The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-08-08
GEN. BUFFERS LOBBYING.
THE MOST LUCRATIYB LETTER
WRITING ON RECORD.

from Coneress-spoGord's Bear.
Not very long ago Mr.. b. ID. Whitney, the cont
dental clerk OF Gen. Benjamin T. Butler, and to all
appearances the alter ego Of the distinguished Mas
sechusetts statesman. raised singular question in
| the Washington courts. This Mr.. Whitney who ap-
pears to act not only clerk, but as mddleman, or
what militiamcu who lived long anterior 10 the days
Of the Dutch Gap Canal the Powder-bost, and other
recent historical curiosites, would have called a
pavsor, filed bill in equity to prevent the pay
ment BY the Treasury OF certain moneys due to Ho-
ratio Ames on an old cannon contract. An act OF
Congress had been passed authorizing tho Treasurer
to pay Mr.. Ames's demand but Mr.. Whitney
claimed that the money should not BIO paid until
Ames should pay him Oyhtney) the sum Of 5000
for services rendered in securing the passage OF the
bill. In answer Mr.. Ames admitted that he had
promised TO pay $1,000 INIT av sired that the money
was intended for Gen. Butler .nd that when the ar.
rangement was made IL was distinctly Understood
ers personal services and influences The respond
cnt further stated that those services were not rem
| dered, and that, therefore, he is not legally or
morally bound to pay the sum demanded He also
claimed that retaining fee OF $3.50, which he paid
to Whitney at ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Of tue negotiation
RxroRrIoS IN BUFFERS NAME.
The question 10 still In allowance but when IL 10
brought up for settlement lis various phases cannot
| fail " prove OF great interest
As the Ames case Is not tho only one OF It's kind
| in which b. d. Whitney aud Gen, Butler are con.
wonder whether he member noe oa the P Dsict
Of Massachusetts has not been frequently guilty OF
abusing the confidence reposed In him by his con
sttuents Of pros,ltuting his position 70 base uses,
and Of disgraeina the House Of which be isa member.
II Is barely possible that tho aZoat, WLitssy, has
been transacting his nsfarious business without the
knowledge Of his employer; but II ia NOT IN.
naturally matter OF surprise that such glIing At
tempts At extortion made by the servant could for
| so long a time remain concealed from the master
whose name has In all cases boon neely used in or
| der to secure the prey.
| nUrLER . FEEs ron LoHBYINa
Late in the last session OF Congress tho House was
eeStrGd by speech ron , Gen rSTns ~orS Tso
| demanded, a fee OF 5000 for his services in lobby
ing bill then before Congress. This was the first
| public charge msde against that gentleman; II
| never pushed, and was allowed 60 rest until such
| time US personal animosity shoud once moro be
| aroused. Since that time many hints .have been
dropped touciang similar ire gularties and the
| two hames, whitney and Butler, have always been
| used In connection with them, II has come 10 be
generally believed that the member and his clerk
| are copartners in the trade.
II the suspicion IA unjust a. to Gen Butler, why
| with Wkitneyf or rather, assuming shat Gen But
| Ter is entirely Innocent and that he is gentleman
| and trusted and Trustworthy servant Of the peo-
| Die why has he not caused the arrest and punish
ment ofwnitney for obtaining money under false
| rsx Pm CENT. COMMISSION.
| The lobbying business, ms transacted oy whitney
in the name Of Gen. Butler. was in successful ope-
ration as back as 1851, a. will be shown BY the
following letters, which to certain extent explain
| themselves. AZ an introduction TO the chapter
the gentleman to whom the letters were written de-
sired to obtain from Con gress an appropriation for
standing in ali parts Of the country lad written 70
members Of Congress In praise Of the work, and
the as,hot,s pcttion' Fort,nsd With these, ana
with highly eulogstic articles from MI the leading
journals OF whatever shade Of political opinion. the
| author went to Washington and while there was
| introduced to u. D. Whitney who agreed, for the
sum Of 1850 down and 10 per cent OF the appropria
| ton when secured, 10 work toe ball through Con
| gress. He was emphatic In his statement that Gen.
Butler would have nothing 10 do with 1t unless that
agreement were entered into.
This proposal was made after few letters l,ni
passed between Mr., Whitney and his prospective
Sn SR seIS T ,Ss T% e b anna
with the difficulty OF securing an appropriation,
| Whitney wrote as follows, using
| u. y. DurLER's PRANK.
DEAR srn; In reply to yours am sorry 10 state
ns special legislation and ienr my own engszemen
will combine closely during Jour vIsil 10 be OF
,,4l7 and p NJ a." e nv !, rq2 T,v cS'ne
Ieannot talk g anybody in the ofice While these
This was in 1867. Some time elapsed before the
correspondence was resumed; but in October WHIT
| ney wrote again:
A RECEIPT PoR LOBBY NosEY
FoRTrETu coNGREss UNITED STATES,
o MAsnIsGToN, p. G; Oct. Is, lsoi
for $50, vita my receipt showing our agrssmcat
together win power Of attorney appointing your
| agent and representative.
pCu WI J'' 'o , - ~, =, " VI a. ~
~ Vn n's y. VA au Put .no oal ~ ~, W. ~,
~, !. ~, ~, - " ~.
s M, y, ~ tne y.
ens ~. NA'e ~" pt'S m ~ III
| ru'Seee' iiuS SVuis' pA-N1' ~ "hiiNhi'
| This letter was also franked by b T. Butler NJ c.
The $3.50 was raid, and the following is a copy OF
te receip. ,neseoi, 'osesner VIVA 'no agreement re'
| auVe 10 iur'ner remuhcra u . ~, 90 ,or-
MAshING1oN, Oct - lsI.
and my dollars retaining Zee Tor nv services and
.s m c4 for o%
.s SnS onev. already expensnG and ~, cnst
81 comnleiing Inc work; n being agreed ina; Zen nsr
cent OF the same shall be paid me BY Mr. - to cover
| expenses aud services heneefoIward. -
| tReyenue stampr BENZ. d. WHITNEY.
KEEPING SHADY.
| In the letter which follows Mr.. Whitney shows
not or,e ,res, roution I'M, great conhdcnca On the
| n - "'v ~ ~ iah"rs.' " h' ~ " WV
| su'0'sS '" MS ''' w.au,xorox oc, N 1877
| bEAh Sin: iour noto VI wy <sln INST, Win Nconl
panyhg nsge Dgcn IehsI 20 me imVy ~,
enren hnu Just wa' Na,su 70 possTss
sna wiz Do capit4i oasis ior acreu'ai letter ol
In rssnIy 10 yonr ouestion..
l. IL win be nnwse to have II known that any one 1.
employed to lobby work whien ought TO stand on ~
own merits
2. hcssrs. MORAN. sumner and Patterson 81 the sen
nc and james BrooNs, BALDWIN, ana Boutwell, OF IN
hous. may be influenced by YOU very adVantaseausly
| a a., -, -. -. ,,..,,. -, ., M,