The New York Herald Newspaper, February 24, 1873, Page 5

CAPITAL GRIMES, Washipston City a Den of Thieves and Corruptionists. WAYS AND MEANS OF FRAUD. An Exposure of Congressional Collusion and Robbery. THE VALUE OF A WINK How Railroad Lobbyists and Schemes Are Favored by Officials. THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE. 180,000 Square Miles of Public Land Promised Away to Private Corporations. IOWA AND KANSAS RINGS. Learned Legal Prostitutes as Railroad Agents and “Leaders of Society’—Outrageous Treatment of Settlors—Sorrows of the Iowa Farmer. WASHINGTON, Feb. 21, 1873. Only two weeks remain of the session, and the average Congressman wishes that each day was the last, in order to cover up developments nearly apparent to the public eye. Both houses of Congress may be said, without scandal, to contain A WORKING MAJORITY OF CORRUPT MEN. Of ths working majority a comparatively small portion comes under tlie head of constant and steady jobbers; but in each of the big committces these same professional advocates of jobbery have prominent places, and they balance in influence all the rest of Congress. Such men have, from time to time, thrown a littie piece of spoil = into the way of some more scrupulous colleagne or friend on the floor, and tiie scrupulous man is in more dis- tress lest that one peccadillo may come out than the fall-blooded jobber about all his villany. A few nights ago one of the Senators, whose name isa pseudonym for axe-grindings and special legisla-~ tion, hired 4 public hall and gave a grand ball and banquet tea company to celebrate the opening of his new mansion in this city. Plainly enough, this man had no suspicion of the public indignation that more timid peopie supposed to be abroad; but the time is predicted on all sides to be not far of when these jobbers will find audacity at a discount and themselves in the focus of concentrated excite- ment such as we have not witnessed since the ris- ing of the North against the secessionists, THE DISMAL RECESS, Along recess will take place between the 4th of March and the following December. During that interim the public press will have the calmest op- portunity to make a grand inquest of the nation pon the hundred or more great corruptions which equal the Crédit Mobilicr in venality. Although the Congress to come contains a large proportion of jobbers, many of these wi!l provably find their oc- cupation gone, because the land-grant system bas ‘Bo legs to stand upon apy longer. A change of the. oMcers of the House of Representatives will accomplish a good purpose; and one of these, namely, BILL KING, ef Minnesota, a. notorious lobbyist and the Post- master of the House, has voluntarily taken himsclf out of the way, having secured an enormous con- tract on the Northern Pacific Railroad, whose bill he helped to pass, Another officer of the House, SERGRANT-AT ARMS ORDWAY, of New Hampshire, whose office has been a bank of deposit for Oakes Ames and other schemers, proposeg, with diminished chances, to mako another run, and he is said to rely upon the power which he holds over certain members whose finan- cial transactions he is said to have control of, To Ordway wiil be opposed JOE DWYER, a henchman of the Delano clique, and this selec- tion wili be out of the frying pan into the fire. While there are several excellent officers on the House side, attentive and industrious, particularly in the document rooms and the folding rooms, at the same time the doorkeeper’s department and part of the clerks’ department and @ majority of the committee clerks have toucned the sitver of the schemers, and wait for each new session to come about to lay by an unearned penny. The Ways and Means and the Appropriations Committee and two or three other important com- mittees are esquired by men who know TUE FULL VALUE OF A WINK ora word, and of whom it will be impossible to expect anything better. It ought to be the rule that a chairman of committee is to be judged by the character of his clerk as well as by his own; for the clerk is the oMcer of the watcn, and if he hold over from Congress to Congress he will ob- tain, with ordinary method, the run of the com- mittee. The man Bassett, now before the Ways and Means Committee on the charge of having Offered his services to a brokers’ combination for $500 a month and $5,000 when the bill in purchase. passed, used to be 80 indispensable to General Schenck that when Schenck put through his bills he would have Bassett by his side to compute for him and supply points and figures. THE OFFICE OF SPEAKER 4880 exceedingly powerful that the caucus fashion of naming the man has come to be of very doubtful propriety. We can see now that it was not until Sohoyler Colfax had left the cRair altogether and retired from the House that his little acts of con- + sideration for envelope makers, shovel makers, fron makers, express companies, &c., were found cout. Without a pericctly high-minded Speaker and absolutely honest men at the heads of the four or five leading committecs all legislation will inevita- bly be diseased. ? THE ELEVENTH BEATITCDE. Apprehensive that their misdeeds cannot be hidden much longer, a great many members and Senators are now making the point through their political organs that a public man has a per- fect right to own railroad stocks, &c. If this point be admitted the tone of Congressional life ‘would at once be set ten degrees lower than here- tofore; for up % tills time it has been to such an extent dishonorable so hold stock in affairs requir- recognition of any kind from Congress that men like Mr, Colfax made a profound secret of their investments under this head. Among the schemes which need perfect ventila- tion as soon as the coming Congress meets are the whole series of IOWA RAILROADS, the Of the additional subsidy to the Pacifie Mail Steamship Company, the passage. of the North Pacific and the Texas Pacific bills, the facts under ‘which such railroads as the Cairo and Fulton had their land grants extended, the combinations which exist to iorce the railways on the border of the Indian Territory through that region and ex- tort land grants at the expense of the civilized In- dian, and also the manner of building the Central Pacific Railroad, aud the sums of money which it has paid to Senators from Cal:fornia and Nevada, and perhaps from some of the Kastern States. From this list of jobs it will be seen that the matter of subsidies in lands and moneys has in- voived the major portion of public corruption. There are two States of the West in which the jand-grant system has wrought complete de- moralization of political sentimont, and captured the press, the Legisiature, and finally, the Land ‘Oflice, at Wasbington city. THE FOUR THTevEs. Prior to the time of the buiiding of tne Pacifc Ballway Measyses were mpdg te open raulways | NEW YORK’ ‘HERALD, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1873.