The Olivia Letters: Being Some History of Washington City for Forty Years as Told by the Letters of a Newspaper CorrespondentBriggs, Emily Edson
History
The Olivia Letters: Being Some History of Washington City for Forty Years as Told by the Letters of a Newspaper Correspondent
Briggs, Emily Edson
United States -- Politics and government -- 1865-1933; Washington (D.C.) -- History
For many months Jay Gould has kept one of the most beautiful women
in Washington busily employed on the Congressmen, and, astonishing
to relate, the Senators seem rather to enjoy it than otherwise.
Before Senator Ben Hill made his late exhaustive railroad speech--in
fact, just before he arose on the Senate floor--a woman, the most
notorious of the lobby, had his ear. A Northern Senator may listen to
the “queen,” but it takes the courage of the sunny South, the rare
chivalry for which that clime is noted, to permit the contact in the
broad, open light of the day, with the eye of the press of the whole
country upon him.
Floating in Congressional waters, but unlike his awful prototype
which is securely fastened to the bottom of the sea, at all hours of
the legislative day may be seen the burly form of Huntington, the
great, huge devil-fish of the railroad combination, bearing not the
slightest resemblance to his elegant associates, so far as grace of
manner or personal appearance is concerned. Cast in the same colossal
mould as William M. Tweed, with all the grossness exaggerated and
all the majesty left out, he ploughs the Congressional main, a shark
in voracity for plunder, a devil-fish in tenacity of grip; for once
caught in the toils of the monster for the helpless victim there is
no escape. At the beginning of every session this representative of
the great Central Pacific comes to Washington as certain as a member
of either branch of Congress; secures his parlors at Willard’s, which
soon swarm with his recruits, both male and female, until scattered
in the proper direction by order of the commander-in-chief. What a
motley collection of camp followers. To the naked eye are visible
ex-senators and ex-members, discharged Capitol employees who are
thoroughly informed as to the “ropes,” whose business it is to warn
those who have the privilege of the floor the auspicious moment
for a successful raid. Every weakness of a Congressman is noted,
whilst the wily Huntington decides whether the attack shall be
made with weapon of the male or female kind. Tall and broad, both
round and square, a quivering mass of concentrated sensuality, bold
enough to appear in public with the scarlet woman on his arm, a
heroism which daunts the courage of the vilest of his own sex, not
content with his already princely gains he now seeks, like the late
Jim Fisk, to lay a whole continent under his avaricious tribute.
Said a member of Congress: “He can draw his check for hundreds of
thousands of dollars; everything which is in the market he can buy.”
During his life the time is too short for the people to learn how
to checkmate him. He is to this age what Alexander, Hannibal, and
the great Napoleon were to the past. He governs, but not with cold
iron or steel; he uses keener and more subtle weapons. Instead of
the bullet which cleared the way in a former age, man’s honor is the
point which receives the poisoned poniard. What will be the fate of
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account