The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1884-03-26
MISCELLANY.
4 WASHINGTON LOBBYIST.

The Manner In Which MIR. Sam Ward Con,
ductcd His Congressional Operations.
The business of lobbying has great,
changed since 1872 and 1873. Before that
date men Of social aud political influence
were employed to look after business pend.
ing in Congress Uncle Sam Ward was
proud Of the title, Rex Vestibuh But in
reality Sam was only genial, enjoyable old
man, who entertained handsomely in va
riety of ways. He studies the peeuliarities
of the leading men in both muses., and if
they had any whims and notions that could
be legitimately gratified the old man
made it his business to crafty them. Some
were fond of the table, and Uncle Sam fed
them. Occasionally few were literary in
their tastes, and here the many sided old man
was strongest 1t they loved rare books, he
furnished them though his friend, Bernard
Quaritch, of London. He could tickle the
fancy and please the vanity of the poetical
with neatly turned complimentary verses,
The lovers of fine liauors-the wine bibbers
The brandy drinkers the whiskey guzzlers
Sam could cater to after fashion that
would bring him right into their very heart
of hearts. Uncle Sam never dealt in base
bribes-that he left to The common herd.
He appealed not to avarice or cupidity but
to the brains or the stomach. He was an
accomplished gentleman experienced in the
practical affairs of life. Hehad been brought
up to trade in his youth, had travelled and
wandered everywhere in mature life. The
best story Uncle Sam ever told me about
himself was how he learned in three weeks
to speak an Indian dialect. He was the
owner of ferry in California, as Irecollect,
running it himself He made bet with q
miner that he could learn any Indian speech
| in three weeks. An old Indian chief liy.
ing near Sans cabin knew oil the dialects
OF the California tribes. OF course, he was
fond of fire-water. Sam supplied him in
limited quantities or just sufficient to warm
up his old heart and loosen his tongue, and
then piled him with questions. at was
just question of memory and fexibility Of
tongue" said Uncle Sam. ''In less than
three weeks could have made myself un-
derstood by any Indian in California"
The old mans strong point was his init
macy with leading Senators. There were
some of them who loved royal good brandy
and the very best that could be found in
the world Uncle Sam would provide. He
was not lavish with it. He knew too much
to waste such precious stuff even ON the two
brandy epicures of the Senate. He reserv.
ed the choicest article to warm their obdurate
hearts when he wanted particularly to ge,
their attention. He always studied care
fully the subject lie wanted to interest them
in, and made his points in a terse, epigram-
matte way that would interest and amuse
them. On one occasion q friend of mine
was fortunate enough to be presented with q
couple of bottles of old Monongahela whis-
key bottled in 1910. The legend was that
the rye from which it was made grew ON
the hillsides of Western Pennsylvania in Is.
20. He gave Uncle Sam taste of one bot.
tic, and after slipping the oily liquor and
snacking his lips few times he made my
friend tell him where and how he got the
stuff. Nothing would do but he must have
the unopened bottle. A few weeks after.
ward my friend received two cases of choice
old Madeira, with note from Uncle Sam.
saying: That bottle of old rye got me
the two votes 1 needed In the Senate. ~
Washington Correspondence Of the Phiiadel
q,hin Times