—-TRIPL“ SHEET, across lows as feeders overland line, tig} ‘Council biutis ont nba, from, Slouz Pet epter- and road interest Jowa to preside over their land rgin Washing- ton, and tue belie! is a growing one here that Mi. “WILLIS DRUMMOND, OF IOWA, LAND com. is nearly as much of & instrumentality as Hiuvbard, or Allison, or Wilson, or Meantime the State of Kansas found its way into jJand swindling through the Kansas Pacific Rail- road, whose attorneys aiterwards occupied the same relation to the Northern Pacific road, 1 State of Ka suffered even more than Lowa frem railroad rapacity and corruption, and the horrible sensations aroused by Caldwell’s and Pomeroy’s elections were the legitamate de- ductions of the Kansas Pacific corru) ton and three or four other railroad jobs in tle bleeding State. it is out of the power of any caucus or party or- fanization to bridge the present excitement over yy aby mere recess, The next Goonneed wit be called upon to take the positive step of disbanding some 01 these railway companies and confiscating the property they have acquired from the gevern- ment, unless meantime some one of these bloated corporations should fail of its own rottenness or absurdity, and so precipitate A GENERAL PANIO in wild-cat railway securities. The lke view 18 entertained by some, shrewd observers, Who have indicated one of the 3 new roads of the West a8 probably destined to collapse, Many critics believe t some wholesome panic or calamity of this kind is essential to purily to Ser — I Congress back vo some modest and careful rinciples of PeKerapenh, The bounteous and proiigate spirit of ‘ THE OLD FEDERAL PARTY which took advantage of the earnestness of the country at the outoreak of the war has clutched it ever since, like @ horse leech, and must be chas- tised if we are to have any comprehensible insti- tutions and preserve the character of the republic, President Grant, who is not a politic hasbeen Jed into endorsements of auch scliemes as the James and Kanawha Canal and the Tennessee and Coosa Canal Company. It is well known in this city that both of these enterprises are in the hands of two or three unscrupulous claim agents, seme of wlom were formerly renegade ofice-holders, and their scheme of securing an endorsement of bonds merely, means a grand wholesale steal, and the dis- tribution of the largest part of the plunder around Washington city, Washington itselt has been transformed into a depot for claim, county, subsidy aud experimental attorneys whoreside here permanentiz, ‘are numbered by hundreds and have en recently recruited by some of the most learned k prostitutes the United States, ‘These poopie make @ corrapt atmosphere about the Capitol, and through the departments and other influences extend to what is called “WASHINGTON SOCIETY,” which during the it Winter has been at the same thine Uaasuslly brilliant and equaly hollow and corrupt. Women have come adopt the business of jobbing agents, and mary of these, with the cousent of their husbands, use society to obtain an influence over public itie, which is rap- idly undermining the whole fabric ef public spir- itedness and statesmaniiness. It is net an un- common thing to walk around Washingcon and have this or that house pointed out as the proceeds of a jobbing intrigue, where the successful attorney or conspirator entrenches himself or herself as a durable feature in soctal life, and must pursue the same line of business hereatter in order to support the extravagance of the social establishment. If all the points which impugn official character and refined society here could be related in a jéurnal of the circulation of the HERALD, they would either be regarded with indifferent uubelicf or make the people of tie coumtry déspair of re- covering our public life to the plane which we have fondly believed it had attained, Not even THE COURTS OF JUSTICE have escaped contamination, tor the lobbies of those Courts approach in dishonesty the lobbies of the Capitol, ‘this remark is not confined to any particular Court, it embraces the commissions 28 well as the Courts, and hus taken the iorm even of international scandal, ‘This is NO FANCY PICTURE, but is an evasive and, indeed, timid statement of what is admitted aon and hourly in Wasungton city. Crude, open lebbyists, in the yearly pay of great ratiways, are admitted to the tables of peo- ple considered to be of the highest social conse- quence, where can be heard descriptions of last night’s game of poker, of the shrewd tricks played upon verdant heads of Bureaus, and jests are freely made between men and women upon the success of their neighbors and acquaintances in operations scundalous to good morals and true patriotism. ‘the Crédit Mobilier exposures were requisite to show that not even the lobby was per- Jectly aware @f the height to which rascality had reached during the last ten years of almost uiver- sal speculation. THE LAND OFFICE RECORDS show that about 180,000 square miles of the best land in the public domain have already been prom- ised away vo private corporatious, equal in extent to the six # faery Western States, which are to be represented in the next Congress by twelve Sena- tors and sixty representatives, While the Pennsylvania Railroad is alleged to control, directly or indirectly, in the present or prospectively, above 12,000 miles of road, which represent above $500,000,000 of stock, the Central Pacific Company of California threatens to become the sole carrier for ali that coast, and the Union Pacific Railroad must snevitany Se into its hands, bh ticipated by the Pennsylvania road, whiel m undertal to build from Salt Lake to The Western éoust, these ENORMOUS OPERATIONS IN LAND and railways, inevitably concentrate in time#into a vey few hands, and the Central Pacidc may be said to be the personal property pt present of dnly four or five FOE von ‘pt baukers, corrupt manufacture! ortréh and corrupt railroad specu- iatofs divide equally in these schemes, and tue bonds precipitated upon the domestic and foreign market by the stimulation of the land grant system make @ perpetual carousal at the capital city, where @ portion of the plunder is divided and the extravagance of soeial life widened. Amid such vast speculativeness the integrity ef parties has been biotted out, and for years past a portion of the democrats have shared with the repub- licans in plunder of ati sorts, These demo- cratic plunderers may be traced into almost all the States—to Kentucky and Wisconsin, to New York and Indiana, to Missouri and to Alabama. The National Convention is & mere farce, manipulated by these jobbers, who undermine both parties; and it appears probable, irom recent developments, that the Louisville Convention of Bourbons, as wellas the Baltimore Convention of liberal demo- crats, were both controlled by agents or principals in railway swindling. OPERATIONS OF THE RAILROAD RINGS, I Pt erd to make a portion of this description plain by detailing some of the railroad operations which apparentiy emanate from lowa amd are traced to the Land Oftice in this city. It has been a frequent boast among railroad men and thelr agents that both Secretary Delano and Comuwissioner Drummond were put in their present positions through railroad influence because that interest was determined to control the Interior De- partment so long as a single land grant remained unadjusted. It was known that they were both more or less connected with railroad enterprises, and the railroad interest had contidence in them and used its influence to secure their appointment. The opposition to Secretary Cox, which ultimately resulted in his resignation, is said to have come from the same quarter. Repeated efforts were made to manipulate him in their interest, but in vaim, Hence they determined to get him out of the way. His action in the McGarraghan case was @ mere accident, and perhaps pretext to cover the Cn arte which had already virtually secured his removal. Whether it was a vain boast of tae railroad men that Coy By oe control the Department needs no answer to those Who are acquainted with the ad- ministration of the affairs of the General Land Oftice since Delano and Drummond were placed in charge. It would seem that nothing has beep wanting that was calculated to make good their proaters. No demand made by BY railroad com- Pany 1 jenied be it ever so adsurd and unlawful. ‘heir agents and atiorneys have full swee; ihe Department, with free access to its fil and records, wiile the attorneys for settlers are in- conveniently restricted in the privileges of the oftice. The utmost nee 18 used to despatch the business of the railroad companies, althou-h the business of the settlers ing under the Homestead and Pre-emption laws is MORE THAN A YEAR BEHIND, Willis Drummond ig a man of about forty-three years of age, of @ tall, somewhat slender figure, meee t six feet in height, with black hair, full Blick whiskers and mustache gioeely, cropped, and ‘& pair of tpt» black eyes, which denote a person of ity rather than of wisdom. He las a dark complexion and irregular features, which make ok the ensemble of @ face that would hardly attract the gaze ef the poet. A person of slow percep- tions, he is the slave ef streng prejudices, and Withal so obstinate as to suggest tite stubbornness of the bali that will net get out of the way of the locomotive. After a service of several years as Commissioner he has not acquired even 4 tolerable knowledge of the public land system. As @ conse- quence he 1s compelled to rely almost wholly upon its heads of divisions; and when they take a position he fights their battles, whether right or wrong, and usually succeeds, by dint of persever- ance and unyielding doggedness, in sustaining them, He 18, thereiere, well calculated to per- form the service requived of him by those who put him in position, It is said that he served in the army during the rebeliien, rising to the rank of Major, after which he settied at McGregor’s Land- ing, on the Lamy fo River, in lowa, and entered upon the practice of law. ing himself wp with politics, he drifted into the position of Supervisor of Internal Revenue, in one of the districts of thas State. He became aisoa director of the McGregor and Western Railroad, whieh brought him promi- nently into the notice of Wiison, W. B. Allison and others of the Io’ and grant speculators, who recognized in him qualities that eminently fitted him for the style of land commission they were secking. Itis to be noted that by far the larger part of the mischief wrought in the departments by the ralle road interest Was the work of this meddiesome, active and 4 CORRUPT NEST OF IOWA POLITICIANS. By an act passed in 1866, donating lands to that State to aid in the construction of railroads, four lines of road were authorized. In view of the c: ruption and fraud that lave wn out of this sub- sidy At becomes, at bys late Sex.0us question ich men as James F. | Whether it was not @ curse, both local and na- tional, rather than a blessing. These are the rail- gg fap eg =e = e their epee the ripen oe terior Department, aud whose agents boas! declare the tact. * gi me of the first acts of the Delano-Drummond favorable to this interest was the reopen- ang of the claim made by the BURLINGTON AND MISSOURI RIVER RAILROAD~ Company, one of the four roads anove referred to, which claim had been settled adversely by Secre- tary Browni The decision of the latter, having reversed that of his predecessor, Mr. Harlan, waa concurred in by Secretary: Cox, Nevertheiess, Mr, Delano reinstated Harlan’s decision giving to the company named a million of acres not granted by Congresa, A narrative of some of the antics of Mr. Drummond in connection with this case may serve to iiiustr how strongly the railroad com- is will involve an account of the vicissitudes of & dent in that oflice while there ion for the benefit of the p gtumbled upon the trail of he. Burlington job, and proceeded to work it as’ rapidly as possible, in order to vent the consummation of the echeme in gress. His letter was published in one of the leading New York papers in December, 1871, and it tell like a thunderbolt among the rail- roaders in and about the Land Office, ‘Their game ‘was up for the time a Although their bill was repared toconfirm to the company title of the land involved in Delano’s decision, yet it would never do to present it to Congreas until the storm had passed away. Then there was hurrying toand fro, and diligent search in spying out the recreant Gere who had given out the information. If there ponies are entrenched in the General Land Ofice, ne \eWSpaper Col secking informa’ ublic. He A