The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1857-01-23
CONGRESSIONAL BRIBERY ANDcuk
$3.50 RIIPTIQN.

4
Anolhsr Of the immense land grants in
favor Of railroads that have heretofore been
suspected Of being conceived in fraud and
carried through by bribery and corruption,
has been introduced into tho House Of Rep
resentaiiyes, In the shape Of a bill, which
grants to the territory Of Minnesota, for the
construction OF trunk railroad traversne the
territory with three branch roads. every alter.
nate section Of land, designated by odd
numbers, for six sections in width on each
side of said road and branches. The grant
will call for nearly four hundred thousand
acres Of land in each and every mile which
the road traverses, and make the aggregate
an immense one.
The New York Herald publishes letters
from It's correspondents at Washington, set
ting forth very scandalous state of Con-
gressional morals, and the existence and or
ganized and uctive exertions Of distinct
profession in Washington--lobby agents.
whose business il Is to bring personal influ.
enco TO bear upon the action of Congress, and
to determine measures Of Legislation by cor
rupt considerations. The Richmond Enquirer
republishes the Herald's letters, and says:
The majority of these lobby agents are EEK
members Of Congress, ex Secretaries of de-
partments, editors out Of employment, oc.
casional correspondents of papers, officers OF
the nrmy dismissed from the service, officers
of the navy retired for incapacity, clerks, wo.
men of ensy virtue, dealers of faro md apos-
tate preachers of the Gospel These individ.
uals have methodized the mysteries of plum.
der into n science, and have reduced their
operations against the Treasury TO regular
system Of strategy The ngencies of their
Influence comprehend all the means of sub
DUNG principle through the instrumentality
Of the passions. The amiable disposition OF
one member of Congress makes him an easy
prey. Another falls victim to the seductons
of champagne and canvass back. A third IL
insensible to the charms Of IN epicurean ban
quet, but he surrenders to the seductions of q
solid sum of money. A fourth is beguiled
by the arts of some charming lnis, and con-
sents, If not TO support particular claim, to
be absent when the vote is taken. A fifth
with hardly less criminalty of motive, sacri-
fees his scrupes TO secure the CO operation
of powerful interest in his own special be-
half. So the thing works; and the result !.
that the people are so plundered of million.
by n corrupt coalition between the lobby in
terest and certain proAigate members o.
Congress-"
1t is through such influences and by sucf
mems that the Treasury is robbed, the publ,
money squundered, and the good name of tn,
nation degraded. It is notifying fact, AZ
well as one of evil omen, that, whilst thu
character of the public men of Great Britain
has steadily improved for the last half ccntu
ry, that of the public men of the Unite'
States, both in intellect and morals, has n
steadily refrigerated. Could one of the pur
and incouuptibe patriots of the Revolution.
airy era arise from the grave, he would b.
nstounded at the profligucy which has con
verted the once stainless halls of the publ
council into IN den of thieves"