New-York tribune., 1869-03-13
THE CORRUPTION REPORT

We ask the People Of our State not TO forget
the recent report of Messrs. Hale, Thayer, and
Nichols to our State Senate on the alleged
corruptions of our last Legislature. Meagcr as
that report is, and careful not to admit aught
that can be ignored or concealed it contains
enough to justify the most damaging charges
yet made. The sgners of that Report have no
more doubt that Senators took money for
their action on the Railroad jobs Of last Winter
than they have of their own existence. They
know that MattOOn was bought again and
again, as palpably as any horse was ever
bought, and that he sought private interviews
with parties that might better pay
for his voice and vote than do with
out them. expressly that he might
be bought, and for no other purpose whatever.
And they know that he is but one of several
among their fellow SenatOrs-a little bolder or
more shameless, perhaps than some Others but
not a whit more corrupt These gentlemen
know Albany-they know their witnesses-they
watched their cOuntenances while giving test-
mony and can "read between the lines " as
well as any one. They know who were squarely
lying, who were merely prevaricating or
Withholding facts, and who were telling the
truth, and might have made a far more lucid
and entertaining report had they chosen to do
so. And yet we thank them for so much light
on the dark subject as they did not dare to
withhold.
On Mr. Mattoon's testimony and that of
others with regard to him, we need not COM
ment. Putrescence, at a certain advanced
stage, sometimes betrays luminous qualities;
and Mattoon's has reached that stage. But he
did not absorb the Erie Companys Half Mil
lion nor a quarter of it: who got the rest
Who believes a word of the stuff about the large
sums loosely" paid to BOhemians of the Lobby,
who couldn't get credit at good Albany hotel
for q months board Who imagines that
100000 Of Erie money were ever put INTO the
hands of q nonresident ex-Clerk Of Assembly
without knO,cing that it was to be disburscd
to Members for votes, who were to have
it, and how much respectively? This
silly ostrich has not succeeded IN covering
even his head, to say nothing of tho larger
extremity. And not a member of this inyes-
tigating committee has shadow of doubt
resting on his mind that the bulk of the Erie
Half Million, with n good deal more from
other parties, was absorbed by the Legislature,
only the leakages and driblets being arrested
on its way by the voracious but relatively
poweress vultures of the Lobby
Messrs Hale g. Co. know very well how diff
cult it is for honest men to obtain any other than
vague hearsay proof of Legislative Corruption
that none but those implicated have or can
have any knowledge on the subject but that
obtained through whispered condolences which
they cannot violate and public report which it
is morally impossible that they should verify
and their abuse of witnesses-especially of Mr..
John f. Mines-is outrageous Mr.. Mines
wrote of matters notorious and unquestioned-
of what was in every ones mouth, though only
the inscrutabe could absolutely, positively at
test their verify. He knew last Winters legis-
lation was corrupt, just MS your nose often af-
firms the proximity of carrion which you never
saw and never want to see. In sporting phrase
"The scent is breast high" The lashiDg given