TRAITOR IN TNE CAMP his head must come off, and that quickly; for otherwise there could be no safety in pursuing their unlawiul scnemes. A day alter the appear- ance of the obnoxious article the following order tae on the doors of the General Land BEWARE OF THE DOG. DEPARTMENT OF THE DORRBIOR, } “WasuinctTon, D, C., Dec. 1, 1871. It is ordered that attorneys and other agents be prohibited from examining papers and files in the custody of clerks, or from conversing with the clerks in regard to claims or cases in their hands for examination or other official action, without written leave or direction from the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Interior or the head of the proper bureau; and that if any attorney or ent shall hereaiter violate this order all further official communication with him- shall be sus- pender ‘The clerks and employés are prohibited from giv- ing information to any one in relation to the busi- ness of the Department, or any o! its bureaus, or of the condition or progress of any claim or case, unless instructed to do so by tne Secretary, the Assistant Secretary or the head of the proper bu- reau, and any violation of this order will subject the offender to immediate dismissal. COLUMBUS DELANO, Secretary. One trick of this circular is IN 118 DATB. It was posted on the day folloging the publica- tion—namely, December 19—but ante | back to the 1st of the month, so that it would not appear to have been occasioned by the exposure. The order has been rigidly enforced against all but railroad attorneys. About the time it first appeared the porreaicean ae referred to asked for permission to see the papers in the Burlington case, Which was freely gran, for he was not sus- ected ol being the author of the offensive article. uring the past Summer, in order to refresh his memory and for the purpose of examining a paper which he had not scen on the first occasion, he called upon the Commissioner ‘and the follewing conversation occurred :— CONVERSATION WITH DRUMMOND, CorRFsPoNnDENT—Dr. Drummond, I understand vhat belore Secretary Delano rendered his de- cision sustaining the claim of the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad Cedarn $ to lands outside of the limits of their grant in Nebraska he wrote a letter to Judge Hoar, requesting that gentleman's opinion as to the proper construction of the grant made to that company in the act of July 2, 1864, and that Judge Hoar, in response, gave his optnion, which is on file, with the papers in the case. If you please, I would like to sce the document. COMMISSIONER (With @ greatly perplexed air)— For what purpose do you wish to see it? CORRESPONDENT—I Wish to satisfy myself upon nemo points in question relating to the Sccretary’s ecision. This was going directly to business, The Com- missioner knew his refusal to shew the document would be placing a weapon in tie hands of his ADeNTUHIAR which might be used with considerable effect, and that on the other hand he would be little better of after allowing the paper to be scru- tinized. COMMISSIONER (hesitatingly)—I don’t think the papers are in this oftice; J think they are in the Secretary’s office, CORRESPONDENT—I was under the impression that after the case was scttied by Mr. Delano’s de- cision the papers were sent to your ofide, which I understand to be the proper place to file them. COMMISSIONKR—I wiil see where they are. EVASIONS AVOID DANGERS. A messenger was sent for the head clerk of the railroad division, who had custody of the papers, but that clerk was reported absent, whereupon the Commissioner suggested that the correspondent call at another time.. Agreeably with the sugges- tion he presented himself on the following day, apparently to the annoyance of the Cammussioner, who, nevertheless, summoned a clerk, and, aiter a whispered conference, said, “The papers are in the Secretary's office, and I have no doubt he will let you see them,” Wending his way to that part of the building in which the Secretary’s oilice is located the corre- spondent entered the room of Mr. Sturgis, who has change of the railroad branch of the Secretary's oflice, MORE Powwow. CoRRESPONDENI—Mr. Sturgis, Commissioner Drummond tells me that you have the papers in the Burlington case, and that you will let me see them. ea Srurais—Are you an attorney in the case, sir CORRESPONDENT—NO, sir; I write for the press, Mr. Srurcis—An! What ‘is the name? J see £ shall have to speak with the Secretary. A card was given and Mr. Sturgis disappeared. After ashort absence he returned and indicated that permission had been given by turning to the files and affecting to search for the papers. His search was soon brought to an abrupt close in a manner which might indicate anything but a dis- position to produced the papers. He said that he was ignorant of their whereabouts, but that his assistant, who was tien absent, could no doubt Jay hig hand upon them, and that, “if you will call again, I will try and have them for you.” A SEA OU TROUBLES. Not to be baMed by weariness of these deleys, the [ait a ed presented himself promptly on the following morning, When he was teld by Mr. Sturgis that the papers were in the Commission- er's possession. Returning to the room of the lat- ter, the following ensued :— ORRESPONDENT—Fer two days, Mr. Commis- stoner, I have been vainly age he get sight of Judge Hoar’s opinion, Upon my first application you said that the clerk who had charge of it was absent. I called again yesterday and was told by you that the Secretary had the papers. I am here now, ee the third time, with information that you have them, COMMISSIONER—These papers emanated from the Secretary and are not a part of the records of my oflice, Ido not feel authorized to show them with- out the Secrctary’s permissien. COuRESPONDENT—Perinit me to remind you, Mr. Drummond, that when, some months ago, I asked permission to examine the papers, so far from raising the objection of the want of authority, you jak tly and frecly accorded me the privilege. ‘nis decision gives away PUBLIC LANDS VALUED AT FIVE MILLION DOLLARS. Ceriainly you will not deny the right of the people te knew upon what grounds their property has been disposed of? COMMISSIONER (eXcitedly)—I have nothing to do with it. Idid not make the decision. 