The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-02-12

Liverpool -four engaged q q. 3D. and TO bAles Of
cotton u "a. To London 1000 bbs. naval stores
were taken as %.
sT oils and Plumber Corrupti0ns at Albany
and Washington.
OF the corruptions Of the lobby at Albany and
the lobby at Washington the worst will never be
known. 1t is beginning to be pretty well under
stood, however, that an exorbitant per centage Of
the State loans made from time to time to COM
plete our Erie and other canals, has been appro-
priated by the spoils and plumber jobbers Of the
lobby at Albany 1t is calculated that Of the
last ten or fifteen millions appropriated to the
account of the still unfinished canals some three
or four millions have been seized and disbursed
for the immediate private uses of these lobby
spOilsmen and their retaners, the leaders of this
lobby horde being the prime ministers of the
Seward party of this commonwealth. So shame
less and brazenfaced have these conspirators at
length become, that the offices in the appoint
ment of a Seward Governor, OF within the reach
of Seward Legislature, have become a regular
article of sale and purchase in the market, like
mountain mutton or Albany beef" ct 20 much
per pound We have had sample Of this thing,
10 some extent, in the appointment of the Harbot
Masters OF this city but we need never expect any
definite report or any confessions, of the rich
spois and plumber pickings of the canal funds
Let it suffice our tax payers that these unfinished
canals have been too profitable to the plumber
iobbers to be finished short of another heavy loan
or two, of six, eight, or ten millions or 50, by
andbye.
Within the last year or two, however, it has
been discovered that the limited scope OF the
financial transactions OF our State Legislature
affords field Of operations entirely too small and
contracted for the genius, experience, aud com
orehensive spells capacities Of our Seward and
Weed politicians. The rise of the republican
party, and their success t"o years ago in secur-
ng o majority in the popular branch of Congress,
were, therefore, not overlooked by these spoils-
mongers at Albany On the contrary, with the
first signs Of the golden opportunity they proceed
I'd to arrange their plans and pack up their traps
fer lobby campaign or two in Washington, in
great force and upon large scale. Accordingly.
for the last two years the main instruments and
managers of the lobby at Albany have been
transferred to Washington, where through stu
pendous Western railroad land grants, patent ex-
tensions, the repeal and refundng of millions Of
duties upon railroad iron, new system Of SOL
diers' bounties, and various other devices great
and small, they have been working to fleece the
public treasury, to monopolize the public lands
upon false pretences, and to tax the community
I'D HJitum for inventions, the monopoly of which
hos oil baJ onfcr
lators. OF one or more Of these patent extension
companies Mr.. Seward himself was, we believe,
or nanny years the attorney at law; and If he
ever forgot this confidential business relation in
his discussions Of patent extension cases in the
United States Senate, we have yet to learn the
fact.
Ii is this lobby movement Of the Albany
Seward gang to Washington which has given 10
be lobby Of the present Congress such trs-
nendous impetus and momentum as TO satisfy
many iDquiring minds there that the power be
hind the throne, which is greater than the throne
itself, is the lobby.
The members Of Congress are generally poor,
and between oyster saloons, gambling dens, and
other nocturnal drawbacks in the federal city,
considerable number of our national law makers
are always hard up The first class lobby
agent Of the Albany or New York city pattern,
on the other hand is always flush OF funds, is the
prince Of good fellows occupies his hired house
sometimes two OF them-gives free drinks to all
visiters, splendid parties, royal dinners rides in
bis carriage, and altogether does up the agreeable
upon a financial basis OILY eclipsed by the
priDoely magni6cence Of those bankers who have
grown 10 be q power ut Washington from the
mere lingering of the money Of the Treasury
Departm, Mt. Even TIC second class of the mo-
dern lobby live and flourish like weeds 10
garden. They occupy the best rooms al the most
fashionable hetels, they dine and wine and enter
tain members Of Congress in q patronizing way
and carry on the business of gobetweeDs lobby
brokers and agents ia The style 30 graphically
described by Smonton himself. in his lanenta-
tons over his detention in custody by the House
We understand that there has been furnished
the dearest evidence before the Congressional
Committee (whose report will be sent in
m a few days. that mcst If not all these great
lobby schemes and corruptions at Washing
ton may DC traced TO the original fountain head
at Albany. and TO those experienced. unscrupu-
lous and comprehensive millionaire operators
who hail chiefly from Albany and New York
city. These corrupt agencies, too, are the legiti
mate fruits Of :Sewardism behind the scenes: and
Seward leaders, Seward philosophers, Seward
high cburcbmen. Seward journals and agents Of
all descriptions appear TO form the groundwork
OF that motley spoik end plumber crew al
Washington comprehended in the lobby. Singu-
lar TO relate also we understand that in this
company of lobby bybrids harmonizing for tbe
spoils. should the committee inquire into the mat
ter, the Kitchen Cabinet, and even poor Pierce
himself, will be found.