New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-03-20
THOUGHTS FOR THE HOUR
THE LILLY AND THE MARSH.


THE CADErsHIP BROKER WHO swEARs He DIDN'T
DIVIDE WITH THE REPRESENTATIVES, or Tux
"BOYLEss DISTRICTo--THR SCOUNDREL WHO
ToLD-rs THE WHOLE POLITICAL SYSTEM BASED
on MONEY!
To the Editor OF The Tribune.
SIR: "You see he didn't divide" says the states
man of the period pointing trumphantly with one
hand to Lilly, while with the other he waves the
unpleasant memory of Marsh into the background of
Canada and forgetfulness. And so the Hays bust
ness ends to the satisfaction Of all whose trade is
politics, lcavir only i'll the mind of the bordering
citizen that unfathomable mystery to which THE
TRIBUNE, alone OF all the press, has several times
allndcd How is IT, thinks the uninitiated, that this
lobbyist who sells Something and delivers it, and is
found out and swears he didn't divide never has to
quit the country give up the busnessi How Is it
that the relations between this lobbyist and the
member with whom he didn't divide' continue, to
all Appearances undisurbed by such an exposure
How is il that he doesn't have to leave Washington
How is il that away back i'm tho country mother
having a son filled with martial arior hears of n
cadetship broker in Washington, pays him $4,000
(which he didn't diyide,'l, and goes home with
the cadetship and no questions asked by anybody
How is il that Mr. Hays dreams of asking,
"Who is this Beardsee! Where does he livo' Is
there no hoy in Alabama for instancel Do haply
know Of no boy in Alabamai Can il be that repre-
sent boyless district" fear that all these things
belong TO the Classification Of my Lord Dundreary
and are among those things that no leila can ind
OUT
Marsh, now he il scoundrel. Why, he has actu-
ally told. Told on Belknap, AMI on Mrs. Belknap
and is suspected of being about to tell on Pendeton
so Mr. Clymer hurries him out Of Washington with
a " God-speedw and "Pl send your fees after yon,"
and explains that the Committee "couldn't hold
the witness las though had never heard OF wit
nesses being held for weeks and even months when
il pleased or didn't please. committeeD And 50
Mr. PierrepOnt shouts, lndict him! Punish him
Stop witness~ so loudly that Marsh takes the hint
and goes To Canada leaving both parties in nuddle
and quarrel as to who is solely chiefly RESPONSE
bic for an escape which probably suits them both
All this shows the danger Of dealing with al out
slider like Marsh If it had been Lily. now.
Bnt what about Cadet Bearisee and Mr. John s.
Evansi They paid the price demanded; they could
not have got what they wanted otherwise; they are
found out AMI their prize is taken away by Gov
eminent justly ndgnant-at being found out. just
how bad are Mrs. Bearslce and Mr.. Eyansf We'll
there is no law that cOmpels mother to send her
son 70 West Point-fro,n Alabama; nor anything in
tho Constitution amended that absolutely re-
cures ANYBODY to he a post-trader. But that yon
can't have the one or the other without paving for it
i, very cyidcnt and it il only less clear that you
may get either by paying enough. The people who
pay probably care little whether Lllly or Marsh does
or does not divide = they pay for what they want
they get what they pay for, and are quite content
while they are allowed TO enjoy the fruits without
irving 70 guess troublesome conundrums.
Can it be that the whole political system OF TINS
country is based on money 7 This is what over
heard somebody saying at dinner the other day :;
and il seemed to me SO obvious that wondered why
nobody had ever said it before. From Alderman
10 President" this person went on to say forgetting
how many people had been stoned To death in tho
market place, and are every day for less.l every
cancus, every convention. every campaign, every
election. costs money. Where does ii come from !
VINO furnish the fundst and how do they get
their money back :"
I'll think ii over. DUNDEE
Nee. York, March 49, 1876.