The sun., 1871-02-06
THE LEGISLATURE AS IT IS.
SENATOR'S AND ASSEMBLTMEN UN-
MISKLD BY A TLIERAR.


ALBANY, Feb. 2, 1S71-Your correspond
ent has been exploring the hotels aud other
houses Of call in this city in search Of nforma-
ton interesting to the readers Of the paper which
shines for all. Albany attracts no attention ex-
cept during the session Of the Legislature But
for the accident Of being the political capital Of
the State, it would be no moro regarded than
Little Falls, Schenectady, or Troy. When the
Central Railroad was under Albany management,
II was n business point Of some importance. Tho
Hudson had the effect Of break Of gauge. and
the work Of transferring freight and passengers
from side Of the river TO the other gave profit
able employment to large number of persons.
But the bridge made a change in the programme,
and the Commodore has reduced the city to tho
rank Of way station on the Central, about equal
10 Little Falls multiplied by ten. There was an
effort made to resist this reduction, and at tho
time the Athens and Schenectady Valley was in
progress the Albsnians conceived a scheme for
building railroad on the west side Of the Hud-
son down TO Hoboken but this wns soon aban-
doncd and they contcnted themselves with exc.
Grating the Commodore, with few threats as 20
the future.
rus PRICE OF vorEs.
The Legislature is substantially the same thing
one year with another Practical observers speak
of a gradual deterioration ever since the adop-
ton Of the Constitution Of 1916 but there ID no
sensible difference between the Solons now in tie
Capitol and their predecessors any time within
the past ten or fifteen years. There is about the
usual proportion Of commercial men in both
Houses, aud the cost Of votes las not varied
essentially during that period. 1t is a. we'll
known as tho price q gold in Broad street,
being regulated, not by the laws of demand
and supply, but by the value Of the franchises
sought 10 be obtained, or the stress Of corpora
tions and individuals striving to protect them
selves against aggressive legislation. That pest
and nuisance known as Tie lobby middlemcn-
who assume TO stand between the representatives
Of the people and the people themselvcs-con-
tinues in about the same numerical force. The
pers0nRel is constantly changing, the places Of
those who annually fall ont Of the ranks being
filled by new recruits. They are mostly pur-
veyors Of Jobs for The greedy and unscrupulous
men whom their constituents iunocently suppose
they have sent here to make laws for the better
protection Of life and property, and to promote
the general good.
have seen something Of the lobby-cnough 10
convince me that the system rests on basis of
deception and mposture aud It is amazing that
the fruits of Misrepresentation and false pretenccs
should have been so considerable, and tha, the
practices of the knaves should have been so loug
tolerated Medha,ing on this thiug--which hns
become so common and fagrant here that the
moral sense of the community is no more
shocked at these nagitcus practices than by
Wall street gambling--your correspondent, iu
looking about f,r some instances that might be
described with a prospect Of arrcstiug public
attention with beneficial effect met with an old
gentleman whose experiences here extend back
through q tlhd Of a century, and at once pro.
cceded to interview him. ! found him generally
communicative, and not at all dsinclined 20 re-
veal such particulars as T. ight tend to enlighten
the public in regard TO a class Of transactions
that are constaatly rulling the surface of loss-
lauoa.
INrrGvtEwING a VETERAN.
give the substance Of his communications in
tie form Of a dialogue:
Coircspondeut-You must have had some
Cdlyng experiences ia the course Of your long
attendance upon the Legislature.
Nctorun-Many curious scenes I have witness
cl, certainly hut not particularly e9nying. nor
calculated 70 give one a very exalted opinion Of
tic men whom the people send here 20 represent
them. 'y engagements have been with gentle
men who had large interests to protect, and my
efforts were directed to prevent hostile aggres-
sive Legislation. There are always men iu The
Senate and in the Assembly who arc reinforced
by outside schemcrs that are known as stak-
crs.' Their gume is 10 assail the property of
corporations and individuals, in order to levy
contributions, technically dc cribcd as black
mail. They introduce bills ostcnsibl, TO pro.
mote some beneficial purpose, but ingcni,usly
couiriycd TO deprcciate the capital stock Of a
company, or work TO the injury Of some wealthy
man. Generally there is no expectation Of any
affirmative legislation. Tie idea is TO excite
apprehensions aud constran the payment of
money 10 be let alone. The striker in The Legis.
lature ushucts his coniedcrstes in ,lic lobby to
represent TO those concerned that for u certain
sum in hand, and larger amount contingent
upon the defeat Of thc hin, adverse report can
be secured Sometimes an accomplice on a com.
mittee win make favorable report, and thea the
parties in interest become alarmed, and ply
heavily TO Kill ,he bill IN Committee oil the
Whole.
now l'hh1lHNH polhif BANK 1fElN FIRES.
8. Corrcspondcut-Do not lobbymcn often
practise double fraud, dece.ying the outsid rs
with whom they deal, pretending that money is
necessary I, influence tue votes of certain naucd
members, and then pockcting the cash, leaving
IN some cases honorable legislators 10 rest under
the imputation of having been brbed to vots for
OF against given measure when in fact thoir
course was prompted by mentorious consdera-
tousi
Nctcran-Numcrous instances Of this Kind
have come TO my knowledge. 1t is a constant
trick Of the lobby and upright, conscientious
men 90 home with stained regulations by means
thereof and the amount Of corrupt legislation is
much exaggerated through the same iustrnmen.
tslity. Every Legislature contains members
Who ere accessible 20 merccnary utncnces. The
fondness for the "drprngs Of unccan lcgisla.
ton" is not party vice Republicans and
Democrats are alike addicted to t. have never
seen much to choose between them There are
avaricious, greedy, ana INSCRIPTIONS men on
both sides. Nor is one locality better than an.
other. The Wild lri,hman from Mackcrclyille