Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-04-30
Lecis1atire EiIIainr..

cause of honest legislation signal service
by his exposure of the circumstances under
Which his charter for the Lower California
Company was obtained from our late Leg
islature. We have waited long enough to
see that the brazen champions of legislative
venality will not attempt to dispute the ac-
curacy OF his blasting inculpations. Taking
the. case, then, as confessed, We recall at
tent1on to its leading facts, and to the light
they cast on the machinery and processes
OF legislative corruption.
Certain American citizens, including such
eminent Radicals as Gen. 3. E. Butler, and
such conspicuous Democrats as August
Belmont, have purchased a grant or con-
cession by the Mexican (Juarez) Govern
ment of certain territorial and business
rights in the peninsula of Lower California.
Under this concession, they propose to
plant colonies, open mines, construct roads,
improve harbors, &c.-operations which
may enrich or impoverish them, but cam
not fail, in any case, to create considerable
markets for the implements, machinery,
food, &C.. which they must mainly export
from this country. Should they, succeed
and they are hardly the men to embark in
a thriftless enterprise--they must sensibly
increase the commerce of this and other
American cities. .~
This company applied at an early day to
our late Legislature for an act of incorpor-
alton. 1t was the clear interest of our
State that this act Should bepassed. If in
corporated here, the company's main Office
would naturally be opened here; its busi-
ness would be transacted, its purchases
and afford custom or employment to other
taxpayers. If their bill was not right in
every provision, it was the duty of the
proper committee to make it right and then
report it.
Mr.. Wilkes is Secretary of the company,
and he took the proposed charter to Alba
ny, and had it duly introduced and refer
red. There he stopped, as he should have
done. The committee to whom the bill
was referred had right to call on him for
any explanation they might need; but they
sought none, and he kept his distance, as
he should have done.
But certain dignitaries of the sThird
House"-the self-elected patrons and pro-
moters (or otherwis9) of egislation-Yery
early favored him with visits and with un-
solicited counsel. They were willing to
facilitate the passage of his Dill-for con-
sideration. So much OF the Company's
stock they required to be made over to
them, under penalty of the bills failure. 1t
was clear case of ''Stand and deliverp'
and he stood and delivered. Having easily
won so much, they struck for. more, and he
again came down. They told him that the
bill would not be reported till they gave
the word; and. by most astounding COIN
cidence, it G1dSnt. Finally, when the ses-
sion was verging to its close, they demand
ed an additional bonus of $4,000 in cash,
assuring him that his bill could not pass
unless it was paid.
Mr. Wilkes patience was at length ex-
hausted. Hardly ten days of the session re-
mained; he had bled like an OK his bill
was not even reported in one House; and
the Lobby, having digested 100000 of his
stock, was ravenous for an additional $4,000
in cash. So he telegraphed to a friend aT
Trenton, sent him copy of the bill, barely
substituting the words New Jersey /" for
New York; and his bill was soon going
through the jersey Legislature.
The Albany jobbers were rethunderstruek.
They supposed they had :" a sure thing" as
we'll as " big thing '1they meant to pass
the bill but not till they had squeezed the
last possible cent out of its corporators.
They now telegraphed Wilkes, asking if he
would have his bill passed, and he re-
sponded-no; he was going to organize un-
der New Jersey charter. In defiance of
this interdict, the bill was forthwith re-
ported and put on its passage; passed
through the House; sent pOst-haste to the
Senate; referred, reported, and passed there
also: so that measure which had not made
an inch OF progress in ninety days, until
news came that it was not wanted, was now
put through both committees and both
Houses within the short space of twenty
four hours .r. f1--u' s.l
o. Is there any person on earth who can
read in words of three ;syllables who does
not kqoao that Legislature and Lobby were
completely in I" cahoot" in this dirty busi-
ness ?--that the legislators took their cue
from the Lobby, and were moved by it as
a puppet ismoved by wire worker behind
the scenes? Can any one doubt that the
law makers who thus kept back an impor-
tant measure for ninety days, till its. pass
age was no longer desired, and then passed
it with indecent haste, had clear UNDER
standing with the outside jobbers as to how.
their plumber was to be divided? Is there
the shadow of possibility that they thus
prostituted their high trust solely for 9TH
ers' benefit and with no eye to their own
profit? O. mol ,5Ta. -sai.stgc e.. ri re. .s
There is plenty OF facts but imperfectly
revealed which show this to be no isolated
case-that nearly or quite every bill that
came before our late Legislature which was
supposed to have ''money in it''-that is:
which some person or persons could afford
to pay money rather, than have defeated
was dealt with as this was. Hence, the
passage of several Horse Railroads for this
city, where more such would be a nuisance
to all but their stockholders, and the de-
feat of every bill tor an Underground Rail
road out of the city, whereof the conven--
ience of the public would be vast, but the
profit to the stockholders doubtful. so that
they could not anord TO pay dlmeS Wnere
the Horse Railroad men could richly afford
to give dollars. Hence the defeat of the
Board of Public Works, the Market Com
Piers and WharyeS bill, and every
other measure calculated to probe the fear
full abuse and rottenness of our municipal
system. Each of these bills would have
passed. but for the fact that those who profit
by abuses can pay far more to uphold and
perpetuate than others will pay to. eradi-
aato thpno Hpnpa in mart the urgent need