The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-02-25
Who are the Forty Thieves I'm Congress -
Watch the Vote!


The effect produced on the moral sense of the
community by the astounding Developments Of
the Congressional Corruption Committee has been
startling and almost unparalleled. On one side,
the public have been struck with amazement on
another with grief at the evidence of corruption,
venality and perjury among the chosen represen-
tatives-the select aristocracy, so to speak-of
the greatest republic in the world. Everybody q
mind seems 70 be dwelling on the facts that have
been brought forward in relation to the bama.
bic conduct of the members and editors impli-
Gated, and not few are still rejecting ON the sin
gular result Of the debate when the matter came
before the House. Watch the vote!
1t was indeed singular, to use the mildest term
to see the chairman Of the Corruption Committee
the very member who had been most active in
getting il up, turn round when the work wa
done, abandon bis colleagues and attempt TO sup
press the report which was the fruit of their la
bors Such conduct, We repeat, was at least sin.
gular and suspicious Then, again, when the
vote was taken on the reception of the report, it
was carried by majority of 165 to 5. Who were
those five singular men, who, at this last stage.
seemed to desire to strangle the inquiry? Their
names were Messrs. Henry Bennett, Bilinghurst.
Humphrey Marshall, Walbridge and Watson.
Watch the vote
Again, If we read the debate to which the re-
port gave rise, we cannot but be surprised at the
violence Of those members who seemed to desire
to prevent The very proper and wholesome de-
vol nod IN
Of Messrs Bennett and Grow are read, one cannot
but feel some desire to become further acquaint-
ed with their history character and previous
voter. Fer why seek 10 stife such eminently use
full disclosures? Watch the vote
In fine. notwithstanding all that has been done,
med the surface Of the ocean they undertook TO
sound. The astounding disclosure made by the
Hon. Reverdy johnson, to the effect that there
exists in Congress an organized band of thirty or
forty thieves, pledged to each other, like the BAN
ditti Of olden time, to let no bill pass without
robbipg it. remains alone in all lie naked de-
formity. Nothing has been elected either 10
contradict this shameful assertion, or 10 lead To
the detection of these organized robbers. Who
are theyf The Committee has caught four MEM
bers, and two persons connected with the press
as part proprietors Of two leading republican
organs in this city; but the large proportion of
the rogues seem in q fair way to escape
unwhipped Of justice. However there Is a
chance left To-day the question will again
come up, and we shall see who are the mem
bers who seek to stife inquiry, and who to pro-
mote it; We shall know who are the men who
have a fellow feeling with the culprits. like
Messrs. Grow and Bennett, and who believe that
the United States Congress must be purged of
corruption at all hazards. Watch The vote
The disclosures made by the Committee dis
grace every man in the country and when they
reach Europe we shall hear fine outcry from
the organs Of despotitm about the corrup,inp in
fuenoe of democracy. But there might be one
thing more dispaceful even than few isolated
cases of conuptios among individual legislators:
that would be an attempt on the part of the
highest organized body in the country TO screen
OF protect the knsvee. Watch the vote