The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1858-11-20
Washington Ways and Means.

The way Thugs are done at Washington, !
the means by which they are done, and the
persons who do them, are not as well
known as they should be. The following
extracts from the Washington corrcspon-
dcnce of two Philadelphia papers let some
light in on these points. The correspOn-
dent of the Gazette says
These gambling resorts have increased
fearfully at Washington, within the last
ten years, Iand it is notorious that they have
done more to demorAlize legislation than all
the othsr debasing and corrupting influences
which have been brought to bear upon
weak, venal, or needy members OF Con-
gress. was deeply impressed by the silent
| but eloquent witness of this fact, when the
| drawers Of Pendlcton's desk were opened
| yesterday, and numerous bills, relating to
schemes before Congress, were exposed to
public view. The misery and wretchcdness
and degradation inflicted upon men and
families by these hells are appalling, and
even the imperfect disclosures which have
reached me, accidentally, exhibit a state of
morals in Congress which would astenish
the country if exposed. Some of these
gamblers, and others who are concerned as
capitalists with them, are openly employee
as lobby agents, from their supposed ability
to control votes through obligations incur
red by members, and the fact is one of
common town talk, that their tables are the
daily resorts of large class of such voters,
in preference to the hotels. This thing has
assumed that serious shape when publicity
becomes II duty: for, strange as it may seem,
the influence has so ramfed that it was
feared, at one time, in the early stages OF
the Kansas struggle. last session, when the
House was near,y G utly divided, that Il c
scale would be turned by q turn of the
screw upon particular members who were
known to be in the power of the gamblers
1t may well be asked where arc we drifting
when such things can be, and go unrebuk
ed
The correspondent of the Press add an
: other of the Developments in Washington
: ways and means, that the county ought t.
5 know:
II The great evils in Washington are nc
l. potism and Bureaucracy. The first is til
n habit of crowding whole families into office
=. and keeping them there; and the second
he habit Of concentrating power and pat
l. onage in the hands of the heads of secon.
q cary departments to the exclusion of tn
chiefs Of the chief department. 1t woul
amaze you if some day | would furnish yo
with a list of the families in office here
: and of the manner in which they ''squat
into place, and in every variety of connet
g ton and of name. These are the aristC
le cracy of the town. Sometimes as many a
s. six of one family are in place. This is
< growing evil here, particularly since toady
:. ism has grown fashionable under the pre-
. ent regium.
n The system of bureaucracy is anotht
p abuse ssssThe jobs given out in the depar
t. ments are generally controlled by the sui
!. ordinate chiefs Some of these have bee
IN in office for years, and exercise despot
d. control over the patronage in the gift of Il
It, Presidency. If you want a contract or i
nd you have only to secure the Assistant Sc
- rotary and Chief Clerks to make your 70;
n' easy. Most of these heads of bureaus r
as tire from office very rich