The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-07-06
Our WashinxCOn Correspondence.
Hall OF THE Old HOUSE, OF REPRESENTATIVES,, I
WASHINGTON .Iune "a 1884 (

Echo from the Old Hall Of the House Of Representatives,
Speculative NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Of the Cdptto-Te
Lo,5y Members The Wreckersof Wcshngon--Ho,o the
Myere Claim Dicide2--S1uags Claims-P;racy
ofspecuiatms and Job5srs- Office Seekers.
As the gate Of the beautiful grounds leading to
the Capitol this morning fell into mood OF speculative
philosophy thought how many tons Of human heart
aches of disappointment and despair Of intrigue and
rupHon and Of unrealzed political ambition, had walked
the agstones and up the long, tedious steps Of the
Congressional cbsrnel house of the republic called
Captol What political schemes and dreams Of towering
ambition have been of in the glow, stately
pace Of such Calhoun, Clay, Benton, Webster aud
host Of other smaller calbre politicians, who have oens
their steps 70 and from this sepcchre OF meas hopes
How often has the nations ingrsitude' been made
to follow 1t the heels OF minded, heartless men,
who while in power abused their privileges and remped
gross Injustice stalk IN tie passing shad ows OF such men
pisterng the very ground, ana more than enough 10
maize the very stones cry out whas these soocs could
but speak, But Ills well for the nation that they
tits vel that the secret history there recorded should
main forever seeled.
Through the Capitol grounds seated few scat
strasgers reclining under the shade OF spread
ing foliage the trees wearing the vsagcs dseppont
ed o seekers poor detected claimants, whose affairs
Cor preferred t adjourn upcn tina. they
paid by the session. than honestly their salary
by attending 70 the peoples business This ia sub
ect that would require letter self elucdste In
TO show the advantages Of Congressman paying them
selves 10 stay ~ home
The hollow echo OF Footsteps, a. sed through
the rotunda strange contrAst with the busy ho
OF the derse multitude which bu! few days previous had
assembled there. Now all the look VI desols.on,
and
rhe eea's in the ball OF the old House OF Repre-
sentaves, which generally occupied by the lobby
members, who made The old hall their resort, are
all vacated and deserted, the occupy
ing solitary and alone may have been Joon RSndolpns
or Mr.. Clay 9, but s OF no consequence nov, Mr.
roois says. Occasionally struggling member OF Con
gress de eyeo by business. 10 De waiting for a re
iigCce 10 leave, clerk of some Of the Offices.
stranger, is seer passing through the torlorn osd
hall, gazing curously and as nquirngy al
If was some gbosty spirit OF one OF the old de-
parted MEMBERS made 70 return 70 6nisn his business
and thus make up Tor his delnquencies committed whom
drawing eight dollars per day, which nc probably speu.
at gambling table, without the present advantages "
being paid Toe going home instead Of attending TO the
The lobby members generally did posr business last
fesson. There were very few good things" on hand
that would pay WELL ana much OF the session being
exhausted Kansas there not time to get things up
and consequently there general complaint among
them Besides, what was ground through had 70 be so
divided that a-unted to very little, and such business
with the obbyf,es won't pay. For instance, there was
the claim Of David Myerle (who invented the rot
grefs fer the last ten twelve years, taken up last
and passed This calm amounted TO go 900, but
there many who claimed salvage for saving
that II Is believed the claimant himself md not
$4,000 eesT his viii give some OF your readers a
pretty general idea bow honest claimants robbed in
In carrying through ell large schemes the
principal lobby men come in for IA share, and thus
cufo-ued 10 receiving toll, teev consider that man
has RICH. 10 get any bill through without the assstancs
OF the lobby. Thus they constitute themselves into Of
regular Key Wess and demand salvage for
Ing any cain fIom beng wrecked that laid tie IA
bic, which they Try 70 eiiec you 90 no> ooAn their
sssrtapce.
Some rich revelations and disclosures might be made
concerning the large grants OF LANDS prsed from the 60
which INTO the hands obbers and sp~cu
ator Take Tor instance the grant maze 10 tue Wisconsin
and Sex River Improvement and Navigation Company,
which Passed few years ago. whs, rich oppose OF the
parties engaged 10 that affair would II not MAKE,
TIE oioc seekers hero hang Ike dies, aud tie presi
den, nnds them cq1aly annoying.