The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-01-05

CORRUPTION IN CoNGREss-ANorHER CASE
panic has not only rendered us important ser
vice in bringing to light the rascality and dis
honesty which constituted the basis of many a
fair commercial reputation, but it has also fur
nished us with some equally curious disclosures
in political life Thus, for instance, the failure
of leading commercial house at Boston has
revealed the fact that sum of nearly $4,000
had been expended by the head of this firm in
behalf Of certain manufacturing corporations
of which he was agent, to procure the passage
of new tariff bill during the last Congress.
OF this amount, it is stated that about $4,000
was disbursed by the New York branch of the
house for printing, editorial service, &c.
1t is not, of course, difficult to guess the
hands into which this large sum has found its
way. The lobby at Washington has alb
sorbed the whole of it, with the exception
Of the eight thousand dollars intercepted by the
literary hirelings Of that reputable confraterni-
ty in New York. What proof can be stronger
Of the corruption and villany that pervade all the
avenues to Congress, and of the vile influences
that beset every measure whether good or bad,
that is introduced there, when we find even a
tariff question urged by the assistance of brbess
Revelations like this not only tend to shake
peoples faith in the honesty of public men
generally, but they discredit even the institu-
lions under which We live. If every thing is to
be carried by the influence of bribery, there can
of course be no room for the exercise of patriot
ism or virtue.
In the last Congress similar facts were
brought to light by the investigations of COM
mittee, and three representatives, and one cor
respondent Of newspaper-all active members
Of the lobby-were expelled the House.
The punishment was pronounced on all hands
to be a well merited one; but to be
effective, it should have been rendered per-
petual. How has the present House manifested
its sense Of the justice and necessity of that
decision! BY silently admitting again into its
body one Of the members thus disgracefully ex-
PEELED! Surprising that it had no constitutional
right to resist his admission, it should at least
have recorded solemn protest against it. 1t
had not however, sufficient self respect to COM
ply with this simple. requirement Of public
decency.
Here is another case Of legislative venality,
transcending In iniquity even that to which we
have just referred. Will the House take any
notice of 1t! From what Is VIGOROUSLY trans
piring from day to day within its walls, 1t may
safely be inferred that II will not. The stream
of corruption has set In 80 strongly in that
direction that all attempts to bring to punish.
ment the parties to this Wholesale scheme of
bribery would, we fear, end In failure. And yet
the public interests call loudly for some ex-
posure Of this renewed effort to prostitute the
national legislation to the advantage of indi-
viduals
The sum set down in this schedule of corrup-
ton for editorial services in New York, will, of
course, lead to good deal of speculation, the
more particularly when taken in connection with
the fact Of one journalist having been 50 recently
expelled from the floor Of the House for partici-
patton in the Matteson and Gilbert case, and of
another being shown to be the agent for the
distribution of lobby funds in that of the Des
Moines Improvement Company. We must know
who these editors and correspondents are who
lend their services to the cause OF corruption
and profigaey, and who sell their pens to the
highest bidder. no matter what may be his color
or complexion.
We trust and hope that the influence Of money
has not so entirely stiHed the sense of It's own
dignity in the House of Representatives as to
induce II to overlook this fresh offence against
the public morals and interests A committee
should be at once appointed to investigate the
facts Of the case, and TO report to the House the
names Of all the parties concerned In it.
KANSAS FRups.-Great outcries are break
ing out in various quarters, of most outrageous
frauds by the Missourians in the late Kansas
Lccompton constitutional election. One anti