"There is no greater monster in being than a very ill man of great
parts, he lives like a man in a palsy, with one side of him dead; while
perhaps he enjoys the satisfaction of luxury, of wealth, of ambition, he
has lost all the taste of good-will, of friendship, of innocence," says
Addison.
If this can be said of a man whose influence is of limited scope, how
much more horrible the "palsy," the moral stagnation, of the man whose
power for good or evil extends to millions of people, to unlimited time;
whose influence shall be felt, and shall be shaping the destinies of
unborn generations, after he shall be only a ghastly skeleton, a bundle
of crumbling bones!
Would that the power, the wisdom, the omniscience of God had not been
repudiated, discarded, abolished, by modern thinkers, so that now but
few feel any moral checks or dread of responsibility; for if there is to
be no final accounting, morality ceases to be a factor, there being no
fear of any hereafter; and as a natural sequence, there is no remedy
left for the terrible "_palsy_." For it is a well demonstrated fact that
_sense of justice_, or pure _philanthropy_, alone, is but frail
reliance. Fatally has man elevated his vanity to be his deity, with
egotism for the high priest, and the sole aim and object of life the
accumulation of _money_, with no thought of the never-ending to-morrow,
the awakening on the limitless shore! no thought of his fellow-beings
here, of himself in the hereafter!
"It is a high, solemn, almost awful thought," says Carlyle, "for every
individual man, that his earthly influence, which has had a
commencement, will never, through all ages--were he the very meanest of
us--have an end! What is done, is done; has already blended itself with
the boundless, ever-living, ever-working universe, and will also work
for good or for evil, openly or secretly, throughout all time. The life
of every man is as a well-spring of a stream, whose small beginnings are
indeed plain to all, but whose ulterior course and destination, as it
winds through the expanses of infinite years, only the Omniscient can
discern. Will it mingle with neighboring rivulets as a tributary, or
receive them as their sovereign? Is it to be a nameless brook, and with
its tiny waters, among millions of other brooks and rills, increase the
current of some world's river? or is it to be itself a Rhine or a
Danube, whose goings forth are to the uttermost lands, its floods an
everlasting boundary-line on the globe itself, the bulwark and highway
of whole kingdoms and continents? We know not, only, in either case, we
know its path is to the great ocean; its waters, were they but a
handful, are _here_, and cannot be annihilated or permanently held
back."
But how many of the influential of the earth think thus? If only the
_law-givers_ could be made to reflect more seriously, more
conscientiously, upon the effect that their legislation must have on the
lives, the destinies, of their fellow-beings _forever_, there would be
much less misery and heart-rending wretchedness in this vale of tears.
Now, the law-giver is a politician, who generally thinks more of his own
political standing with _other politicians_ than of the interests
entrusted to his care. To speak of constituents sounds well, but who are
the constituents? The men who govern them, who control votes, those who
guide the majorities to the polls; the politicians, who make and unmake
each other, they are the power--the rest of the people dream that _they_
are--that's all. And if these law-givers see fit to _sell themselves_
for money, what then? Who has the power to undo what is done? Not their
constituents, surely. But the constituencies will be the sufferers, and
feel all the effect of pernicious legislation.
These were George Mechlin's thoughts as he sat, with his uncle, in the
gallery of the House of Representatives, listening to a debate, a few
days after their arrival in Washington. The attention of George,
however, was divided between the debate and some papers he held in his
hands which a member of Congress had given him. These papers contained
several arguments, speeches and petitions, praying Congress to aid in
the construction of the Texas Pacific Railroad, thus to help the
impoverished South to regain her strength wasted in the war. Among these
papers there was one which more particularly arrested his attention. It
read as follows:
43d Congress, _House of Representatives._ Mis. Doc. No.
1st Session. 68.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
_Central Pacific Railroad Company._
*Preamble and Resolutions submitted by* _Mr. Luttrell_.
