The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-03-20
The Army Of Intriguers that Beset Unwary
Members Of Congress-.


There are no shrewder persons In the
country than the female intriguers Of Washing
ton. And though the whole clAss.may be known
by one name, they differ In their standing and
In the magnitude OF their operations AS mer-
chants do I'm theirs. No man goes to Washing
ton in Official position who Is not beset by these
women. And what makes them dangerous In
the extreme IL the fact that they are outwardlv
respectable in the extreme. They NAV be the
leaders IN society: they are almost invariably
society women and they are accomplished, ee-
giant, and pursue their work M though IL were
only secondary matter, thereby dlsWminR he
object NJ their attack and preventing suspicion
they ara not necessarily women OF questionable
character; indeed, the highest OF thcm are often
above suspicion IN this respect; but n larger
class are composed Of those VINO are not on
pressed or hammered by conscientious scruples,
ana VINO VIII hesitate at no sacrifice of pers pnal
honor where the stake TO be gained Is CORE
spondinGly important.
A large proportion OF these women interest
themselves IN the passage Of private bills, and in
the appointments OF favOrites to lucrative OIL
fees. The bill may be one which provides for
the pavment of a claim Of comparatively lnsig.
nihcant amount, aud II will probably be sup
ported on very plausible grounds. fhcre Is no
political question involved the matter Will he
unneard Of after its PASSAGE and the entreaties
AMI Establishments OF the female lobbyist sue
coed in far too many cases.
lie Is not to be inferred by those unfamiliar
with Washington life that these women Haunt
themselves as LOBBYISTS, or that tney have no
visible reason for living In the capital save that
OF the prosec ltion OF such work; or that they
muster AS an army OF mtl1Itntcs which may ne
seen separate aud apart from tho other portion
OF Washington society IL IL the expectation OF
recognizing them rs LOBBYISTS that makes mem
the more dangerous. The INEXPERIENCED legis-
lator. and indeed those wno are not 50 ineXpe-
Fenced. rarely dream that the charmi ~ and
lady-liko person VINO seeks an interview with
him Is one OF the crew that bescts uuwary Con-
gressmen Ia Washington. lie thinks he would
Know the later al glance, aud sometimes
wonders why they don't mako their appearance
wnen one Of the most artful NAV DO at that mo-
meDt beside him.
And strange though II may seem, II Is not I'M
usual Tor ladies engaged In this business TO
Imagine themselves ANYTHING or everything eX-
cept lobbyists. They have "A friend who has
claim, and they want to help that friend through
with Il. II they are successful, and receive
reward FOR their services, that can hardly he
called lobbying. Or they may have cl i'm of
their own, for which they have a perfect right
10 work. IL not uufrequently happens that 4
lady, perhaps the widow of a soldier. or the
daughter of Southern sufferer, comes to the
capital To present her own claims fur compensa-
ton, The weeks that she expected TO remain in
II necessary 70 exc out her means. She grows
familiar in urging her own case, with the crooks
and turns of Official life, aud meeting others
with more pretentiOus demands against the
Government she forms an alliance for the adj
vancement OF their respective schemes.
1t mus happens very often that a lady highly
respected at mono, and justly SO, becomes ia
Washington female lobbyist, and that, too,
without feeling that she II doing any violence
TO her own seli-respect. or, the woman lobby
ist may be department clerk, or the wife OF a
clerk or OF suOoTdin te official, crazy to add
TO her income, aud almost as crazy to exercise
the power which she feels proud of welding
over men IN prominent positions.
In the great majority of instances these
schemes do not rise above petty attempts to Sc
duce omcldls ON minor matters but now and
then holder movements are exposed aud II Is
not ~ ali unlikely that In some OF the greatest
schemes which have been before Congress aud
the departnents women, and perhaps those
moving In the highest circles, have been en-
gagged as chief manlpulatOrs.