The Portland daily press., 1871-10-27
DAILY PRESS,
PORTLAND
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1871.
Letter from Washington.
PORTLAND.

l. Letter from Washington.
WASHINGTON, d. c., Oct 22d, 1871.
TAMMANY CARPET BAGGING"
To the Editor Of the Press
So much is said about Radical carpet bag
gers that it may not be undesirable to tell
something of the same class of operations on
the other side. Before giving particular il
lustration, let me refer to some special facts
which are coming out. The Tribune and DR..
Greeley howls Justify, but is not at all scrupu-
lous of its company when they happen to suit
the policy it defends. Take the case of Lou
isiana politics. New Orleans men say that
Greel.y's New York speech, Genuncatory of
carpet Daggers was distinctly aimed at Gov.
Yarmouth, that the editor was so thoroughly
informed on that Gubernators career. as to
render it impossible for one to miss the Dor
trait. Yet Greeley turus round and supports
Yarmouth, simply, it would seem, because
the latter is understood to oppose the Presi
dents denomination.
Some inquiries are now being made in the
South, both by the Joint Ku-Klux Inyestioat-
ing Committee and by private parties, which
will set right much Of this talk about ''carpet
bag swindling," and at the same time show
how largel a proportion of the real rascality
| perpetrated has been by Southern men-gen-
orally Democrats, at that.
SOME EXAMPLES.
1t is well known in North Carolina that the
"Railroad Ring" whose operations largely in
creased the State debt, was managed in great
part by shrewd Democratic lobbyists, and that
the members of the Legislature of that ik were
quite as deep in the mre as anyone else. In
proportion to their numbers, they cast more
votes than the Republicans. 1t is very well
understood fact that the principal lobbyists
around Southern Legislatures are Democrats,
whenever they have any politics at all.
In South Carolina-a State whose name is
| often cited as an example of the prevailing
corruption of carpet bag rule, it is well
known fact that seventeen out of the nineteen
Democratic members of the Legislature, there
of, voted steadily for all the so-caled 'jobs"
and "speculations" which are charged against
that body. 1t is declared that Gen. Butler,
the Democratic nominee for Lieut. Governor,
boasted of his large fees and success as lob,
byist.
In Georgia, the principal fight against cor
ruption has been conducted by "carpetbag-
ger" Col. Bryant of Augusta, formerly of your
State, while the chief corruption is charged
against a native Georgian, Senator Foster
Blodgett. The Democratic politicians are as
much tarred with this mire as the Republi-
can.
Take Alabama. No such charges ever rest.
ed against Gov. Smith and the Republicans,
as now rest against Gov. Lindsay in the mat
ter of the Chattanooga railroad bribes.
These sort of things might be said almost
dd tibitum. 1t is certainly true that the most
active operators in the Washington lobby are
generally old Democrats. The reason is ap-
parent; they have had longer training. But
there is one State whose present financial
muddle is due to Democratic dishonesty. |
refer to
THE OLD DOMINION.
Gilbert c. Walker, present Democratic Gov
ernor is superb type of the "carpet-bagn ad-
venturer. He is New York politician, was
a sutler during the war, banker after, a pol
itician on chance and a speculator always.
Finances in Virginia are in an awful muddle
The rebellion did much of the work necessary
to make chaos, bat Walker, under Tammany,
finished it artistically. In 1868, at the Spots
wood House, Richmond, the arrangement was
made by which Walker became Governor.
The animating prize was the railroads of
the State. Virginia has about thirty millions
invested in them. Rebel leaders, such as Ma
hone, Wickham and others got interested in
the schemes for reviving southern railroad in
terests. Walker was in with Malone, as
was most OF the Democratic lawyers and man
ayers. They selected Walker as a good ally
and to pay him agreed he should be Cover
nor. The rebel party was to be known as
the conservative; )" the control of the rail-
roads was to pass into the hands of the
rir1fr ar,6 ilxrfh fha Gfata
its interest to them; and then, the debt of
the State was to be funded, by some opera
tion which would put money in their purses.
The first point was a success. The second
as far as the control of the rail- Dads are con.
cerned, and the third has been consummated.
The latter operation seems likely to hoist
these engineeres by their own petard, and, by
oyertaxation, end in driving themselves out
of office. 1t is very well understood that
Tammany was party to this programme
its object.being TO obtain control in the South
through agents like Gov. Walker. Why the
railroad scheme did not fully succeed was
owing to the fact that the Governor went in
with the Pennsylvania Central, and thus
hostilities which would otherwise have slum-
bered were aroused.
RAILROAD CORRUPTION.
According to the common rumor, freely cir
culated at Richmond, the Democrats in the
Virginia Legislature, were put up like fish at
a Dutch Vendue, and knocked down to who
ever bid the highest over their starting price.
The lobbyists there had regular tariff of
prices, and it is declared publicly, even names
being given, that men who were poor when
elected are now well off, with means to buy
| farms and dwellings, or TO so into business
with. Votes ranged high tor railroad pur-
poses. The Democrats gave the largest num-
| ber.
| The funding law, which is especially New
Y York- Walker lammany scheme, was carried
| by equally as questionable means. How big
| a thing it is may be seen from the following
synopsis of the debt &c. Up to July 1, 1870,
| that debt, principal and interest was $4S, ,S12,-
| 563. 1t was determined to fund two-thrds,
| the balance being properly, it is claimed, to
| be paid by West Virginia. Twenty one mill
| ions have been funded. The interest on the
| two thirds will be $1,9S0,000 annually. If
West Virginia fails to assume her quota, Vir-
| ginia is TO issue bonds for the same. The
| funded debt 10 put into coupon bond, for
| the purpose OF making it both more secure
| and more available for speculative purposes.
| These coupons are made receivable, after ma
| turity, for all debts and demands due the
| State. This so appears on the bond, and ac-
| cording to decisions of the U. s. Supreme
| Court this constitutes contract which can
not be amended. 1t must be met or the State
| will go into bankruptcy. These coupons then
| can be cut off and circulated as currency.
Taxes will be paid in them, and every one
knows this affords fruitful field for corrup-
| ton. Coupons can and will be bought be-
| fore maturity at discount by bankers and
speculatins county officials, and when ma
| tured be substituted for the taxes paid by the
| people. This Tammany job seems to have
| no other purposes as it appears clearly i'm
possible for Virginia to raise taxes enough to
meet her annual obligations.
The valuation for taxation iu 1870 is set down at
1851 All, ,966
|
Thesdemands on State Treasury are
/ thus estimated:
| Interest, S2,O00,OOO
| Expenses, 1.250,0O0
| s3,25oO0O
| At present rate of taxation, 80 cents on
| the hundred dollars, the net receipts will be
but 81 ,455,73S. At $1.O0 they will be $2,911,-
476; deficit in either case. 1t will require
a tax of SLIP. All that is allowed fer schools
is the captation tax, now only $167, ,130. This
is about Democratic estimate. Virginia is
the most corruption cursed State in the
South. SPECTATOR.