January 12, 1874.--Referred to the Committee on the Pacific Railroad,
and ordered to be printed, together with accompanying papers.
"_Whereas_, The Central Pacific Railroad Company was incorporated by the
State of California on the 27th day of June, A.D. 1861, to construct a
railroad to the eastern boundary of said State; and whereas, by Acts of
Congress of the years 1862 and 1863, said company was authorized to
extend said railroad eastward through the territory of the United States
by an Act entitled 'An Act to aid in the construction of a railroad and
telegraph line from the Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean,' and
received from the United States, under said Act and the Acts
supplemental thereto and amendatory thereof, and from the State of
California and counties and corporations within said State, from the
State of Nevada, and from the Territory of Utah, the following amounts,
estimated in gold coin, to wit:
Land granted by the United States of the $50,288,000 00
value in gold coin of
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Granted and donated by various corporations 5,000,000 00
and individuals within the State of
California
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Granted and donated by various corporations 3,000,000 00
and individuals, situate within the State
of Nevada
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Granted and donated by various corporations $1,500,000 00
and individuals within the Territory of
Utah
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Donated by the State of California 1,500,000 00
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Bonds on which the State of California 12,000,000 00
guarantees and pays interest
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Donated by the County of Placer, in the 250,000 00
State of California--Bonds
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Donated by the City and County of San 400,000 00
Francisco--Interest bonds
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Donated by the City and County of 300,000 00
Sacramento--Interest bonds
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Bonds by the United States Government 27,389,120 00
-------------------------------------------------------------------
First mortgage bonds of Central Pacific 27,389,120 00
Railroad Company
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Second mortgage bonds of said Central 15,601,741 83
Pacific Railroad, legalized by law
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Second mortgage bonds, issued and sold as 11,787,378 17
above
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Total $156,825,360 00
-------------------------------------------------------------------
And, whereas, the directors of said Central Pacific Railroad Company
made contracts with _certain of their own members_ to construct said
road, known as the 'Contract and Finance Company,' for consideration in
lands, money, and bonds, far in excess of the actual cost of
construction; and,
Whereas, said Central Pacific Railroad is, and has been, completed and
in running order for, in part and in whole, over six years last past,
and the profits accruing from same, amounting to over ---- millions of
dollars per annum, has been kept and appropriated to their own use, in
_violation_ of their duties and _in fraud_ of the United States
Government; and,
Whereas, said directors of the said Central Pacific Railroad Company
_issued to themselves, and for their personal profit and benefit_, the
second mortgage bonds of said Central Pacific Railroad Company, to the
amount of $27,387,120, payable in United States gold coin, with interest
at ten per cent. per annum, and have, with said profits accruing to the
Central Pacific Railroad Company, from the sales of United States bonds,
lands, and other subsidies, as aforesaid mentioned, and the _issue to
themselves_ of the bonds aforesaid, bought, _in order to defraud_ the
Government of the United States out of the interest now due from said
Central Pacific Railroad Company, other roads in the State of
California, and expended in doing the same, all the accruing profits of
said Central Pacific Railroad for the benefit of the directors, failing
and _fraudulently refusing to pay the Government of the United States_,
the interest legally due on said mortgage bonds; therefore, be it
_Resolved_, That a select committee of seven members of this House be
appointed by the Speaker, and such committee be and is hereby instructed
to inquire whether or not any person connected with the organization or
association commonly known as the 'Contract and Finance Company' of the
Central Pacific Railroad Company, now holds any of the bonds, lands, or
other subsidies granted said company, for the payment of which, or the
interest thereon, the United States is in any way liable; and whether or
not such holders, if any, or their assignees of such bonds, lands, or
other subsidies, are holders in good faith, and for a valuable
consideration, or procured the same illegally, or _by fraud_; * * * and
to inquire into the character and purpose of such organization, and
fully, of all the transactions of said Central Pacific Railroad Company,
and all transactions had and contracted by and between the directors of
the Central Pacific Railroad Company and Charles Crocker & Co.; and of
all transactions and contracts made by said directors with the 'Contract
and Finance Company' for the furnishing of material of every kind and
character whatever, and the construction of the Central Pacific Railroad
and other branch roads connected therewith; * * * and to report the
facts to this House, together with such bill as may be necessary to
protect the interests of the United States Government and the people, on
account of any bonds, lands and subsidies of the class hereinbefore
referred to, and against the combinations _to defraud the Government_
and the people; and said committee is hereby authorized to send for
persons and papers, and to report at any time."