1 still say TI do not feel at liberty toshow you the papers with- out the conseut of the Secretary, CoRRESPONDENT—Very well; I will try to obtain his consent. Retracing his steps to the room of Mr. Sturgis— GREAT WAGGING OF HEADS. CornesPonDENt—Mr. Sturgis, the Commissioner Bays that the papers are not technically @ part of the records of his office, and that he has no guthority to show them to me without an order from the Secretary. Mr. StcRGIs—Oh, tut! tut! the Commissioner must paddle his own canoe. The papers belong to his now, and we are not responsible. If any trouble grows out of his showing you the papers Lo must bear the onus. Another trip through the long corridors brought the correspondent again to the Commissioner's room. hea he entered Mr. Drummond was en- gaged with ethers, and ENDEAVORED TO ESCAPE THR CRISIS by attending to everything and to the business of everybody else that Would serve as an excuse to delay the production of the much-seught-for docu- ment, In this way nearly two hours passed, hal of that time being consumed in hearing arguments ro and con in & conjosted case. After the office ad been cleared the Commissioner, turning about, faced his untiring persecutor with a frenzied grin, which seemed to say, “Curse the villain!” The latter sat upon @ soia near by witha face expres- sive of the most prefound resignation. CoRRESPoNDENT (laughing)—Mr. Sturgis says that you must paddle your own canoe—that Lis office disclaims ail responsibility. CoMMISSIONEK (immeasurably perplexed)—Well, you only want to look at them, do you? CORRESPONDENT—That is all I have asked for, sir. The clerk was then summoned and directed to show the paper, bat received special instructions not to permit a copy to be taken. So, through the TRICKERY AND BAD FAITH of Commissioner Drummond, the better part of three days wus expended im the effort to see a aper that siould be open to inspection at all imes. ‘As already stated, the above order is a dead letter so far as the railroad attorneys are con- cerned, but is rigidly en‘orced against ail others. ‘The same correspondent states that on one occa- sion, while he was engaged writing in the Gen- eral Land OMice, he saw attorneys for settlers enter the room, each presenting to the head cierk his written permission, describing the papers he wished to see, and then taxing his seat at the table and waiting unti) they were brought to him, not being permitted to handie the files nor molest the cases containing the records. On the other hand, he saw railroad attorneys and agents yer tye room, aud, without passes, select from the files such papers as they wanted and examine ad libitum the records of ‘the office without being questioned, The Washington agent for the lowa railroads is Mr. William f, Steiger, an eccentric old philosopher, having an odd theory as to the instability of the earth’ Pres together with an ingealous crustometer, the product of his own vention, by which he demonstrates that Washing- ton city is sometimes shoved into blue ether 1,200 feet above its normal altitude. Ontil recently he has occupied @ room tn the Interior Department, om nag to him ag an office. His business is to ‘THE SETTLERS GET AS LITTLE LAND AS POSSIBLE. Tie may be seen in the bookkeeper’s division spy- ing out deiects in the entries of poor, ignorant peo- ple, who have been unfortunate enough to settle within rallread limits, and causing them to be slaughtered Kke sheep by the unwilling pen of the cancelling clerk, 80 shat their land may inure to the railroad grant under a pernicions ruling of the department. At another time this diligent secker aiter railroad honors and railroad pelf may be seen in the pre-emption division, following up with sav- age yelp THE MISERABLE PRE-EMPTOR, the favorable location of whose land stimulates the greed of the never-sated, conscienceless job- bers, He is to be found also in the patent division, urging to increased efforts the hard-worked and weary clerks who prepare the parchment jor his capacious maw. ere 18 prection in which the Commissioner induiges should not go unmentioned. When &@ case which has been decided by him is appealed to the Secretary Mr, Drummond goes betore him nd argues and wrangles with the persistence of a pettlionging lawyer in support of his own decision. robably a parallel case would be that of the judge of @ court appearing before a tribunal superior hisown and arguing in support of a judgment rendered by him, ‘hy the Secretary does not tush this meddier into the hall necds answer. ome to think, We are answered, AN INSTANCE, To show the corruption of these gamblers in the wealth of the public domain and the iuvure o1 lowa it may be mentioned that several years Q through the jesnitry of Wilson and Allison, the Cedar Rapids and Missouri River Railroad got pos- seasion o1 the Dubuque and Sioux City road and then bent it out of its line, which. was . to strike the Pacific Railroad at Neb., down the east side of the Missow River, to connect instead with thelr own road, and thus control both railways, Thus the Chicago and Northwestern road in Jowa and the lowa division of the Illinois Central so called, and the Sioux City and Pacitic Railroad are all three the prize of the same gang. The lawyers jor this gang passed the Rock isiand bill through Congress little above a fortnight ago, and expect to pass also a similar bill for the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad, To explals ‘The chaps who got control of the Cedar Rapids and Missouri River Railroad let in the three Congressmen—Wilson, Allison and Hub- bard. Itoccurred to them that the more northerly road, if prolonged into Nebraska direct, would be A RIVAL FEEDER TO THE PACIFIC RAILWAY. Aware that a ninth of the road was held by Wilson and a ninth by Allison, they visited Wilson first and said, “We want your ninth to capture the Du- buque and Sioux City.” Then proceeding to Du- pugie they said to Allison, “We want your ninth to do the same.” “T can’t do it, upon my soul!’’ exclaimed Allison, “My Dubuque people wouid kill me politically if I solid them out on the certainty of @ short line to the Pacific; but I will ran down to Sioux City and pick up Hubbard’s (the third Congressman) wterest and let you have it.” This was done, ang Hubbard was deluded with the idea that after his ninth of the stock had been used to capture the Northern road he could get it back from Allison, taking Allison’s ninth interest, Three-ninths make one-third, ‘The three treason- able members of Congress had fixed the fate of the Dubuque and Sioux City Raiiroad, and one of the tools and agents had been the Dubuque Congress- man. The road fell mto the hands of the Cedar Rapids and Missouri River people. ‘Then, instead of building straight across to the Platte Kiver, the