The New York herald., 1869-01-11

The Senatorial Auctten.
If the poet Thomson had lived in our day
and had a chance to visit the State capital ne
would realize in practice what he has written
in song-that
Unblest by virtue, government league
Becomes, clrciing junto Of the great
To rob by law.
Governments in our days have become
juntas to rob without the salve OF either law or
license, and as for public virtue, there is not
enough of it left in the land to cast shadow.
Take the Senatorial auction now in full opera
ton at Albany for example. There, without .
blush, influence and votes for the candidate for
United States Senator, who Is to be elected by
the Legislature tomorrow week, are bid for,
huckstered for, and much of this marketable
article is no doubt already purchased at fair
prices tits no straining of words, therefore,
to call the present contest for the Senator
ship an auction; for the man who has
pluck to make the highest bid will
certainly have the prize knocked down to him.
Up to this time there has been good deal of
timidity and coyness in making pledges and
posed to be in the field yet, and the patriotic
legislators and lobby gentlemen are biding
their time-waiting, indeed, we may say, for
the coming man. Up and down the lobbies
and ante-rooms Of the House and the Senate
Chambers, up and down the halls and corridors
ofthe hotels they are bustling or lounging, but
ton-holng one, half embracing another, whis-
pering here, gesticulating there, and laying
pipes everywhere, and all with one object-to
make sure Of the value Of vote for the Sena-
torship. There are three elements which are
supposed to enter into this contest-politics,
principle and price. One may find q fair share
of the first, but it is of the strictest partisan
pattern, and possesses not much of either mod
esty or virtue, but rather illustrates ''tramp"
with no fixed tariff. As for the other elc-
ments, if we do but lightly scratch the Rus
sian principle" we shall be sure to find
under the skin the full-fedged Tartar ''price.
In fact, politics and principle are blown to thin
air by the bowling hurricane that is rushing
towards the spoil which is supposed to lie be-
hind the triple-headed Cerberus Of corruption.
1t is pretty certain that there are three can
didates in the field, and it is sOothingly be-
lieved by the politicians that this trinity rep
resents three hundred and fifty thousand dol
lars, which are to be cast into the cauldr0n of
Senatorial aspirations. This is a tempting but,
at the same time, perplexing bait; yet, as
the election Of Senator is reduced to clear
arithmetical proposition, it is easy to see that
the man with the odd fifty has the heaviest
chance. Either one Of his competitors must
Ego it BETTER" or he must cave in or open his
carpetbag little wider. We were going to
draw the attention of the politicians at Albany
to this mathematical problem, but of course
they understand il perfectly without any help
from us. 1t is said that one Of the lead
ing tribunes of the republican people thinks
that the two 'hundred thousand" candidates
are disorganizing and demoralizing the party by
their personal animosities; SO he goes in
boots, breeches and coat-for the third man
with the odd fifty thousand, who has not yet,
we believe, opened negotiations with the
lobby. Hence that august institution
On the tptoe stands
The republicans, of course, will get the
largest share of the spoil, but the democratic
members are waiting meekly for their own
good time, which will come when the crisis
comes.
1t is lamentable to be obliged to record such
state Of affairs, where the highest legis-
. lative Office in the country is the stake played
for, and that the facts are true is only another
proof that public worth and public virtue are
falling so rapidly out Of sight, and the sun Of
political infamy, which turns everything into
corruption and rottenness, is rising SO hope
fully for those who feed upon corruption and
fatten upon all nauseous things that there is
cause 10 alarm lest the Nemesis which
pursued the ancient Roman republic to disso-
luton and destroyed the grand Roman empire
may decree for our modern republic similar
fate.
GENERAL GRANT GIVES A DINNER. After din
ING and wining good deal here and there, from
New York and Boston to the cities OF the West,
General Grant himself gives dinner in WASH