New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-08-30
CHjNCE FOR 4 JUDGE IND JJI!l

Every fresh disclosure of the Canal Commas
sion is more interesting than the one before
it. The story printed on Saturday which had
George ID. Lord for its hcrO-knOwn in the
rogues' gallery of the Canal Ring a. George
the Silent-reads like a chapter OF detectives
"reminiscences. We have member OF Assem-
bly, of the State of New-YOrk, of great wealth
and political influence, but Just at that time
out of job, Offering to get through relief
bill for two canal contractors, Bennett and
Hand, for two-thirds of the gross pro-
ceeds Evidently neither of them sus-
pccted that he stood in need Of re-
lief, but the offer is accepted, and pa
pers setting forth this astounding agree
ment are signed by the high contracting
parties The bill is carried by the joint efforts
of Jarvis Lord in the Senate and his son in
the lower House, and $4,000 is finally
awarded on a contract on which the con-
tractors had already made n profit. But his
share in this transaction did not satisfy the
cravings OF Mr.. George ID. Lord. Three years
after he suggested to Bennett that he should
make another demand for relief on u different
contract, but one named in the relief act
This claim was heard by the Canal Appraisers,
and MIR. Thaddeus c. Davis, now Canal APP
praiser, WAS counsel for both Subsequently
and ostensibly for the Appraisers, and secretly
aud actually for the thieves. The tcti-
tious account, az Bennett drew it up,
was considered entirely inadequate by
Lord, who directed him to increase it..
In its amplifed form it was presented to Mr.
Davis, who seems 20 have had doubts about
the propriety of lie till it was sworn to, and
directed Bennett to make an affidavit support
ing it. There was a friendly meeting Of the
Canal Commissioners at Davis's Office and an
award of $4,000 was the happy result. Or
these two amounts, aggregating $4,000,
Hand the claimant III whose name the act was
passed, did not receive single cent, SO that
this entire transaction, instead of being the
prosecution of claim which had at least some
semblance of justice, was nothing more nor
less than bold conspiracy to rob the State.
In this new departure the Commission have
entered upon an almost boundess field of ex-
ploraton. There is scarcely limit to the
fraud and corruption which has received
Legislative sanction at the behest Of the Canal
Ring. by means of unbalanced bids and poor
work, by false measurements and accounts
they grew rich enough to set up party by
themselves and threaten to move on Washing
ton. The Legislature was the lever they used
on the Treasury doors when they were in the
mood for lucrative burglary. But the partners
in this neat bit of crib-cracking" are likely
to come to grief. The law has laid its hand
on Lord, and on Davis, his accomplish, while
their two confederates, Bennett and Hand,
be,ray them TO the fate they so richly deserve
merely to save themselves.
But there il one important phase of this
case not directly connected with the Canal
reform movement. Bribery, the crime OF
which Lord stands accused is the curse of our
politics. Ii is the sum and substance of all
our political sins. 1t has made Washington
and Albany and Harrisburg blots on our civil
izati0n. And it is ia difficult to discover it rs
to put q stop to it. The most vcnal trans
actions of these men do not leave behind them
any trace that can be called evidence. Prob
ably even III ttcir secret and thievish
councils they guard themselves AGAINST
the possible repentance of their confedcrates
But here was case, the like of which has
never been dreamed of by the average voter
where thief insisted that his price should be
set down in black and white. In his greed TO
clutch the money he thrust his hands right
into the handouts that the Commission have
just snapped together. Here then ia an OPP
portunity Ia punish the taker of bride which
may not occur again in q century. The proof
is so conclusive as TO be damniug; there are
the sworn confessions of his confederates
and the still blacker testimony OF his
own hand. If there is any break
in the evidence through which he can
escape, it does not appear now. He seems to
have forged his own chains, and forged them
well. But Lord goes to a section of The state