The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1869-02-10
Especial COrrsspOndsnceo Of the Enquirer
LETTER FROM "MACK."
WAsHINeroN, Jan. "a. 1s60.
AN UNPAID BILL

AN UNPAID BILL. '
The recent agitation of the sub
ject Of an inauguration ball, calls
to mind the fact that two years
ago the Radical members of Congress
were invited to great banquet in
this city, gotten up under theauspices
Of some of the "loyaI'' Organizations
or societies which exist in such great
numbers here. The occasion was the
re-assemblIng Of the Thirty-ninth
Congress, at its second session. Judge
CARTIER Of the District Supreme
Court welcomed the Senators and
members in behalf of the loyalists,
and Thad. Stevens, ,Colfax and half a
dozen Others, responded to say how
happy they felt In being assured that
right here in the District Of Columbia
there were thousands Of brave men
ready to protect them from assaults
and aggressions by ''a bad and wicked
President.'' It will be- remembered
that an attempt bad been made to
create the impression that a. ]. con-
templatsd the dispersion Of Congress
that winter unfortunately, however,
his best friends could never get him
beyond the point of contemplating
it, The banquet was intended to
relieve the anxious minds or the Con-
gEessmen Of the period, who were,
perhaps the worst scared set Of per-
sons ever seen in deliberative body.
Poor COlfax sat pale and trembling in
the Speakers chair every day with
the air of one disturbed by solemn
fear of sudden contact with boot or
g bayonet from the rear; and so of
the othersSwhile A. sat at the
other end of the avenue sletting I
dar not wait upon I would Ike the
poor cat L the sdage." .gsol
IonBut as to the banquet. It was got.
ten up regardless of expense have
forgotten the exact amount of the
caterers bill, But the tables were
loaded down with the best of every
thing In the market, and the wine
List was exceptionally large. 1t may
astonish the reader to be told, but it
is fact nevertheless, that there is
still an unlIquidated debt of about two
thousand dollars growing out Of that
feast, and that it is due to poor man
who can i'll afford to lose it. There
Was considerable competition for the
wine contract, and it was finally Civ
en- to the keeper of a restaurant, hose
name / have foIgotten. He sent TO
New HOrk for his supplies, paid cash
tor them. and was to have received a
q small commission for his. purchases
He has been at work ever since
more than two years-at short inter
walls, endeavoring to get his bin paid,
but has not succeeded, and meantime
he has been obliged to close up his
business and go into bankruptcy on
account OF the transaction. Attempts
have been made to relieve him by
subscription, but the Radicals VINO
guzzled his wine won't give him
cent, and the poor fellow is hopeless
" stranded on the beach Of impecu-
mostly. I mention the matter at this
time, because another Radical festival.
has Of late been talked Of, and with
the hope that something may be done
TO pay the bill Of two years ago before
embarking in another entertainment
of the kind It ought to besettled at
once out Of the funds of the Radical
Congressional Committee, now in the
hands Of General sehenck, who wiII,.
sooner or later, squandef them on the
green baizes II they are LEFT in his
charge much longer. ,y SgiaHH7 ooaeai;
THR BLACK1nAIIiING IyoYAIIsrs : o.
= :. ] alluded in ? the preceding para
graphorto certain loyal societies In
existence in this city. e They deserve
more than q briet mention or a pass
inginotice-And would, In fact, form a
a good subject for q Congressienal
Investigating committee as showing
enc Of the worst forms OF legislative
corruption which the war has pro-
duced.9 They have different names,
but in the title Of each there is some
thing to show that it is loyal and
political. They are controlled by a
few men, who make most of the prof
its, though, I suppose, there is to some
extent e rule of division of spoils.
} sRhe way they operate Is this "A man
comes here with a private bill, or
Tclalms6 OF great interest to him6f those
he represents. and which he. is very
anxiousto have approved by Congress.
He Is very soon called upon by some
OF the 'tsooiety'' man who, in a conf
deAtlsl way inform him that their
1nAReRce with congress Is immense,
ewing to the political infldence they
haye, or can control. II he will only
give them so mOch-say thousand
dollars they VIII see that, he gets
certain votes In the Senate or House,
and these votes viii be sumcient to
secure the Endorsement Of the claim,
or the passage Of the bill Sometimes,
instead Of coaxing, they threaten. I
know a case in point. There was q
gentleman here astwinter endeavor-
ing to secure the passage Of what was
called t'the Iron clad Blll''- measure
for the relief of,eertain. contractors
who had built iron-cIads for the
Government, and had lost a great
deal OF money by the work. He was
waited upon by a man calling himself
an ofheer Of the National Soldiers and
Sailors Society, who told. him that
the oEgani alton towhich he belonged
had ramihcatidns ali over the United
States, amt exerted such CREST poIIti4
cal influence that it could cohtror the
action Of the House and Senate. For
five thousand dollars be said be. could
get the bill passed. Mr.. could
not be persuaded into the notion Oi
paying SO much in fact, he refused to
pay any thing. The next thing be
heard from the Soldiers and Sailors
Society was a threat to report him
and his associate claimants as disIoyaI,
Il - = a.