Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1867-05-31

interested, duu aD d1 itpttlM OueA VI A.SN P'-
ses over the main lines for any indefinite period
l was new to my position then, and they were
trying me, TO learn whether was lobby or not
lobby. could not resist the temptation to
look as far as l properly could into this mill
stone So like the oracle Of Apollo, | gave
ambiguous responses. I continued faithfully to
lash the railroad schemes meanwhile The po-
lite attentions Of distinguished gentlemen IN
creased. It came to be question about which
they were tenderly and anxiOusly sOlicitous,
whether would or would not accept Of free
pass over the roads for the year, and if SO, how
| would have it made out. An officer Of the
House conveyed to me a request that | would
meet a distinguished politician and railroad
king at such parlor in such hotel. man
aged to be otherwise engaged. Then came
nOeence to learn the precise initials Of my name,
IN order that pass might be properly made out
for me. l suppose that Senator, or the power
ful corporation which he impersonated at that
time, has still in possession piece Of paste
board on which my name is written, and which
my reticence encouraged them to prepare, and
my rejection of which occasiOned apparently,
upon their part, degree Of sad and fearful So
llcitude. 1t was really too much that a penny
s-liner'' as they term correspondent when en-
ragged at him, should thus wound their tender
sensibilities l am bound to believe that they
must have preserved this paste-board monument
as memento, to recall to their minds the ex-
tent to which human ingratisude can 60.
But it would not do TO give it up So 1t III ght
be the price they had offered was toe small to
purchase my politeness. At all events they
thought best to offer a larger. The thing went
on until direct proposition to receive bribe
from a railroad king, wss conveyed to me
through an officer Of the House. The propOsit
ion was made by word Of mouth, and was
really at a loss at first to comprehend the aIego-
ricsl terms employed BY the official, to convey
his meaning to me without committing himself.
It was curious jargon but by twisting it in
several ways, he managed at length to penetrate
my obtuseness. lie said nothing which if tes-
tilted to in a court Of justice would make him
responsible, for the terms be used II literally
taken would mean no harm but the offer when
fully made, was clear, direct, and unmistakatle.
saw that the decisive moment had come. l
had by simple reticence gained the knowledge
sought, and several men had been foolish
enough to put themselves measurably in my
power. l turned upon my pursueTs at that
point, and in a way that seemed to satisfy them
that further efforts upon their part would be
useless. At all events that Ap0llyon spreal his
wings and sped away. and saw him no more.
As am writing anonymously know not
that need to conceal thss incidents, Of matter.
long passed by, snd which as prudent man
thus far 1 have kept within my silent thought.
as though they were not.
recall other incidents Of my experience as
correspondent, which may interest your reai-
ers. | remember s gentleman whose name
would be familiar to many Of you were TO write
it down, who sent word to me in the Assembly
Chamber. here, that be was anxious 10 see me in
the lobby. went out to see him. l felt bound
to treat him with more than ordinary poliieness
because he was q friend ofmy friends, in Yer
mont. But his business with ne was 50 man
aged IS to change my thoughts Of him. He
had bill that vas TO be introduced in the
House. He desired to have it noticed especially
in my correspondence. That was well en- ugh
if it had been an honest scheme. On looking
at i, saw that it was flyer or sensation
bill simply, and upon route that hai been
worn thread-bare, 10 the way Of sensation bills.
As vas looking at il he proposed TO snei some
Of the greenbacks which we're devoted 20 for
warding the enterprise, in ny direction. 1
waited long enough 20 see the greenbacks on
exhibition, and then the interview closed in a
very abrupt manner.
remember the gentleman who received noe
from member across the House containing q
check for fifty dollars, aud stating that the check
wss payment for an introduction to General
somebody whose name 10 not recall 1t GER
tainly seemed liberal, for sn introduction, and
as the gentleman read the note to me with a
chuckle, thought he regarded the transaction
as a very good thing. Then again recall the
official who had the misfortune to get angry,
,nd a very little tipsy, and 50 became impru-
dent. As | was walking up the sidewalk with
hin, his wrath was kindled by his reflections,
and he revealed how he had been duped by a
well-known lobby chef. He had bought the
votes of members for the chief, and now that
the bill was passed aud the pay was due The
chief would not hand over. The official va;
hound to pay the members as he had promised
The chief would not pay " dishonest debts - o
that kind, after the thing was done. So in hi
rrief at being sacrificed, and his wrath at beinl
fooled, the official determined to expose bis EN-
ployer. He seemed to me, what is usual.
termed plain honest enough sort Of man,
I think from the country-and doubtless be va
Z more IyQl lAAu hlhNt IL AAAN tftAAAlA~AANA" 50
quently meet both him and his chief, bat an
unable to say how they have settled this affair
| or whether the Official gained any advantage o
sympathy by revealing his woes to other Iar
ties. 1t was proof to me Of the greenness
some OF the g bully boys who constitute th
Legislature, in lobby matters, that they eoui
be fooled in this man ner.
1 remember too the choking laughter an
chuckle Of the initiated, at the blank faces
certain members, near the beginning oi a SCI
sion, few hours after the passage OF an IN
portant bill. The hints let fall indicated I'M
these greenhcrns had voted on promises 81
now could not get their pay. 1t Is rather
hard Joke upon a man, obviously, after he h'
so far degraded himself as to sell his vote
! then cheat him out Of the reward. This IS
part of the lobby discipline however.
2 / remember an amusing scene in the SenA'
which TO the prsctsed observer, and to the BE