The Portland daily press., 1880-03-30
Our New York Letter.
The Smyth Imbroglio-Albany Politics
Disappearance Of the Lobbyist-The
New Appointments.
New YORK, March 29th, 1880.

Governor Cornell has been relieved of Sc
rious embarrassment by the voluntary with
drawal of John F. Smyth from the official ser
vice of the State 1t became apparent soon af-
ter Smyth's denomination that if the question
of his confirmation was pressed, he would be
rejected in Senate, three quarters of the
members of which were Republican. This
would have brought about a state Of things not
at all calculated to preserve harmony in the
Republican ranks, and no matter what the
merits of the case may be, it is better that one
man should suffer wrong than that the welfare
of party on which the safety of the State de-
pends should be jeopardized But now that this
element of discord has been removed from the
politics Of New York, it is only fair to say that
there is nothing in the record of Mr.. Smyth,
albeit it has been most keenly scrutinized by
unfriendly censors, that reflects upon his in
tegrity or good faith. The warfare against
him has not been made by the Insurance Com
panies whose affairs it devolved on him to sup
ervise. On the contrary he has received strong
support from them, and up to the very hour of
the publication of his wish to retire, some of
the ablest and most influential underwriters of
the metropolis were considering the means by
which they could overcome the cruel persecu-
ton of which they regarded him as the victim.
The hostility to him was entirely ON political
grounds. He had succeeded in provoking the
animosity of hostile factions. He has always
been an indefatigable worker in politics, pos
sesses great deal of force of character and
tenacity of purpose. There is apparently
Scotch blood in him; at any rate he has all a
Scotchman's determination to have his own
way. His power Of will gave him control of
the organization in Albany County; but the
position was a perilous one. There is no coun-
ty in the State in which the game Of politics is
played with more dexterity. 1t has been
noted for century as a theatre for the
display of the rarest specimens of intrigue and
fnesse, and almost all the meniwho attained
elevated position in public life derived much
of their fame from the skill and adroitness
with which they manouvred the parties Of
which they were leaders. The albany Re-
gency" was for long time held in sort of
awe by the people because of the diabolical in
genuity with which it contrived to accomplish
its ends. Within the second half of the pres
ent century the two editors at the State capital,
Edwin Crosswell and Thurlow Weed, with
their two newspapers, the "Argus" and the
Evening Journal regulated the affairs Of
their respective orders and kept up net work
of finter-communication with all other counties
so that everything went smoothly in the Exec
utive chamber and the Legislative halls. II
the Democrats were in the majority anybody
having bill to carry had only to see Cross
we'll. His answer, whether affirmative or neg
.I1I H. II -.
were in the ascendant, Weed was the man
whose "aye" or mo was the voice of the
Governor and both Houses. The system saved
trouble, but it was terrible stimulus to cor
ruption and it opened the way for so many
schemes of special legislation, such profitable
grants to lay street railways in cities, and all
sorts of contrivances for securing personal
gain, that public virtue interposed to stem the
tide of corruption and the reigning spirits Of
the capital were deposed.
1t is gratifying to note the progress in the d-
rection of purity and integrity that has been
made of late years. 1t is not very long ago
that the Lobbyist was generally regarded as an
unavoidable concomitant of the Legislature.
His presence might be disagreeable to many;
it undoubtedly was to every member whose
moral perceptions were at all acute. But no
body seemed to have conceived Of such pos
sibility as getting rid of him, and he generally
succeeded before the session was over in con-
quering the prejudices of numbers Of represen-
tatives who at the beginning felt and expressed
a very decided repugnance to any association
with, or liberation Of, man who was there lit
orally to buy votes. 81
Tho fac tbofb ba IN, ad =, N copoc;ouo
that there was anything disreputable about
his vocation, and that his address was fascinat-
ing and his appearance genteel, that he car
ried himself withsthe ease and grace of per-
son who had worthy business on hand, helped
to soften the unfavorable impression produced
at first. And then he was so hosoitable. His
room was the easiest of access of any in the ho-
tel. And it led into another apartment fitted
up with shelves on all sides, glistening with
bottles and decanters containing infinitely bet
ter liquors of every description than the land
lord could furnish. He was always there to
invite guest in. 1t did appear as If he had
the gift of ubiquity. Not a motion in either
House ever escaped his notice, and yet he was
never missing when thirsty member hove in
sight of his private bar. The secret of his al
ways being where he was most needed was not
an unfathomable one. He had employees
enough of both the chambers under his pay to
make it absolutely certain that he would re-
ceive the earliest and most reliable informa-
ton touching,every proposition affecting the
various interests he represented. He didn't
ebtrude himself upon gentlemen at all, but
was very affable to all who evinced any dispo-
sition to be sociable with him, and the number
of these, through such persuasive influences as
he employed, gradually increased. He had
such happy faculty of finding out and minis
tering to the tastes of his friends, he knew so
well what amusements they affected, and had
so much tact in making up little parties for
their delectation that he became in the course
Of time a great source of comfort to the coun-
try representative, whose leisure hours might
otherwise have hung heavily ON his hands. All
this while the bills he was urging the passage
Of we're making progress, few of them being
put upon their passage until the session was
near its end, and some hurried through so rap
idly that it was difficult to keep any precise
tally of the votes. 1t is fair presumption,
BILE compensations. for he was generally sent
back AGAIN by has constituency. The Lobby
was called the "Third House. and the men,
bers of it were not without certain pride in
the cleverness with which they directed the
business of the other two bodies without CIV
ing away secret or compromising confeder-
ate. Success made these people bold and after
long course of immunity they became care
less in respect of their disguises. Meanwhile,
public sentiment was undergoing steady and
wholesome publication, and happily the Lob
byist and his misdeeds are scarcely more than
disagreeable memories of an age less observant
Of the principles of rectitude than the one it is
our privilege to live in.