Year: 1875



 If the Pacific Mail investigation had no other result, says the New York Times, it would prove of permanent value from the light it sheds upon the inner working of the Washington lobby. The names of some of the chief orna- ments of this fraternity have already come out, and more of them are coming. The public has had the benefit of some very frank explanations from the persons who make business of fostering cor ruption, and the way in which these car rion scent in the air project with money in 1t has already been described by some of themselves with a minuteness which leaves nothing to desire. From the talking to parties at the hotels, |" in private way" to the speaking to mem bers of Congress in "an inquiring way" from the person who, Gas an original principle" is ill favor of all subsidies, and who speculates in the New York Stock Exchange on the strength of "points obtained in Washington, down to the assistant doorkeeper, who takes his modest gratuity of $1, 500 for delivering pamphlets, or his more am bilious associate, who grabs $11 ,O00 for being |" attentive and courteous to MT. Irwin, the evidence is succinct epitome of the slang, the evasions, the tumble, of men of all shades of character and position who gather round Q bill that has "money in it.:

 The Washington investigation brings out very clearly one point to which we have frequently referred as @ character istic of lobby operations at Albany. We allude to the very disproportionate amount of the sum disbursed for corrupt uses which remains in the hands of mid dlemen. The people who profess to be able to "infuence" legislation absorb a very large share of the funds which are supposed to go into the pockets of legisla- tors. In fact, when once legislative corruption fund has been voted by any company, there seems to ensue very lively competition between the officers of the company and host of moro or less corrupt instruments as to how little of the money shall find its way where it is supposed to do most good. The division of such fund is as little likely to be conducted on any recognized moral principle as the division of the "swag" among gang of burglars. The greed and corruption of the average legislator is first painted in tho strongest possible colors, so as to secure as much money as possible; but when once the reputed seller of votes has made the hardest bargain he can with bis em- ployers, he takes care to buy as few votes as possible, and, it may fairly be as- sumed, to buy those cheaply.

 It has been made obvious by the evi- dence already elicited in the Pacific Mail investigation that at least one-half of tho corruption fund voted by the Stock well directorate went into the pockets of counsel, newspaper men, spies, petty speculators, and hangers-on at the Capi- tol generally. The suspicious way in which checks went to and from the off ces of the company in New York suggests the conclusion that some of the leading officers of the concern took their share of ths price paid forlobbying the subsidy through Congress. Of course, the op- position to the subsidy was laid entirely at the door of "bear movement" or ganized in Wall street. A large force of amateur detectives was kept on duty to record the doings of the opposition what members they saw, and what kind of arguments they employed. One of these detectives reported no less than forty times to his chief, and the burden | of all his communications seems to have been "It was merely question as to which had the most money"

 The precious gang of scoundrels who were keeping each other "posted' in Washington about matter over whose disposal they really seem to have exer- cised very little influence, are not cred itable product of our system of govern ment. A brood like this can only be do- veloped, in the first instance, where bribes are given and taken in exchange for votes. But as they grow, it becomes their business to exaggerate the propor- tions of the corruption that nourished them, and to disappoint it of & large share of it's accustomed gains. Thus, by certain law of compensation, the greed if the lobbyist interferes with the trades of the corrupt legislator, and the very excess of the evil threatens it's exis- tence. In this way, the Pacific Mail Company, by employing one of the largest and most shameless Hobbies ever known in Washington, have, in spite of themselves, rendered some slight service to public morality.