Produced by David A SchwanHOW MEMBERS OF CONGRESS ARE BRIBEDAn Open LetterA Protest and a PetitionFrom a Citizen of California to the United States Congressby Joseph H MooreThe LobbyistIf a persistent intermeddler without proper warrant in Governmentaffairs an unscrupulous dealer in threats and promises amongst publicmen a constant menace to sworn servants of the people in their officesof trust a tempter of the corrupt and a terror to the timid who aredelegated to power a remorseless enemy to wholesome legislation aconstant friend to conspirators against the common welfare for privategainif such a compound of dangerous and insolent qualities mergedin one personality active vigilant unblushing be a LobbyistthenCollis P Huntington is a Lobbyist at the doors of Congress in itscorridors and in its councils at WashingtonHe is the spirit incarnate of Monopoly in its most aggressive formAmong the intrenched powers which have sapped the vitality and are amenace to the existence of our form of republican government he isstrong with their strength dangerous with their power perilous withthe insolence of their courtesies the blandishment of their open orcovert threatsFor nearly thirty years he has engendered broadcast political corruptionin order to enrich himself and his associate railroad magnates at thepublic costThe declared representative now of those who have been thus farsuccessful conspirators against the general Treasury and ruthlessoppressors of every vital interest of defenceless California withresonant voice and open hand he is clearly visible upon paradedemanding attention from the elected servants of all the people andeasily dwarfing the lessor lobby by the splendor of his equipmentThe English Parliament would relegate such an intruder to the streetthe French Deputies point to his credentials with infinite scornItalian statesmen would shrink from a perusal of his record and theSpanish Cortes decline to listen to any plea that men who are at one andthe same time known robbers and declared beggars have blended and vestedrights as both such to millions of public moneyTo the vision of thoughtful rulers and myriads of patriots throughoutthe world reading history now as it is being created from day to daythe Anarchist naturally looms in the background of such a spectacleA SearchLightIn order that a proper sidelight be flashed upon him that his choicemethods of dealing with men and accomplishing his purposes may passin review that some Californians and many national legislators may beinformed of that which they never knew or reminded of that whichthey may have forgotten that the record of his accidental and forcedconfession in open Court of an appalling use of money in defendingstolen millions and grasping after more shall be revived that his lowestimate of the honor and integrity of public men and his essentialcontempt for the masses may be contrasted with his high appreciation ofthe debauching power of money that the enslavement by himself and hisassociates of the naturally great State of California and her indignantpeople may be once more proclaimed with bitter protest and earnestappeal to all the citizens of our sister States throughout our vastcommonwealth and to the end that no such palpable embodiment ofpolitical infamy may continue to stalk without rebuke through allthe open ways and sacred recesses of popular power crystallized atWashingtonI propose to revive the recollection ofand to brieflycomment onthe whilom notorious HuntingtonColton Letters which becamepublic property as part of the records of the Superior Court of SonomaCounty in this StateHuntingtonColton LettersOf an apparent nearly 600 only about 200 are in evidence It is to beregretted that more did not come to light If the public could onlybe privileged to read what he wrote to Leland Stanford and to CharlesCrocker and to Mark Hopkinsas well as to David D Coltontherethere would be much to reflect upon But the public never will see suchletters The nature of them required their immediate destructionAs Huntington explainsI am often asked by my associates in California about my views inmatters that I have written to the others of and allow me to say thatall letters that I number consecutively I have supposed would be readby all and then go into the basket together No 561 N Y April7th 1875That was the safest way It is not wise to allow great numbers ofthinking people to read that they are victims of chicanery corruptionin high places bribery hire and salary and oppression throughconspiracy There might be something more than a spice of danger in muchcarelessnessTone of the LettersThe letters under consideration written during the four years fromOctober 1874 to October 1878 tell a plain enough tale of their ownThey abound with cool and easy allusions to various men and things toconvincing public servants to fixing committees in Congressto persuading the most exalted officials purchasing Nationallegislators as well as Territorial Governors to deceiving localcommunities and the United States generally with well consideredcunning to working noisily with blatant instruments and quietly throughmasked agents to creating public opinion by means of false showingsto electing or defeating candidates for office to smiting enemies andrewarding friendsViewed as a contribution to the literature of fatal political infectionthe letters are unique They embody an epitome of just such work astheir writer is prepared to now continue if the temper of the Americanpeople will permit him to do soThe plane upon which his exertions will possibly be made may be justlyimagined from the intimate knowledge and implied approval of bribery ona collossal scale which he mentions frankly and carelessly thusI returned from Washington last night The subcommittee of the RR Committee of the House have agreed to report Scott T and P Billsthrough to San Diego and I am disposed to think the full committeewill report it to the House It can be hoped but I doubt if it wouldbe worth the cost as I do not think it can pass the House Scott nodoubt will promise all thesay 40000000 that the Act would givehim No 428 N Y Feb 23 1878And thusThe T and P folks are working hard on their bill    They offeredone M C one thousand dollars cash down five thousand when the Billpassed and ten thousand of the bonds