The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-05-30

Political Traders and Trading.
Among the most curious deveiopemeats in
our current political history are those which
have appeared in the evidence Of politicians,
contractors, lobbymen and others, before the
several investigating committees that have
been appointed by both parties in Congress-
The Covode Committee, now in session, has
brought ont great deal Of evidence In which,
as in all testimony of the sort, the truth b in
the proportion of Q grain of wheat to q bushel
Of chat; still, a. vehicle for the exploitation
Of the peculiar tactics employed by tho pslid-
cal traders Of the country, the committee is not
without its value to the disinterested observer
Thus the testimony Of Walker, Fisher, and
Others Of lesser note, has attracted great deal
of attention and no little speculation, and II
the committee accompanies noparticuiar good
for the party which Its majority represents
seeing that The public miad d prone to believe
that politicians are all alike, all thirsting for
the spoils, we shall still be indebted to II for
some valuable contributions to our stock of
Information a. to the peculiar manner In which
business IL conducted behind the scenes of the
political theatre.
The latest, and altogether the most enter.
tanning development made BY the Covode Com
nittee is In relation to the Chevalier Forney
ard the printing of the Post ONCE blanks, a job
said to be worth as much as eighty thousand
dollars. 1t Is stated on the authority of Mr..
Webster that be was authorized to offer this
job to the Cbevalier Forney, on condition that
he would support the Lecompton bill, then be
fore Congress- Mr.. Webster states that Mr..
Furney declined the offer, and that the negotis-
tons were not renewed. Mr.. Webster, IL ap-
pears, placed . certain value upon Foruev:
but the latter, like the immortal Brady. the
Aristides of the New York Board of Alder
men, held himself at Q rate higher than the
price which was offered. This we can very
readily understand. In 1856 Forney was sup
posed to occupy very important position.
He was made the custodian Of fund of sixty
or seventy thousand dollars, raised in New
York, for the purpose Of carrying Pennsylvs-
MIA Forney received this money, and 1t is sup
posed that 1t was expended In bringing up .
sufficient number Of American votes, 30 that
the State might be carried by the democracy.
After the election Forney was much pulled up
with vanity and wished to be elected to the
United States Senate. His political friends,
and among them Mr.. Buchanan, assisted him to
the best of their ability; but the people Of
Pennsylvania, - represented In the Legisla-
ture, knew the man better, and he was
defeated. Next he coveted Q seat in
ho
Office Mr. Buchanan would not give him,
but offered the Liverpool Consulate, which,
with salary and trimmings, is worth about five
thousand dollars year. Forney turned up
bis nose at this offer, and began to negotiate
with the black republican, II was at that
moment probably that the offer of the print
ing was made. The Chevalier had closed the
bargain with the republicans for the position
he now holds, knowing full we'll that the
Clerkship OF the House was q fatter thing In
every way than be could get from the demo-
Gratis. He WAS already sold to the other side,
and is now enjoying the spoils of the bargain.
The republicans had q more accurate know.
ledge Of Forney's price than the democrats,
and 90 he was secured by the former.
The moral Of the Forney case and Of kin
dred Developments, such - the war now 60
ing on between Greeley, Raymond and Webb,
Is very plain one. These occurrences show
that trading, bartering and traflicking are the
order Of the day among all parties, democrats
as well as republicans Public men put them
selves up 10 be sold as auc.ioneen dispose Of !
goods TO the highest bidder. The Eorney case
shows very clearly that, in one instance at
least, the black republican brokers had little
advantage III advantage 1t was) over the shop
on the opposite side OF the way.
Tue POISONING MaSIA.-The contagion Of |
crime is one OF the most Irresistible epidemics |
known to humanity. Strange ~ II may appear,
h rarely happens that any great violation Of |
natural or human laws 10 committed without It's
Immediately finding imitstors. In The Middle
Ages the example Of the Borgias led to num-
r. l.