New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-04-24
BOSTON.
THOMAS DREW AND THE LoBBY-CoL. ROGERS
TIE FEDERAL APPOINTMENTS.
lFRoM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT


testify before Committee of the Legislature exctes
considerable attention. Mr.. Drew was long time
connected with the press Of this State having pub
shed one of Elihu Burrtt's reformatory newspapers
in Worcester at time, and afterward having been
connected as one OF the publishers and as editor,
with The Worcester Spy. He is q Radical Abolionist,
and man Of considerable intellectual force After
leaving The Spy he became clerk in the office OF the
Secretary Of the Commonwealth, and. being an OLD
acquaintance and rather favorite of Gov Andrew,
was a good deal employed in the Executive Depart
mont When the Governor engaged in recruiting
colored tr,ops Drew went to the District of Column
bia and did considerable work in that line, making,
II is said. good Job for himself well as for the
State and for the cause. Since the war closed
he has been in various speculations, III INC
South and at home About two months ago inc
Sprinafed Republican sent one of its editors to tho
State House to find out the movements OF inc
Lobby" and to expose Them The Lobby" here III
Massachusetts, is as far as can Judge very insig-
niicant thing, compared with the Lobby OF Albany
or Harrisburg. 1t consists of half dozen men, moro
or less who get living, during the session Oh INC
Legislature, and perhaps lay up money enough ior
tbeir support during the year. by persuading people
who come with their Railroad OF their Harbor, or
their Town schemes that they be of some use to
side. The financial report of one ofour towns has an
item showing that two of these lobby members got
$50 apiece for holding their tongues on bridge ques
ton the town was interested in last year. mention
ts for the purpose of showing that the fees in this
line of work are very modest, The lobby consists OF
men of merely local celebrity, as general thing;
this year II has been REINFORCED by TWO or t9ree new
members who were disappointed applicants for once
under the Sergeant-at-ATms, and VINO are quite III
capable of any deep laid plots OF corruption to say
the least The Lobby is hindGranee to legslhh omn
and dsagreeable feature Of things here; though
not in my opinion, very dangerous. III would
not exist were it not for the log-rolling
tendency Of Senators and Representatives them
selves and is after all quite harmless compared win
the employing power, which appears IN the ante
rooms and in the legislative chambers in the shape
of railroad presidents and eminent lawyers
who are quite angry when they are accused OF lob
bying but without whom the lobby would be an
unknown thing The Lobby has been known here
n good many years. in the way have described, ana
onrishes or decays from year to year, according To
the magnitude insigniiicance OF the business pro-
jects brought before the Legislature. Inc li0osac-
Tunnel has bad TO bear good deal OF 0DiOquy on
this account but il is my belief that II never gave
any very profitable jobs to the Lobby for the people
of Franklin and Berkshire Counties never had any
great amount of money to spend for help OF TINS sort
Iog-rQng has been their great resource and they
have dipped into politics and manipulated Stato
Conventions and legislative caucuses from time 10
time. The Metropolitan Railroad: in the days when
il had to defend itself against Hobbs liathorn. and
others and when IL was managed with less honesty
and skill than at present. spent some money IN TINS
direction; but | don't think does az az
publican sought to ferret out this iniquity, and
its missionary wrote spicy and readable account 9i
this article il alleged, or minated. forget III
precisely what terms that the Boston, Hartford and
Eric Railroad had paid 10 one person $1,000 for
doing something III the way OF influencing legisa-
ton or for keeping still 10 some matters which 1t
was desirable TO keep concealed. No dates were
given but IL was generally supposed that the trans
ii. ii hat Y.nI gu ualf ina
aid from the State. a few people knew at once
that the person alluded TO "a the receiver was Mr.
Drew. The story as 1t was told 10 me SIX months ago
or more, was that Mr. Drew had q" black mailed" Mr..
Eldrdge the President OF tho Railroad. TO this cx-
tent. Pretty soon after The RcFnbi'cdHs statement
appeared, Nr. Ncedham of GrOton, one OF the Mid
dlesex County Senators, got up a committee OF in
igaton, with power To send for persons aud pa
pers. Whether Mr. Nccdham. putting faith IN the
aud purge the legislative halls of tho lobby, or
whether. having suffered from time TO time from
the critics OF The Republican, he hoped TO
detect them in inaccuracies aud asehoods and 30 TO
punish and bring them into disgrace. cannot say.
At any rate he got his machine INTO working order
The Editor of The RepHblioIn. Mr. Bowlcs was the
first person sent for. IL Is understood that NJ pri
vate meeting of the Committee he gave some OF the
OF his informatioD being little morc than the
common talk of the Statelouse, but did not pretend
TO make any specific charges and told the Committee
they could ascertain the truth for themselves, and
that some of them, indeed, probably knew far more
than ho did about the matter. And II was then
stated that there no secret on the part Of hr.
Eldridge as TO the transaction aud that he would be
perfectly willing 10 state what It was SO. at the
next meeting of the Committee. Mr.. Eldrdge
present and he stated that about year ago he paid
Mr. Drew $4,000 out OF his own pocket. and not out
of the railroad funds for the purpose of keeping him
quiet rs to some transaction which 1t was desirable
should not leak out the road at that time being IN
difficulties and not desiring to have any new contro-
yersics OF its hands. j may be mixing mp what
/ hear of Mr.. Eldridges testimony with what
has been told me since about te natter but he has
retcence Oh the subject, aud do not think make
IL dor nd hnt MIR t1DA
admits that the money was paid for any wrong pur-
pose But only that the revelation which Mr.. Drew
prOfessed il in his power TO make and to conceal
which he thought was worth this large sam of
money. OF such character that II would put the
road TO great Inconvenience and expense and trouble
to deal with ii. When remember how easily some
worthy people have allowed themselves to be black
mailed ont Of sheer Cowardice il Will not do to jump
at the conclusion that there was crime an Ofcnse
TO be concealed. Ii may have been an nfomality,
techncality, flaw; but Of this know nothing at
all. That the money paid there Is doubt.
The Committee thought they would put some ques-
tons to Mr. Drew. lie answered their summons 10
appear but absolutely refused to be sworn demand
ing first TO be shown the legislative judicial consti
tuional authority for their investigation or course
his refusal 10 be and to answer any questions
was o preposterous denial Of a legitimate legislative
power; but l am inclined TO think Drew honest in
his belief that he IL right and that he Is resisting
arbitrary exercise of authority. though he may have
plenty Of other for refusing TO testify Those
who saw LysaDder SpOOner clOscted with him, rs his
legal adviser could expect no small amount OF lore
on the subject OF personal liberty guaranteed by the
Constitution, aud any quantity OF Obstnacy in de-
tense of the position taken. No man is learned
or more logical than Mr.. Spooner; and if personal
rights the only rights guaranteed in this State,
he and his client might safely carry their case from
the Senate TO the Supreme Court, But the right Of
judicial legislative tribunal TO compel the at
tendance of witnesses. and to compel them at least
10 DO sworn and to answer refuse to answer
question il quite as sacred any personal right, and
without its exercise not even Police Court could
carry on business week. SO Mr.. Drew was taken
to the bar OF the Senate and, after SOmo delays on
Court, on writ of habeas corpus, will release him;
but suppose there is no chance for this unless some
flaw can be found in the proceedings. which Is DOS