conspirators had a route surveyed down the west side of the Missouri over a rough, irregular coun- try, and by COLLUSION WITH THE LAND OFFICE their survey was rejected as impracticable. Of course they surveyed west, down the east side of the Missouri, southeastward toward the Cedar Rapids road, and through the noblest part, of course, where ten rich sections @ mile meant a priacipality, Here, also, they could build for $16,000 per mile, ‘This diverted survey was ac- cepted, and by the diversion the stock of the Du- baque and Sioux City Railway fejl down so fat that the conspirators picked up the remainder of it, If you will take up your railroad map to-day you will therefore see that the Sieux City and Pa- citic Ratlway—the only extension of the Dubuque and Siqux City—curis about backward, gobbies up a kingdom of goodly land, and becomes a mere parasite of the Cedar Rapids and Missouri River road, and finally expires at Fremont, Neb. THE SINGED Cat. For doing a part of this work both Wilson and Allison were arraigned in a Cincinnati newspaper in 1868, and they both delivered speeches in Congress consigning the sianderer to perdition. Wilsen said he had hoped to leave Congress “without a smell upon his garments,” but he has been a lobbyist ever since, and goes by the name of the “Singed pany Allison, covering his. tracks like an Indian, as been elected to the United States Senate for six years, where he will not be matched so credu- lously hereaiter, THE £PANISH-AMERICAN RETUB- Lics, 5 European Intrigue and Forcign Policy Against the Intcrests of the United States—Filibusterism and its Con: quences=The Situation in Ecuador— Present Diplomacy from Washington and a Beneficial Change. AmbaTo, Ecuador, Jan. 18, 1873, For many years past a strong fecling of mistrust has prevailed in these Spanish-Anecrican republics towards the United States, and this has been always dificult to eradicate. This feeling resulted from two sources, which, though different in their motive power, was held to be inspired by the same parties and tending to the same end and aim. ‘The first arose from the seizure of several States from Mexico in consequence of their. inability to withstand our arms in 1846-48. This annexation was supposed to be, though apparently voluntary in its nature, the meré use of that prerogative which ever accrues to a victorious government when an appeal has been made to the sword. With this view of existing matters they, reasoning by analogy, Went further, and did not hesitate to affirm that the policy ef the government of the United States was one of aggrandizement, and that it was but a mere question of time wuen American fofces would occupy their defenceless cities prepar- atory to an inevitable annexation, ‘The second cause of misapprehension was the attacks, or rather raids, that were made upon cer- tain Spanish American republics by filibusters, As the policy of the democratic leaders regarding their wishes for the greater extension ofslavery were well known, and moreover, as this party was actually in power, they ascribed these filibustering move- ments to the furtherance of that policy, and cloaked and aided by the leaders of that party, who, while having very little to lose would lave everytving to win by the success of these scandalous inroads, of course, it can be readily understood that these occurrences siiould only render them distrustiul of everything American. It- was but natural that ce considered with feelings of uneasiness what thelr future was to be. They mad already pictured to themselves @ time not remote when a forcible szizure of their territory would be made and when they would be compelled to obey laws dictated at Washington. The result of our late civil war has tended to dissipate any fear resultant from filibusterism, and the dread of conquest hag also been dispelied, but by other means, as will be presently shown, RUROPEAN INTRIGUE, The various European diplomats in Ecuador had spared no means by which this mistrust of our country might be strengthened and render any influence we might have nuagatory. All the foreign employés of the government were Eurvpeans— especially French, Ail governmental orders for goods of any kind were sent to England and France, Halcyon days had apparently set in for those two eountries in regard to their South American Laan Americans and American in- teresta were at their lowest ebb, and I doubt ifone country had less induence in another than the United States in this. AMERICAN DIPLOMACY AND A CHANGE OF FERLING. ‘This is a brief resumé of the status ot affairs pre- vious to the arrival of the Hon, R. Wing as Minister of the United States at this post. change has come over the face of affairs. To-day every foreign employé of the government is American. Every overDmental order for material goes to the United states. An engineer has just leit for that country tomake large purchases of rolling stock for the railroad now in ceurse of construction, next year a still heavier order will be sent for an- other line now being surveyed. A force of nearly forty skilled American artisans have arrived, and as more are on the way, to teach the natives some of the principal trades. All fear or mistrust of our country is gone. Our national holidays are as fully respected and observed here as in the Graad Re- ublic. 4 ‘Mr. Wing's knowledge of the Spanish language, customs, faws, manners, requirenents and neces- sities of Kewador, together with his arduous ser- vices in the past, all point to him as the right man in the right hn ATE ae A MURDEROUSLY INCLINED NEWARK ORISPIN. In the Newark Police Court yesterday morning John Gallagher, @ shoemaker, was charged with having on the preceding night, while intoxicated, tried to murder his wife and child at his home in Boston street. In @ roxysm of rage he threw himself on his sick child, injuring it so that it died esterday morning. A policeman arrived in time {o prevent him using bis knife on his wife, The officer had to produce his pistol in order to bring the wretch to terms, He was sent to jail for a month, His wile is Without a penny with which to ' pury the Cc. M. IN H. Visit to the Mobilier M. Cs.’ Post-Mortem Home. The Herald Salamander Commis- stoner in Inferno. HE GETS A RETURN TICKET. How Everlasting Justice is Wrought Upon Public Traitors. A WARNING TO ALL CONGRESSMEN. “Lasciate Ogni Speranza Voi Ch’ Intrate.” The Editor's Soliloquy. Scorn and shame to the dastard five— Poland, Merrick, Niblack, Banks, McCrary! Traitors, lift your blushiess brows and thrive! Bribers, be of gold no longer chary! Theft and Crime, give your fags to alr! Lobbies, gorge yourselves with public plunder! RuMans, rise and march with faces bare— In coward hands is grasped the nation’s thunder, Here he stopped shert And read TUB REPORT, Hoax Ames we find is a briber bold, We can’t save him; iet him come to grief. We'll whitewash those who handled his gold, Spare the receiver and hang the thief. Jim Brooks of ‘Crédits’’ had more than the others, He got them, too, outside of Ames. For stealing this march on his fraudulent brothers He dios as the price of his games. He’s but an exception ; our rule is brief— Spare the receiver ana hang the thics But themselves between The five, I ween, Shook each cowardly head And chuckled and said:— “Our plan is simple :—The House will object To sacrifice only two, When debate ia hot, before they suspect They'll whitewash the whole gang thro’, And so we'll gain of our alins the chief— To spare the receiver and spare the thief.” AN IDEA STRIKES HIM, One comfort remains—that the knaves are dead; The House can but gibbet their corses, To learn where all the foul spirits have fed Would need other wires than Morse’s. But the House I can show How they're fixed below. (Here the editor tinkled a little bell. A reporter bowed low.) “You're a brave man, I know; Go interview Ames and his friends tn h—l.”” THE COMMISSIONER'S RETURN TICKET. In Washington city he found Old Nick Loafing around the lobby; Ris wink was knowing, his airs were slick, He was pleased witb his latest hobby, “Will I give you a pass and a conduct safe From (and back to) the national tanyard ? Why, of course! Tho’ I seldom let out a poor waif, Do you think I’m as mean as a Spaniard? When you go to Ujiji And Cuba the ridgy, By savages equally perilied, Once in my place, no doubt You'd make your way out And tell what you'd seen in the HERALD.” ‘Thus saying he drew from an inner vest, His card—“Present that at the wicket; Don’t go through the wider gate with the rest, For that there’s no need of a ticket.” Then Nick went off joyous (at Weicker’s to sup) ‘That his real estate would be well written up. THE COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. A smothered sound, a lagging crowd, The tramp of weary fect Came grimly round, eame dull and loud; I heard my pulses beat. I knew not when, or how, or where Had come the change of scene. All that I knew was I was there, And wished I hadn't been, Upon my feelings let me not dilate. 1knocked, as I was bidden, at the gate, Awrinkied face looked out upon the gloom, It leered and grinned thro’ all the shaggy hair on, I doffed my hat and bowed. “Sir, I presume You're the old gent I’ve read about as Charon?” “Tam,” he said. ‘Young fellow, what’s your biz?” I handed him the card, and when he read it He laughed lke grating nutmegs. ‘Well, this is A treat for me; I thought you was @ ‘deadhead,’ Just wait a bit, Pll tove you round the shanty. We ain’t had ‘visitors’ since old man Dante. You know,” and here the nutmegs grated louder, “{ don’t count ‘reg’lars’ at our little chowder.” His welcome on the whole was rather warm, Altho’ he spoke not in a heated form. “Don’t want to go all through ?. Now, that’s a pity, 1'd show you lots of people from your city.” He wagged bis beard and sct his arms akimbo, “Pve got them from the middle out to limbo. Where do you want to go; we’ve places for all naturs 7”? “Take me,” I said, TRAITORS.”? “of what you want, young man, I’ve got the hang. You want Hoax Ames and all that Congress gang. ‘They’re not long in, but fixed by this, I reckon.” . THE INFERNAL RIVER, He opened wide a doer and gave a beckon. Boiling thro’ cavern depths, now far, now near, ‘The sound of rushing waters smote my ear. “We'll go direct: this is our hot Salt River. Here comes the steamer. Say there, pilot, give her A turn astarn. Come, iad, now jump aboard, And mind your footing. Put her head a tow’rd The hottest place you knows. It’s purty far; But, gracious, what @ mean, bad lot they are.’ THE HOME OF THE TRAITORS. We landed in a cavern foul and black, In heli’s hot centre stretching dimly back. “There, ours forever, stzeped in shame and woe, You'll Gnd your statesmen fixed up in @ row.” I saw with surprise, In horrible guise, The whole of the crew Making ado, Sputtering, muttering, roasting and sizzing, Baking and deviling, broiling and fizzing. Said Charon, “Go near, tho’ it may be hot, And see how we've suited them all to a dot.” On every face sat white despair, In every eye @ hundred fears, Remorse was there for the things that were, Their red eyes boiled uway their tears, - And e’er and anon Chill winds blew on, Harsh.voices roared through each angry gust, “Yeur doom forever, You'llleave it never, Traitors! traitors to public trust, Onder your shame Is crushed your name, Traitors! traitors to public trust.” HOAX AMES. Hoax Ames alone could forward move, “Because,” said Charon, “in ehame he grovels.” He ran up and down in a sort of groove, And was dressed in a suit of red-hot sl His office in this may at once be said ‘Was shov’ling hot coals on each victim’s head. To each on said, as he shov’ling began— “Here, git up and take your grool like @ man.” THE SMILER Colfax, in a red-hot Vice President’s chair, Was grilling and squirming and pulling his hair; ‘The fre was fed with his temperance lectures, “to WHERE YOU KEEP THE But what filled my mind with the gravest conjeca tures Were hooks from the roof in his cheeks of guile. Said Charon, ‘That keeps up his ghastly smile,” PATTERSON. Patterson relied clean up to his ears In a bath of boiling crocodile’s tears, Out of which there came with a snakish hiss— “Your share is with Mort’uns, and this is Bliss,” HARLAN. Hartan’s sorrow came out in sobs. Vainly he tried to gulp it; He whined as he stood, *bout put-up jobs, To the neck in a red-hot pulpit. WILSON, Wilson’s ‘sole for his morals lax Lay swimming in moiten cobbler’s wax, “With all my chances,” he cried, “I peppered am{ Would I had never gone ultra crepidam.” DAWES, With rooklike caws “Old Honesty’? Dawes Tn red-hot beans met fate’s rough shock, On nis breast that heaved As he vainly grieved Lay a ton and a half of Plymouth Rock. BINGHAM. Bingham the air with his two arms sawed In a fire of his speeches made on fraud. BROOKS. Jim Brooks hopped round on a gridiron red, Made of Union Pacific rails; Flames blue and yellow reached up to hia head, And here’s what he said in his wails:— “A broken rail will a train o’erthrow, A broken trust life’s honor sever;. Time may come and time may go— I dance this jig forever." BCOFIELD. Scofield lay In a tank of tar Kept bubbling with anthracite coal Those who touch pitch defiled are, Whether pitched on the body or soul. GARFIELD, On a spit before a breom-corn fire Jim Garfield moaning hung. “O hi! hi! O! this fate is dire, And I so green and young.” KELLEY. In a pig iron turnace Kelley was cased, Howling but never melting. “Protect me!” he ories, “though I am disgraced, This is the Devil’s smelting.” RAG, TAG AND BOBTAIL, Alley and Allison down in a hole Together, like father and son, Along with Jim Wilson, were stoking the coal And giving the devils some fun, I noted all this, and, bowing, withdrew, Determined to give to the Devil his due. MEM, As behind me I left all the heat and the din Old Subsidy Pom was just going in, REAL ESTATE MATTER3, The following public sales will be held this week at the Real Estate Exchange :— ba Edge WILKINS AND CO.