The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-04-15

few days ago giving an account of the manner
in which certain spectators had contrived to
compel the War Department, as is alleged, to
pay an increased price over what the for
mer proprietor had asked for some acres
of land in the neighborhood of New Bed.
ford fer fort site. 1t appears that
these Spectators, learning that the lands in
question would be required by the government,
purchased them from the holder and Immediate
y demanded large advance on the price they
had paid. The Secretary of War, knowing no.
thing of the circumstances, submitted the mat
ter to arbitration, and it was decided by the
arbitrators holding respectable po-
sition in society in New Bedford-with wonder
full unanimity, that the lands were worth all
that was asked. Under these circumstances the
Secretary was compelled to pay the amount
Probably neither the government or the public
would have ever learned the facts but from
disappointment of some of the parties interested
in the division of the spols. Charges of SINH
lar character are made with reference to other
purchases and sales made by the government,
such as the Fort Smelling sale and the purchase
at Wiilett's Point, &c. 1t ia not unlikely that
there is more OF less truth in all these reports,
and that the ingenuity of the lobby, bafiled by
the Congressional exposures of last session,
has adopted this new field wherein to display
its peculiar talent.
Under the administrations Of Gen. Taylor and
Mr. Willard Fillmore the system Of operating on
the government and on Congress was first
brought to light in the notorious Galphin case,
and in the extraordinary proceedings before the
Board of Commissioners to adjust the claims
against Nexico-a portion of which was the
ssnctioning of the Gardner fraud. With Mr.
Fillmore, too, commenced the periodical migra-
ton Of the Albany lobby to Washington, and
the weekly pilgrimages of wirepullers from
this city through whom all executive favors, it
was understood, were distributed.
1t was, however, during the administration Of
poor Pierce that the lobby attained it's full per-
lection. Under the skilfuI lead of Thurlow
Weed, Matteson and his "forty insiders" the
most enormous land stealing bills were passed,
swallowing up the whole available public do
main and enricbing all concerned. To such an
extent was this system carried that the last Con-
gress was compelled to notice the charges Of
corruption. Unfortunately for the national
credit, even the fimsy investigation which was
had exposed a history of the most disgraceful
corruption, and ended in expelling several
MEMBERS including Mr.. Stewards esteemed
friend, Orsamus b. Mstteson. Matteson has
however, again turned up as q respectable mem
Der of the present Congress, having escaped
renewal of his expulsion upon o technicality,
and being indebted to his friends Of the Tribune
for recent coat of whitewash.
The tremendous excitement which an expo
sure Of their schemes caused all over the coun-
try turned the attention of the lobby, no doubt
to some other means of getting hold Of the
public money. The patent extension projects
all fell through; still the fertile Thurlow Weed
and his lobby army were not by any means de-
jccted. The Pacific Railroad scheme had been
exposed by us, and was defeated at the last mo-
ment. But there was another way of getting
into the treasury, which had already been tried
in Albany and had worked we'll. 1t was the
system of finding out what property the govern
ment would require to purchase, and by
securing it from the holders, compelling the
government to pay large Increase on the ORR
ginal purchase. Thus fortunes were made
out of this State when the Erie canal was con-
slructed and the different railroads afford
ed also some choice pickings- As
commencement 10 these operations in Wash
ington a bill was lobbied through Con-
ercss by Weed, Matteson, Seward and his
baugors-ou for the establishment of naval de-
poi at Brunswick, in Georgia st the time it
was thought remarkable that Weed should he
30 busy In Washington in favor of a nominally
Southern project. The bill passed, directing
the purchase Of certain property on Mares
Island. II turned out that Weed and his fol-
lowers had made an arrangement by which
they came into possession Of this property, and
when the government sought to purchase it,
the sum asked was so great that the department
hesitated TO give it. AT length the present Sc
eretary of the Navy succeeded in getting some
little reduction in their demands. and he was
compelled to close with them, as the law which
they had lobbied through was mandatory. 4
good deal Of dissatisfaction, il Is said grew out
Of Weeds settlement with his assistants, en-
bracing number of the Washington CORES
pondents, because he paid their fees a. they
termed them. pro rota instead Of in full
A second attempt, made by the TtJVps's
friend Matteson, Wesley the proprietor Of the
New York Tines, the ubiquitous Thurlow Weed
and their lobby did not succeed SO we'll in the
end though the manipulation Of Congress was
entirely satisfactory. We allude to the Brick
Church speculation. Here, again. the
Albany tactics were put in operation. A
set Of spectators purchased the proper
ty and then attempted TO sell ii to
the government at an enormous increase. For
tunately for the public interest good title
could not he given, and the matter broke down,
greatly TO the disgust of the Time spectators,
the Washington lobby and poor Pierce's kitchen