany mcEhsrs-ayr ana even
| Senators WHO came 10 Congress poor, are no"
wealthy. Some Of these scamps unbiushingly avow
the ia"t that they have become rich by being inter
estrd III tho passage Of bills and although this arowa
Is not secret 10 perhaps single member III The
House seems TO have the courage 10 move Tor
their expulsion. When you inquire of honorable
En-mhers-m-n like Letcler Jones, Haven, Cobb
| IL mean of Georgian why they do not take some ne
ton To try md purge Congress- the reply ia hut at
tempt would be futile. Nothing could b. proved for
members who wnudsccept brides would not hesitate
to sweGr themselves clean. The mass of Northern
members are corrupt, especially those OF recent
growth; whilst it is equally true that the al
Southern members are honest. high toned and above
suspicion. This statement of the composition of the
existing Congress i IN s!auCholy washing Of dirty
linen III the face OF the world; but the evil has become
70 garing, the danger 80 imminent, that nothing
mains but combination OF public opiuion to remedy
The reasons Of the greater honesty ot Southern
members arise from the fact that they obliged
10 Resort to the practices which so GENERALLY prevail!
at the North IN order To their election; aud
consequently q better Class of men Is returned lu
the North, through the oiipus and Jemoralzing sys-
TEN oi primary t!ectiOns-a system which in nine
cuses ont of ten succeeds in giving the nomination 10
ne man who pays highest for 1.-THE aspirant Tor
Congressional honors loses his self respect fro;n the
beginning. From paying money TO b. elected, i. is
m easy and natural transition TO receive money for
Influence aud votes after he is elected And thus il
is that many seek position in Congress simply 10 make
money, utterly ob!ivIpus 10 the wrong, nnd neither
carlEg Tor or feeling the degradation.
have in my minds eye nj this moment Il member
IRON one Of The interior districts of State thou
saad mites from where the Herald il print. d. who
Gpasted couple OF years ago that his Reelection
cost him S35u0D. but that he would make il paw new
erthel less And II is but doing justice The honorable
member 10 say he Is greatly slauGsred it lie hus not
Kept ms word Such are the materials out OF which
It Is expected Congress will become honest body
1t Lobby member are excluded from the Hour.-
NO, SIR you must strike deeper; you must first
Inoculate a healthy moral sentiment throughout The
country, abolish primary elections aud lio!i mv:nhegs
when elected 10 strict accountability, personal and
prompt Tor every act before you ever hope for
reform.
Ii mny be deemed jest, but il is only plain fnc,
that soInr members anxious 10 turn mn hon
est penny that they will sci! their seats on the floor
when they happen 10 be we'll located, 10 other mem
beers less fortunate III their selection, but who have
cash where"h TO better themselves. a member J
from New England thus sold hi4 seat last e-i"n 10 n !
New York member for 500, and this SESSION. beng
again Fortunate III drawing good seat, he sold il
another New York member Tor $5il. Sr,ne might ar slr
that seat being in its nature perrnanen, Than
vote, the man who would sell the former might also
have price for the latter. make no such chGrge.
however but ! would like to be able 10 hope the
member III question u solitary instanre-his own |
model and cNrinpar
Oi course is not 10 be expected that AS general
thing, parties having claims before Congress or de- |
string the passage OF measures in themselves and
advantageous 10 the country, can always take charge
of them person. They have not the necessary in |
formation u. knowledge OF parliamentary FORMS
they may not have the talent to properly present |
their to the committees or furnish Information tn
members Upon the same principle few persons
conduct their own suits before Court-tluugL tLey |
possess the privilege. II is found more desirable IL
employ counsel-men who, having devoted their
aiiuntion and talent to the study and practice of
the law, are prepared to present the views and re
present the Interests of their clients in clearer
and more satisfactory manner than could he
expected of layman. The practice, either
before the departments OF the government the
committees uf Congress, less intricate than tina.
of the Courts. IL requires al least an equal amount
OF study legal information, and even larger eXpe-
rence. II is for this reason that in England para-
menary solicitors are recognized necessary, and
they have the privilege Of appearing before the dit
terent committees and presenting their vews, either
orally ar in writing. This is what is required here
1t would put down lobbying; aud whilst members
would have an opportunity Of becoming fully inform.
ed on the subjects presented 10 their consideration, il
would Tree them from the annoyance and corruptons
which now surround them. Let a system be INTRO
duc- TIN, none but regular members OF the bar and
the principals 70 br heard in case, and let the
committee receive arguments, oral or otherwise
keeping record and making up their decisions upon
sy tt,sil flfi6D nt ,nly
TO purify legislation, but il will give the reports o
the committees weight aud Importance which they
mow lick made up they are upon testimony
which is never placed Oh record AMI upon arguments
which though they may lave l!.c jingle Of the true
metal, frequently pocketed than lad before
Congress.