—FERRUARY 25, 38. & house 37 n, 8 of West 60th st., 310 ft w. 8th av., 19.2x45x100.5, 2b. ings 366 and 364 Pearl st., 8, 7. Valentine and Charles Griffin executors, 36.43;x122, Lx100.4 (irregular). ib, amd fr. house, x. ¢. corer Broome and Mungin sts., 26x78, 5% b. building s. w. corner of Libertyand Nassau sts.,/ Jaines Suydam estate, 54.4111, 45. sh. 8, building 13 West 89th st., 231 ft. w. of Sth av. Suydam estate, 22x93.9, 4 lows. w. corner of 4th'av. and 98th dam estate, 100,113100, rx (By FR. Sh ) : 29. Fr. roof b. house and 25th at, 16) ft. a, of. Sth av., house 45x45, lots each 25xi00, Slotss& of Dith ste, 1) fee. of oth av, in rear off above (same referee), 25x10, 3b. buildings and lots e. 8. of L0th av,, 49.5 ft. n. of West BOLh st., each 24.8x10), 1 LI siory b. building and lots, 8. of West 40th st., 77.6 fte. e. of 1th'ay., lot 2,074.1. ‘ FANROARY £7, {wo eutire blocks, bounted. by tha/ st., James Suy~/ 6.) Holst, 152d and Load sts., estate o chuting 5 st. bk. nown ai and valuable wi Ri Hudson River, bet. Lotstand 163d sts. ’ 12 lots on 10th av., bet. 152d and 153d atg., with bk. bldgs. | thereon. } 4 bounded by 10th av , 15ist and 152d sts., with fre 20 lots, cottages thereon, 2 ir cottages and lots, 10th av., bet. 15%d and 164th sts, | Hand 1. ng, of 150th st., 100 ft. @. uth ay. 8 é ‘Dk. Didgs. Nos. 140, 145 and 150 W. Sist st., bet. 7th an ih ave, 4st. Dk. stores, Nos. 84 and 46 Beaver st. M. MILLER —PEBRUARY 25, 1) tt. w. loth av,, BE. Holmes( 7th st.. 281 tt. e. of Lexingtont B2xL00.5, BY JAM Lease of lot s,s. Zist st., Crawford reteree, 25x91.1L. 2 buildings and lots av., W. H. Leonard ret An 1 building an lot, c. #. 2d av., 40.5 ft. m. of 53d st. Jam ©. Spencer referee, 20x70, 1 building and lot, b; 4. 23th st., 375 1% e, of 9:h av, O. Ad ie Jackson rcierce, ‘S story bk. building, 145 Front st., 36 ft. n. of Depuystert st. (executor's sale), 1774gx69.10 (irregalar). 2story bk. building and lot, 81 Monroc ‘st. executor’ sale), 17.8x71.7 (irr . 2story Uk. ‘building and lot, 63 Crosby st. (executor'a sale), 25.14x99.8 (irregu'ar. . FEBRUARY. in East Chester, Westel nty. between Monr ‘of woodland iver sty and Putian BY WILLIAM, KE: Y—FEMRUARY 26, House and lot, n. 8 32d st., 200 ft. ¢. of lth av., M. Td Brennan reteree, 25x9%.9. it, NX. CAMP—PRBRTARY 26, Lexington a MA s., between 50th ana 1, Fett House and | bist sis. Re M. Fr. WAND CO.—PEBRUARY 24. Chrystie st, C. H. Hildreth, reg renrvary 25, 3 story h. s. bk. house and lot, 31 East 20th st, n.s., 0 8, Hine, ex., 1x62,3%02, ‘4 story h. &. building, 28 West 9th st., 8, s., 25x60x9%01, BY JERE JOUNSON, JR, PENRUARY 25, (Brooklyn Property.) 8 lots, Atlantic av., Boulevard, 13 lola, Pacific st. 12 lots, Dean st. ee House and lot, 25x75. ecatur st. entral av., cor. Joy st. ‘green av., cor. Jacob st. 1 Ib ste Slow, Joy at 8 story brick buildin, 3 Mtory brick building, 44 Hoy t st. 2 story stable and jot, Raymond st, 136 ft. s. Latayette av. 4 story brick, 490 5th av., . w. cor. 11th st. ‘ 14 story frame hou Loch st. Llarge house, 30x: 6 lots, 7th av., cor. 10 lots, Ralph av., be 2 story frame hot 24 story he aRvARY 26. * 2 Fort Green pL. 23 Bushwick av. 22 story brick houses, 518 and Bashwick av. 1 Lot, North 10th s¢., between Ist and 2d sis. vennuapy 27, (Sinith Estate. $ lots, Fulton av., sw. cor. of Smiih st. pith st. between Fulton and Live ingsvon st. 10 3 story bk. buildings, 171, 173, 175, 177, 179, 181, 183, 185, 187 and 159 Livingston sts. S'story DR. building, 165 Livingston st. 2 story bk. buildings, dt and 3 smith st, 43 story b. #. buildings, 11, 13, 19 and 20 Galtatin place, 5 4 story bs buildings, $68, 363, 370 and 372 Fulton ay. 5 toy on Emith st., between’ Fulton av. and Livisie ston st CALBAL AND THE SAMANA SPECULATION, New York, Feb, 22, 1873. To THe Eprror or Titt HERALD :— “ Having noticed in your issue of this day a bom< bastic proclamation issued at Jacmel, Hayti, by tha notorious brigand chief Cabral, and bearing the signatures of several others of bis stamp, in pro- testation against the “Samana Bay cession,” E cannot, as a Dominican citizen and Joverof my country, pass over in silence such an impudent and ridiculous act, or allow the American public to ba deceived therevy withont audibly declaring that Ca« bral and hit few followers, who are supported by thet Haytian government, are nothing less than & gan: of “border ruffians” anc desperadoes, scouring th woods of the unintabited regions between ue and St. Domingo, like vultures in search of prey 5 and, furthermore, that the appeal of such highway, ¢ Dominicans to join them in taking, tyne agaitist President Baez is regarded with in- dignation an scorn by all, inasmuch as the Do~ mfnteans in general are in taver of the Saman: cession, seeing in the an Eon and f their country. . ‘ prosperity of the * PEDRO MORILLAS, FIRE IN BROOKLYN. ' ‘The alarm of fire given about seven o’clock last evening was caused by the burning of the two story frame structure occupied as a stable on Dear street. near Nostrand avenue. The building, which was owned by Jerome Plummer, was entirely de- stroyed, involving @ loss of $3,000; fully insured, 7 is believed to have been of incendiary origin. A CONTEMPTIBLE FORGERY. A Personal Advertisement Sent to the Herald Over a Borrowed Signature. iy New York, Feb. 23, 1873. To THE Eptror oF TH® HERALD :— In the Personal column of the HeraLp February. 22 and 23 there appeared an articie over my signe ture, Loffer a suitable reward for any informatiom that will lead to the arrest of the. | Lo ad parties, who forged my name in the oe WiLL AMS. Tony Pastor's Opera Howse,