Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-09-08
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.


John b. Haskin, who aspires to- be returned to
the next Congress, duly took place at larry
town, Westchester county, NY, on the ID inst.
By way of enlightening the Stars readers con-
corning the school of politicians b which Mr..
Haskin and those taking part in the proceed
ings Of the occasion now belong We may men.
ton that letters Of regret at not being able to
attend, and Of approval and encouragement
were received and read by the chairman from
the following persons. Viz:
Hon. John Hickman, Pa Hon. A. l.. Dawes,
Mass; Hon. John Sherman. Ohio; Hon. f. B.
SPINNER, a19 Hon baI Wia'ss 9 baS Ss
son Harris, Md; Hon Horace 6tesley, N s.;
Hon Galusha A. Grow, Pa, Hon. E. b. Morgan,
NY.
No other letters were either received or read
The only speakers except three or four small
politicians residing in the district, Of whom no.
body out Of it ever before ,heard,) were Has
kin himself and the redoubtable Mr.. John w
Forney. The speech Of the latter was the
" card" of the occasion, of course, as he Is
somewhat gifted with CAB, while Haskin cannot,
on the stump or elsewhere, string half dozen
sentences together in tolsrably decent English
His (Haskin's) oratory is entirely of the pot.
house order, having been legitimstely acquired
in the school in which he studied politics-the
low drinking houses Of New York city fire.
quented by its ward politicians, among whom
Haskin was for years conspicuous for his re-
markable unscrupulousness in the pursuit of
corporation plumber, or of small municipal and
county offices. He was, in fact, for ten years
baf hair IN n
around the purlieus of the "Pewter Mug"
with a reputation for great skill in bribing the
men of his own class who are in the habit of
getting themselves packed" upon nomina-
ting conventions in order to make money by
selling their votes for hard cash down on the
nail. For years, and years, and years, ere
coming to Congress, John B. Haskin was best
known as the chief among the little managers
OF the election of such persons to New York
nominating conventions; their friend and boon
companion, and the chief broker in trading for
their votes. ...r...-s.. 3. ~. ..-.....
Such and such only is this Mr. J ohm B, Has
kin at home, who, not only in his legislative
capacity, but in his speech at this meeting, has
aimed to advance his own interest almost en-
tirely by uttering sweeping ISLANDERS against
high minded and honorable gentlemen, whose
"corn" he has thus esssyed to measure in his
own Misunderstanding them with being actuated
by such principles and motives a. have so long
VIGOROUSLY aetuated him and all the rest of bis
class who have rendered the local politics of New
York 50 corrupt and disgusting as almost to
make honest men fee their country at thought
OF them. lie came to Congress with innumer.
able axes to grind in the way of obtaining
plundering jobs from the National Treasury,
such as he had 80 long dealt in in connection
with the affairs of the corporation of New York,
and also in the way of getting small places
under the Federal Government there, for his
Immediate friends and associates who, for SAL
aries In prospective, hesitated not to do their
best to pollu:e the Congress of the United
States with the presence of one of themselves.
But his measure had been accurately taken
by the Executive branch of the Government,
He found his game blocked. For months be-
fore he broke ground against the Kansas policy
OF the Democratic party and the National Ad-
it was as we'll known to every
tyro around Washington that his su pport of that
policy could be had for a consideration - as
Il has been notorious ever since he commenced
10 follow the trade Of q broker in New York
'ity municipal municipalities, jobs, contracts,
fc.,-that be was Of the class of politicians
whose only parallel is to be sought in the class
'f witnesses hanging around the Toombs, known
As the men, each, with ga straw in his hat -
The consideration Of his support was not re-
sarded as an equivalent for the utter prostitu-
uon Of the patronage Of the Government, and
the entire disregard Of the principles of COM
mon honesty and fidelity to their trust, that
would have been involved in yielding to the
persistent and impertinent demands Of Mr..
John b. Haskin aforesaid. EN-
81, failing to find those he was elected TO sup
port willing to bride him TO do what it was his
duty to dO-as he came to w ashington to make
all he could out of his place in Congress-he
adopted the only course left open to him by
and through which he might possibly make
any thing That is; the Administration hay.
ing repulsed his demands, and it being certain
that politician Of his character and an indiyid-
nal Of his capacity could never hope to be
elected twice to Congress by the same party he
turned his coat in the hope Of securing his re-
election; in the belief that the opposition
would pay for the dedication of his capacity
Is q shystering Il" striker" and wholesale |
heller OF gentlemen opposed to him, to the SER
nee OF their cause, by taking him up as their |
candidate.
The revelations (of the last SESSION. of his
agency In plying . Senate committee with
synonymous letters, filed, Of course, with such |
aisehoods as not even he would venture to |
write over his signature, and of his agency in |
ne Justification Of the record of the special |
committee of which he was made the chairman
before be had developed his peculiarities, are,
remembered by all to have been |
uch as we'll nigh turned the stomachs of those
Who believe that the Congress of the United
states Is not the proper field for the exercise of
ne sharp practice Of the class of individuals
known around New York as "vampires ,,
That he is as thoroughly understood by the |
at home as in Congress, is evident |
n the fact that not man claiming the slight. |
'st identity with the Democratic party partici- |
'ated in this meeting to re-nominate him;
While the handful of opposition men who did |