The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-05-01
THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND THE LOBBY.

- ALBANY, April 80, 1868.
Recent developments in Albany in relation to the
influence OF certain railroad companies which, 1t Ia
believed, has been improperly, not illegally,
welded to induce the members Of the two houses Of
the Legislature to pass certain bills have created
widespread alarm throughout the State. Charges
of corruption have been openly made and under
such suspicious circumstances as to lead to very
general conviction that much Of the legislation the
State capital Is governed by sordid motives It Is
worthy Of remark that some of the wealthiest
men in the State do not hesitate to offer
heavy pecuniary inducements to carry their
schemes through the two houses in defiance Of
every principle Of public justice and legislative de-
corum. II our great capitalists will thus boldly use
their almost unlimited means to sway the represen-
tatives Of the people from their high obligations to
their constituents If those whose example Is looked
to as guide and beacon light In the politics of the
State thus to tribe with its best interests; II
money alone is to be the future watchword and the
only element which can secure the passage OF need
full laws, the sooner the people know 1t the better 1t
Will be for all concerned.
Wapole said there were but two ways to govern
men-One by force and the other by corruption; and
the latter principle the whole world knows, was the
one which he adopted for his guide while In the dis
charge OF the important duties which devOlved upon
him as Chancellor of the Exchequer of England. He
said every had his price, and consequently money
was the only element which influenced the actions OF
men. Upon that principle that infamous statesman
empire, in trade and commerce well as financial
pre-eminence But the theory thus proclaimed
poisoned the very fountains OF justice and sOed the
nag Of power which had heretofore commanded
the respect Of the world and its author died leaving
dishonOred name, covered with lniamy, ana
reputation blackened with the maledictOns Of man.
kind.
And who are the men who have fixed an indelble
disgrace upon the fair fame Of this great State and
who have well nigh succeeded in repeating Wal
poles infamous history here We shall see. 1t
ALBANY
preventative from Rochester Monroe county, In the
Assembly as the peculiar exponent Of the pr I,
Gus in such matters will refer to the history
OF the proceedings Of the Legislature, from
will find from that session the first formidable
movement for the formation of lobby or, "a it is
now termed a Third House. At that time the old
Albany regency was in fun power ana stood high in
the confidence Of the democracy throughout the
state and fully believed as the late william L.
belong the spoils.'' The regency embraced some OF
the ab!est men in the nation among its members in
Guiding Martin Van Buren,, BENJAMIN l.. Knower,
Sllas Wright, Edwin Crowel Enos II. ThrOOp, Asarah
G. Flagg Erastus Root, Samuel Young, Churchill G.
Cambering and many Others, whose edcts as
Illuminated from the ONCE OF the Albany
Argus, were esteemed as the most perfect law
for the government of the democracy Of those
William ii. Seward and his friend Weed to break the
influence OF the regency among the masses OF the
great work that these Two men applied their unsur
passed energies and und0ubted Ia ents. For twenty
and republicans applied their cunning adroness
and shrewd management to the work before them,
and dnally achieved triumphant success through
blundcr of the democracy by the adoption OF the
Stale constitution of 1896 When that constitution
was put into operation as the fundamental law of
the State the power OF the regency was at an end.
1t could longer hold the organizations OF the diff
ferent counties of the State under their magic in
| fuence. The Governor stripped Of all power
and patronage and the regency had nothing to give
From the year 1916 new order of things was in
situted. The leaders OF both parties and of ali par
| Immediately adopted-thanks to the quick eve OF
Seward, with the nelp of his chief lieutenant Weed
| and an embargo was at once placed upon all meas
ures OF special legislation. such as railroad grants
| banks and insurance charters, and indeed nearly
every measure OF any importance was made to pay
both in money and stock, the members of both
houses being personally Interested. This system had
movers OF this great scheme by placing the whole
capital which naturally centres at Albany in the
hands OF Thurlow Weed as the active agent OF Sew
ard, who thus enabled to WELD the whole pOti-
cal power of the State. The democracy were para
lyzed. The superior tactics of Weed and Seward had
taken the once potent regency by surprise.
What was at first esteemed as a mere speek, q
cloud no bigger than mans hand in the political
ornament, has increased dimensions to a tornado
of the first magnitude, and threatens to enguf
every measure which has to pass the ordeal OF legis
latiye scrutiny. From the year 1916 the acquisitions
TO the lobby forces have been rapid We find at the
present session King Thurlow, supported by such
adroit managers as Abraham Van vechten, Hugh
Hastings and George o. Jones, OF Albany. Randall,
formerly Of the Central Railroad; Baldwin, of Utica;
Clapp, Of Buffalo; Belden, of Syarcuse Bemis and l..
SeSsiOns Oh Chdutduqua, duu from tuc Oh New
York, John Pettgrew, George Law, Jacob Sharpe,
John Kerr, Waldo Hutchins and others too numerous
TO mention, including the agents OF Commodore Van
derbilt and Daniel Drew
The whole career Of the lobby, since 1t was for
mally organized by Thurlow Weed, in the year 1926,
down TO 1868, has been marked by a reckless disre-
gard Of every principle of common honor justice and
fair dealing, much 10 involve the absolute
necessity on the part of those having in charge The
financial interests OF the city OF New York, to guard
against the influence Of this secret combination
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