New-York tribune., 1867-04-25
PHILOSOPHY or LEGIsLATIVE CORRUP-
TION.

grant hpm the Republican Government of Mexico, con
sng OF 49, $50 square miles Of land in Lower California
covering rsary the entire peninsula OF that name with
all its slanAsr harbOrs, fisheries and mines; and which
grant in addition to liberal exemptions from taxation in
favor Of our celOnsts, impaired to the Company quasi
governmental powers. after the fashion OF the Hudson
Bay and East India Companies Of England Having bad
tins grant passed upon by The highest legal authorities
ngon for the purpose of filing among the archives or
business under charter from the great State OF New
York In order to do this most effectively they appointed
their trustees Mcssrs G. X. Garrison VIM r. Travers,
Leonard W. Jerome Gen H. +. Butler. August Belmont,
George Wilkes, David Crawford, the Hon. John A. Girls
wold, and william G.. Fargo, and IN their name made
formal application for charter to conduct emigration,
work mines import shipping build warehouses,
question and the world
This was proposition so obviously beneficial to me
United states well as to the State OF New York and II
was backed by names OF such political significance tnt
It vainy supposed IL would meet with no obstruction
from either party in the Legislature and least o an DC
tariffed with demands for money. Unfortunately lot
Gen. Butler stood side TO prOpitiate the Radicals,
and at OF August Belmont l00med up on inc Otner 10
dOnineer the Democrats with aJOurnaIst between tenl
10 report whatever might go wrong most OF the Trustees
mionalres and that disturbing fact alone knocked
~ not to do ANYTHING for nothing" thus summoned
INTO action with especial force and that new practice
which makes each member regard himself as secret
partner in every enterprise business which rcqresa
legislative charter proved TO be more than an offset IN
politicians have named. The members saw IN their
visions Of Lower California empire OF gold silver ana
pearls and the Lobby drunk the very names OF tDe
Trustees rushed TO the members entreatng their dscre-
ton and Initiating them with dreams Of ncalcnlabe fees
eOldly nailed TO the counter TO abide results Tho
members az once upon its introduction, relapsed into
dgnfed legislative apathy, and the lobby, drawing
Gordon around them 10 fence off interference resolved to
give fbe applications an the line they could and then
eisurcy play with the prOposers and put them off as an
angler would trout twas to no purpose that the sec
accomplished geHtlemeS when they spoke Of obstacles
the fact that the Legislature had found time to put
through charters for Harmonic Social Clubs for Hail
Fellow Well Met Associations" and variety OF indif-
fcrent aud worthless objects the answer was that there
something III this bill that there was not IN theln
other bills" aud this quito true for IN tins bill theie
These worthy mediums OF legislation began by requr
Ing shares stock for their valuable influence, which
shares at par, would be worth Just $1,000 From thus
figure. they increased their levy to 1000 shares; ana
every time tho prOposers urged the blu, they ialSsd
thousand more until their demand reached tne Ougst ti
men, however sixty days 10 work the matter up to thls
splendid point, and then, finding they had got along
so famol,sly they sent down TO NewYok demand for
so In cash. But this proved To be great mistake
Instead Of the demand meeting WIN cohceS'i0h anu
stimulating new hope " had tle sLieCt ~ W. S o
the Secretary the fact that during te wholc Sky days
which had beon consumed, the Legislature had simply
been sitting with folded arms, far as this particular
charter concerned gazing upon his anxiety WIN sn
experienced composure and calmly waitihg Tor sgnal
from the lobby go The lobby on its part may he
described ths'ing It's tongue i'm its cheek aud eerng
preached them With neglect ~ though 10 say Keep coO
he can't stand II great while longer and DyanDy We
will get what due the sweat OF our honest brows IL
80 happened however that the whole OF this legislative
practice flashed over the mnd Of the secretary in us
true ght when tho demand for 5000 in hard cash. came
down from Albany nnd pcccying that the fellows were
really laughing at him. as Indeed they would laugh a, any
body whose pockets they empyug lac concluded TO
try and the tables through little headwork OF h
b pnri,sc hc ON the ls dny of the pcndency OF the
bll and ihn three weeks Of the termination Ol ths
y senator Of New, jersey who was then in attendance
the Legislature Of the state At Trenton ,se-
Hon. Jas VI scoyEI.- Dydr Sir: Enclosed please find
printed copy biii pending before the Ncw-lOrk
Legislature. TO incorporate the Lower California Com
/ pauy of this city.
