The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-03-14

with aces By pair Of kings. If the lobbyist
quietly pockets his aces and pushes the money
over to the fortunate Senator who holds
nothing, who is to question him2 Money 10
money, a game is game, and chance 10
chance, and If men play their cards 90 40 to
lose large sums who is to question:
Sometimes the lobby appears in the snaps
of lovely woman. Mephisto pheles won Faust
by an appeal to his int elect and ambition.
But he made the Same appeal to Adam and
failed, So he whispered in the ear Of Eve.
and Adam partook Of the fruit, and walked
out of Paradise. When the lob hyist fails to
reach the intellect and ambition Of an honors
able Adam by means of pack Of cards he fol-
lows the time-honored example. What an Had
We could write if we really knew the battles and
triumphs OF lovely woman In the Hobbies Of
Washington! Eve has her bills; q scheme foB
railway, claim for guns, perhaps; .
necessary line Of ships an endow-
ment for preaching the Gospel to
the Apaches-in which the virtuous Senator
Pomeroy is rumored to have religious inter-
est-or some Yerba Buena scheme to give
millions Of dollars to Pacific railway already
blessed with millions of acres and bondsl
Who can say nay? Senators are men, aud
men are human, and when woman-''God-
beloved in Old Jerusalem" her melting
eyes upon grave legislator and whispers in
soft, alluring phrases Of the merits of her
enterprise and the good that must come to the
nation if it is accepted, who can resist her
eloquence? So it was in the beginning and
so it will be to the end we fear, and the
radiant eyes that illumine the dark, gaudy and
sweeping galleries affect more legislation than
the records will ever tell. Do our friends Of
the oppressed and suffering sex, who would
have their rights at the expense Of bloody
revolution-our Stantons and Woodhulls aud
Claflins-really do themselves justice in this
respect? True, woman cannot vote; she cam
not hold forth, like Schurz and Carpenter, to
crowded galleries; she is honored over much IL
she is permitted to nestle in the cloak rooms
and peer out on the avenue; but in the lobby
she is queen, for this mighty lobby is demo-
cratic and progressive, and Welcomes all allf-
ances, and many bill is advanced upon the
calendar in obedience to the sweet command
of lovely and gra cious Cleopatra.
So we might continue an analysis Of this
comedy but it tells its own story. In this day
of small men; of demagogues in the place Of
statesmen; of jobbers who rank as patriots; Of
legislation for money, power and place when
Congressman look upon personal emolument az
a public duty, aud deal with the Treasury and
the nations possessions as though they were
their own property, it is interesting to know
what the lobby really is and who control il.
Since corruption reigns in Washington it is we'll
that it has assumed an attractive guise; that
all the rehnements of modern society ara
utilized to make shame and fraud attractive.
At the same time the people will mark well
the men who follow this dishonored calling and
the legislators who do their bidding. And
since the spirit of reform is now abroad We
feel it public duty to tell the story Of the
charming infamy OF this life, and to contribute
to the punishment and degradation of those
public servants who 60 to Washington to sell
their honor aud waste the treasure Of the PEG.
pie for savory dinner, the smile of beauty or
thirty pieces of silver.