The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1876-12-23
Our Washington Correspond
ence.

Legislature. The Lobby: What IL is
and hoc il operates. =" Cur5stone "
lobbyists. Sam Ward, the King Of
the LoJby.-Mognates rs. Magnetism
Sketches Of leading lobbyists, male
and female. Honi soft gxi nal .
pense!!
wAsHiSoroy, D. o.. December IS, 1875.
There is one element which enters
largely - too largely - into American
politics, and that is the lobby. Although
By no means confined to this hemisphere
for there are lobbyists at the courts Of st.
James, Berlin, Madrid. St. Petersburg
and even in republican Versailles, as well
as here, yet they dosnot with few excep'
tions) confront the public with so bold
face and carry on their operations SC
openly and unblushiugly on the other side
Of the Atlantic as with us, where lobby.
ing is a regular trade, having the Capitol
for its work shop and the members of our
national legislature for its tools. Cora
Pearl and Lizzie Blackford, though they
meddled with politics and both got into
scrapes accordingly, one in Russia and
the other in France. were courttzans
rather than Lobbyists; differing in thai
respect from "the Metternich " of the
second empire, who was a lobbyist rather
than courtezan, ard who had more &c
do with shaping the dest ny Of France
than any other woman during the reigt
Of Louis lie Petit, Eugeoie not excepted
1t does not, indeed, require long resi-
dence in Washington, or much scrutiny
to become acquainted with the fact that
lobbying here is carried on on gigantic
scale, but yet with peculiar tact ant
fnesse that makes it, in certain sense
attractive, if not respectable. | do no,
here refer to the buDgliug curbstone
lobbyist oil the fourth or fifth degree, wht
con6ne their operations to small privat,
bills ranging from few hundreds to ont
or two thousand dollars, and who ar,
recruited chiefly from the demi mond,
and the members friends" OF which oul
city has such an unduly large proportion
but to that class which moves 10 uppel
tendon exclusively,snd only at rare coca
sions put in an appearance at tho Capitol
1t is mistake to suppose, as many do
that the gorgcously dressed and painted
beauties one sees, on every fair day, il
tho Hobbies or galleries Of the senate aut
the house are lobbyists as the genuine
lobbyist knows a thing or two, keep
aloof from the east end of Penpsylvani;
avenue, and seldom refers to the Capito
In convcrsation-aots, in fact, as If sh,
were utterly Ignorant Of the existence o
that structure, or the purpose for which
it is employed!
With the male lobbyist, however. th
case is different. He haunts the member
in their committee rooms, while tn
female let's them haunt her in her drawing
room or boudoir. He goes to them, the,
come to her. His destinations are shares
good wine, luncheons at 1.-The Congress
Sional" and late dinners with draw
poker as desserDat Welckersi hers oonsis
in soft eyes aud soft hands, seductiv
smiles, fair promises, and an exuberanc
of magnetism" Her eyes attract You
her faintest touch sends thrill througl
your body from tho tips Of your toes t
the end Of your nose, and her voice is 0
that quality which makes it absolutel
impossible to reply 10 it with no -
with the grace Of a Salisbury she combine
her motto; Honi soft qui NAL q penss'
Everybody knows that Sam War,
stands >. tho head of the profession b
is the king of tho lobbyist, and has lob
bied more bills through Congress tina
any other man living. Next to him as
star of the second magnitude comes prob
ably N W, the great inventor an
gun manufacturer, But then, he lobbie
chiefly 10 his own interest. He has
claim Of some hundreds Of thousands no,
pending before Congress. Colonel G.
Mr. F., Of New York, aud a Sel
kno WI ex-senator who shall be nameles,
are also notable instances Of successf,
lobbyists, But besides these, whosO or
eratious e2yer hundreds Of thousand,
there is shoal Of smaller fry, many @
their relations constituents or intimate &C
quaintances of members. who make it
point to know" dozen or two congress
men, and claim to be able to "inauence
all they do you know. This class ha
its headquarters chiefly in the lobbies c
Willards and tie METROPOLITAN hote
Most Of them chew tobacco and drin
whisky straight, and as q rule they or
impeouniOus and always waiting 70
something to turn up" Not few el
members who have run to seed, but max
tho most of their privilege of access t
the floor Of the House, belong to this III
enviablo olasa.
The queen Of the feminine branch {
Lobbyists is o lady who was born in Alez
andria, but has lived in Washington for
number Of years. She is widow,
rich, stylish and extremely fascinating
She has had some hundreds Of offers {
marriage; but with marriage her pows
would be gone Ito considerable exter
at least). so she prefers to remain singh
She drives stylish but quiet turnou
frequents the presidents receptions occl
sionally, and drinks pint bottle of chan
payne at her breakfast regularly ever
morning.
Three other ladies, almost equally &
traotive monopolizs with her the "heavy
business 10 that line. and one of these
the wife of naval officer. None Of the
are "loud," and they all belong to the eli
and move in the very best society Mr
b., Of New Orleans, who was conspic'
GUS here three or four years ago. whe
she was instrumental in securing famo'
contract from the treasury department
has left US for other fields and pastur
new and now, l believe, resides in Ne
York. Senators aud members used
meet at her house on F street, close
Willard'a hotel, and have a grand o
time. She was handsome woman Of Il