~ any reference my-cn that tkc trustees all of
them eminent citizens, whose simple and undsBused de
sirc i- 20 orsaul as directed oy ON. avs n ndof
that they may conduct Wholesome coneicla business
~ character which will TO me benefit not only OF
| our Own state hut 0f the Who.c t9up.iy.
II rrgrct to say however That though the bill FOR hi
charter las been pshin before our legislature FOR over
seventy day. W" though it propose 70 create aIs'
taxable Df~,c-t the state, t has made no practical
pro"s- Whatever, and the prospect IT, that unless th,
ri-tecs concede 90 demands AMI conform To pracCe
which are utterly rcpuenaht 10 any i1Nlnl ana hooL'p
business they Will not obtain the authority they seek
Under thi, state of affairs and ~ protest against
the improper obstacles which arc opposed TO us III ON
own state the trustees desire 20 appeal 10 the state
Ncvgerey FOR relief aud for charter IN the premises
" am requested 10 say. that such concession from
the nagnnnmity and public .pnt oi New,Jeisry, ~ VII
he highly appreciated by Tie trustee, OF the company
To give notice Of the hin. viii esteem IL favor which
shall lt all times bo most happy 10 return. Meantime,
! remain, very respectfully, Your o6edlcnt servant
GEo. WiLRLs, secretary"
! The result of thi, letter Will BE- found detailed In a.
article We pub, csc where from The Trenton state Ga.cie
n the NcwJcrscy legislature and that body appreci'
atne the appeal ~ number Of respectable citizens who
had been virtually driven from their own state gave th'
Company it, chartcr-wOrd for word copy OF the on,
pending in New -lork-and that too within ten days o
its introduction In their House. The tables were fairly
trnah, The lobby * Now York was fanked The Secre
iary from having bSer 1nier:ha harrow was nov aste
~ the situation, and with the view OF making his cOul
dfa complete lac nj once tccgraphcd 10 Albany 10 have
! the Lower California bill Withdrawn. The amazemeut OF
the lobby aud It's associates a this unookedior circum
stance Is be described. For while they could not
comprehend the movement; hut, when they learned thai
the Company had procured charter In NewJersey theil
CONSERVATION knew bounds They not only recognized
in this the loss OF all their hopes. hut saw looming IN III,
haze beyond the HUDSON. the specer OF Jersey rival
of all charters Of a general character.
II a crisis which called for immediate action and
the bodcst measures There was but ono way to meet W
and that To pass the Lower California b In spite OF
the dispatch They might then protest good faith. and
from nterposng in the NewYcrk legislative trade: So
they put the hll which had been dead for ninety DAYS
counermanded On the next mornpg, the SecleQry was
wished the bill to pass the senate! HIS reply was NO
the Company have decided 10 organize under the New
rushed the torpid and now discarded measure through
The House sent u %hrlng through The Senate ana the
! bulge for ninety days thus became n law
We have neither comments nor complaints TO make.
sistenty ana we ON our part acted consistently, Dut
having governed our movements with prudence and good
sense they did not we have now two charters instead
of The have put however. makes OF itself,
strong suggeson and that is that the approaching
OF compensation for our future Legislatures which will
save those honest gentlemen from furtive and pre-
cariOus mode OF livelihood ut least protect them from
foreign rivalry through the state OF NewJerscy, when
/ ever they get q really good thing
T. PS-Fnally desire to have it understood that no
intercourse had by the Secretary any agent OF tho
Company, with any member OF the Legislature on the
| subject of the aforementioned bill The interviews on
the subject held solely with attorneys" who pre-
tended only 10 have plenty Of time TO devote to showing
IL along" aud forwarding Its prospects, There being no
other method 0f showing IL along" these gentlemen
formally allowed To take the thing In charge. The
trustees and general members OF the Company had no
cOgniZanct OF the details whatever.