The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-02-22

| and we are confident that the last named CORDS
! is worthy of it. The members Of the Seventh
are not bit spoiled by the praises which are
showered upon them, and that is the best proof
that they deserve them.
The CONGRESSIONAL PRINTING AND THE Cor
RuPTIoN OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.-The deve-
Opponents of corruption and rascality in the re-
publican party which have been recently made
in their contest for the printing plumber Of the
House of Representatives have disguised the
respectable republicans, and their progenitors,
the whig', both in and out of Congress. The de-
scendants of John Adams the second President,
and of the men Of the Revolution who belonged
to his school, are scandalized and outraged at
the exhibition which the spoils factions in the
republican party have made Of themselves at
Washington.
The republican party, notwithstanding its
Mattesons, has plumed itself on its general pu-
rity, and waged war against the dem pcracy ON
the ground of its abominable corruption, par
ticuiarly in Congressional printing, for the last
seven years. But no sooner have the republi-
cans placed one of theirnumber in the Speakers
chair, than two greedy factions of their own
party enter the arena in hand, to- hand fight
for the printing of the House of Representa-
tives, involving spells, perhaps to the amount
of million of dollars; whereas, if the party
who has the control of the House were pure as
it pretends to be, the printing would not bring
with it dollar of plumber, but merely
tradesman's legitimate profits, which would not
constitute any bone Of contention whatever
What is the frat step of the immaculate re-
publican party in Congress after electing a
Speaker? 1t selects for Clerk of the House an
outcast from the democracy, man too foul and
corrupt and dishonorable for that party to tole-
rate any longer. They had seen his disgraceful
letter, in which, by stool pigeon operation.
he proposed to make his victim drunk, aud
manufacture evidence out of the rawlings of in
toxication against the reputation of married
woman; they were well acquainted with his
gross official irregularity when he acted
in the capacity Of Clerk before; they
knew that he was detested in his own
State, and by the representatives in Congress
from Pennsylvania; and yet they deliberately
elect this man to the same responsible office.
1t was the reward of treachery. The best COM
ment on the character of the man of their choice
was his indecent, drunken trade on the night
of his election against the Chief Magistrate of
the Union-an act for which the migrate rufian
would have been lynched on the spot in any
other country in the world.
Their next performance Is the contest for
Printer. Blair, of Silver Springs, puts forward
Mitchell, of Missouri, as the candidate of the
Bates faction, and Thurlow Weed puts against
him Detrees, of Indiana, as the candidate of the
Seward faction. If Mitchell should be elected,
then there would be ample spoils to
help old fogy Bates to the nominal
ton at Chicago, to say nothing of the polit.
cal prestige which would be thus established.
If Defrees should be elected, then Seward
would be elevated another rung on the ladder
to the Presidency. The candidate of the Bates
faction at first obtained majority of the re-
publican caucus; but the candidate of Seward
and Weed supplanted him on q second trial.
Large offers Of the proceeds Of the contract
were made to the Republican Central Commit
tee if it would secure the plumber for Defrees.
This bribery would have been successful but
that the high-minded portion of the republicans
and the wings in the House were revolted at
such profigacy, and refused to stomach it.
The result is that neither of the candidates is
chosen. One of them is withdrawn, and third
man substituted; but neither is he elected. In
fact, after fortnight's maneuvring, in which
all kinds of corrupt overtures have been made,
the election is come to a dead lock. What ne
cessity is there for this, if the republicans are
honest? If they do not mean to defraud the
people by voting away the public money to
men Of their own party, without consideration
received by Congress or the nation, why do
they not establish an upright system, and at
once give the printing by advertisement to the
lowest bidder, and only order so much work as
is absolutely required by public utility?
With all their professions of purity, the repub-
lican party in this Congress have displayed the
most fragrant and shameless corruption cast.
ing int the shade the blacklist deeds of the de-
mocracy, who have never been guilty Of such
open violations Of the public trust and such in
decent exposure of their own naked infanly.
When they show their hand thus early in the
session, what may we not expect before its
close?
THE TENEMENT House BILL AT ALBANY.-We
are in receipt, almost every day of commu-
nications suggesting reforms in the manner Of
erecting tenement houses, and demanding that
they shall be provided with adequate fire es-
capes. Suggestions as to the precise manner
in which the houses should be erected. and ex-
actly what sort Of fire escape should be used