The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1871-10-21
oUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
w WAsnrsGToN, Get. 9th, 1871.

liut two months remain before
this body meets. Tie t'apitol build
ing as been put in order. Both
Chambers rresei:t neat ard tasty
appearai ce. Some changes have
been made throughout the building,
such AS widening the passages, etc.
As the time draws near for the Open.
ing of this body, the hustle and
bum OF business throughout the De
partmehts is quite apparent. Al
ready a humber of familiar faces are
to be seen OH our streets, and arouLd
the different offices. The Capitol
mover, tie inevitable otfice-seeker.
a..d the LOBBYIST, are putting i'm their
appearance. The first l.amed stlae
most Uowelcome to our citIzenS:
the second is pest ai.d source Of
great annoyaice to tie governme t
officials; the last is worse than all
the rest combined. They are not
only a NUISANCE, but running sore
upon the body polite. he or she,
as the case may be, is desp;sed by
the honest portion of our country
men. more than any living thing tl.at
creeps OH ''God's green e:artl." iLey
are generally o. t. at class of crra-
lures who make their living by their
wits, and dispise honest labor. No
tr,ckerv is too low for them to re-
resort to, to accomplish t!.e;r pt,r-
pose. " omen Of bad repute arc
very oftel. brought il.to rtqui>;tiol
by item to carry out their selfish
sci l.elnes. i lie capitol building dur
ing tie se>>ia. of 'oi,gress is cr5wd-
ed with Il exc lark aud tl.eir tools.
WHO at times ;ls'ler legislation, to a
great extent. Wamen with pril ce-
ly attireS, a,4d costly jewels, arr
mostly used by these miscreal.ts to
pave Their way to success. It is ali
u.de,..a',lc fact, that there exits
to-day ii our midst, q we'll organ
.zed baud of these npri,.cipicd men,
who make it ti.e;r business to bar
ter a:.d sell Government positions,
.r~m Il mes, el gcrslip to a colls,s-
late; they are 50 bold as to eye.
offer item for sale on our streets.
] G administration las been. aid is
don 9 all lii its power to check this
evil, but thus 'ar ! as not succeeded
to any great extei.t | he Civil
cry :ce Comm ;sSion was instituted
ttr this p,upo.e, bat tie lobbyists a p
pear to be equal to tie emereel y.
| lIder these C rctmsta, .ces tie Com
mission concluded to take a recess.
fetore the Adjournment, these gen
tlemet ccmprsiI z the same, falling
to comprei.ei.d tie nature Of their
duties, addressed through tier pres
;dcl.t to tie Attorley General. ask
i..g him to deiii.e their position.
Tits ctifc.al seems to be as much
perpleNed as the Commission, AID
makes All evasive answer, aid the
lobyist las clear field to operate
i'll. am raid they alone should
rot be cci.sured others more po W.
eriill probably wink at the evil.
General .5acl>on is said to have re-
marked ol-ce upon a time, 'severy
man has lis price some ask more
than otl er-. but tley are all for
sale" The words will suit tie pres
e..t times without damaging tie re-
mark. It is no uncommon thing to
see iii " asfis'gton papers, ui.der
tie Leads Of "lterno.al>' OF
"W ants'' such little teelers as the
toilown z:
81 vii give to any person 500,
who will procure me a position as
clerk CT mes enger i'll ole of the
Cover. .ment Departments. Address,
Iii coi.fidel. &c, etc.'
It leaked oGta Few days ago, that
the position of Consul to Iel1naii-
bttco was sold for $500. 1t is to be
hoped when Congress meets, that it
will put stop to this evil, and rid
our community Of the presence of
the lobbyists; but if such positions
07-a to be21addlea about for "filthy
lucre, why not put up at auc-
ton all positions under the govern
ment, not only clerkships and consul
lates, but seats ip the Senate and
House ofRepresentatiVes? The rev.
eine derived from such a source,
would be benefit to the govern
ment, instead of going to defiay the
expenses of debauchery and vice"
THE TREASURY.
The Secretary of this department
has returned from his recent visit to
Ohio. aud is suffering from a severe