The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1857-01-21
bribery and Corruption I'm Con

business mcn.-St. CtGaTSvsHe Gazette.
and Corruption In Con
gress-
A few days since Congress was thrown
into great excitement by proposition of
Mr. Kelsey, of New York, to raise a
committee to investigate charges of cor
ruption and bribery against members OF
Congress. The proposition was based on
the following statement of the New York
Times:
eve know that a corrupt organization
Of members of Congress and certain lobby
agents at Washington has existed since
early in the session of last year. We
are well satisfied that this organization
holds balance of power in it's hands
sufficient in most cases to kill or carry
any measure pending in the House of
Representatives, and that its power has
been exerted in favor of measures where
its price 1900 per vote generally, or it's
equivalent) was agreed to; and that it has
been used to prevent favorable action on
equally merltorious measures which were
lable or unwilling to submitt to the pirati
cal tribute"
immediately after the reading of Mr..
| Kelsey's resolution, Mr.. Paine, of North
Carolina, stated amidst much excitement
and confusion that member of the House
had offered him $1,000 if he would vote
in favor Of the Minnesota Land Bill. Mr..
Paine refused to name the man but stated
that if called on as a witness before the
committee, he would give his evidence.
The committee was raised, not, however,
without some opposition. 1t consists ol
Mr. Kelsey, of New York, Mr.. Orr, OF
South Carolina, Mr.. Davis, of Maryland
Mr.. Rltchie, of Pennsylvania, and Mr.
Warner, of Alabama 1t is believed that
this committee will not undertake to white
wash the matter, but will use their utmost
efforts to expose the guilty, if any there
be, and bring them to justice. But how
ever energetic they may be, they may moi
be entirely successful; for if the Times i:
correct, the persons implicated can throw
serious Instructions in the way of the
committee and foil their efforts. In ad
dition to this the bribes are given in ar
Indirect manner, for the very purpose o
evading investigation. From the guilt,
themselves, of course little light can b,
obtained, even in eliminating each other
They will make common cause of it ant
swear each other through.
The committee has already commence,
its labors, and examined the editor ant
the correspondent of the Times, Mr.
Paine and several others. Nothing 0
their proceedings has been made publ
except that it is ascertained that the mem
ber alluded to by Mr.. Paine as having
offered him 81, 500 for his vote, is Franci
{ S. Edwards, Know Nothing membe
from New York. The charge is not con
fined to members of any one party, ant
we shall not be surprised If the investi
cation exposes men of all parties. Wheth
er they be Know Nothings, Democrats
or Republicans, they should be disgrace
} and expelled forthwith from Congress-
The press or party which would attemp
) to shield the guilty through partisan favo
deserves to be disgraceG with them.
The Richmond Enquirer makes tn
following severe, but perhaps not unjus
! remarks in regard to the lobby influence
5 at Washington:
"But the vast majority of these lobb
3 agents in !. Washington are the scum {
, Christeudom, such as ex-memhers of Cor
gress, ex-secretaries of departments, ed
tors out of employment, occasional col
respondents of papers, officers of the A
G my dismissed from the service, officers I
u the Navy retired for lncapaclty, clerk
! women of easy virtue, dealers of faro an
apostate preachers of the Gospel. Thes
: individuals have methodized the myst,
. ries of plunder now into a science, an
5 have reduced their operations against tt
n Treasury to regular system of strateg
The agencies of their influences compr
hend all the means Of subduing princip
. through the instrumentality OF the pa
j. sions. The amiable disposition of ol
a member of Congress makes him an ca
3 prey. Another falls victim to the s
fe ductions of champagne and canvas-bac
A third is insensible to the charms of
. epicurean banquet, but he surrenders
+ the seductions of solid sum of none
A fourth is beguiled by the arts OF sol
charming Lais, and consents. if not
support a particular claim, to be abse