Here follows a long recital of _frauds_ perpetrated by Messrs. Leland
Stanford, Huntington, Crocker and Hopkins, under the name of "Central
Pacific Railroad Company" and "Contract and Finance Company," etc. Said
frauds, Mr. Luttrell says, were against the Government and against the
stockholders of the Central Pacific Company. A Mr. Brannan, in a long
complaint, sets forth also how and when these gentlemen _cheated_ the
Government by presenting _false statements_ of the cost of constructing
the Central Pacific Railroad, and in other ways, and _cheated_ the
stockholders of said railroad by issuing _to themselves_ the stock, and
appropriating other subsidies, which should have been distributed _pro
rata_ among all the stockholders.
The entire statement is a shameful exposure of disgraceful acts, any one
of which, were it to be perpetrated by a poor man, would send him to the
penitentiary.
George was shocked to read Mr. Luttrell's "_Preamble and Resolutions_,"
and Mr. Brannan's "_complaint_." Mr. Lawrence Mechlin waited to read
them in the evening, at his hotel.
"These two gentlemen ever since their arrival had heard strange rumors
about Congressmen being '_bribed with money_,' and in other _ways
improperly influenced by 'a certain railroad man,' who was organizing a
powerful lobby to defeat the Texas Pacific Railroad_." In his endeavors
to aid Tom Scott, Mr. Lawrence Mechlin had come across some startling
facts regarding the manipulation of railroad bills, especially in the
Congressional committees. Still, he was loth to believe that bribery
would be so openly used. He was a man of strict probity, slow to think
any man dishonorable. George, brought up in the same school, felt, also,
a reluctance to believe that the Congress of these United States could
be packed, bundled, and labeled, by a few of its treacherous members,
who would sell themselves for money, in spite of their honest
colleagues.
"Pshaw! the thing is too preposterous," he had said to his uncle, who,
with saddened voice, had answered.
"So it seems to me. Let us go to the Capitol again; I want to speak to
some of the Representatives; I have only seen Senators; I must talk with
the House a little." And they had come, and were now listening to the
House.
George's business with the Attorney General had been more satisfactory.
The appeal was at last dismissed, and the joyful news had been
telegraphed to Don Mariano. There was now no dispute about the validity
of his title. The Government itself had said that the land belonged to
him; would the squatters vacate now? We will see. Meantime, the
remittitur had to be sent to the court below, and it was expected that
Congress would soon make an appropriation to defray expenses of
surveying lands in California. George wrote to Don Mariano not to engage
any surveyor to survey his rancho, as there would be an appropriation
made for lands to be surveyed by the Government.
Elvira and Mercedes were made very happy on hearing that the appeal was
dismissed. They did not well understand what it all meant; but as they
were told that now the Government of the United States had said that the
rancho belonged to their father, they naturally concluded that the
squatters would go away, and there would no longer be any trouble about
the destruction of their cattle, and their father not be so worried and
unhappy.
Thus, life seemed very sweet to those two innocents, and they enjoyed
their visit to Washington to the fullest extent. The Gunthers and
Seldens had stopped at the same hotel with the Mechlins, and the three
families were constantly together. Their parlors in their evenings "_at
home_" were filled with a crowd of distinguished visitors; other
evenings were given to parties and receptions. One cloud only cast a
shadow on Mercedes' brilliant surroundings, and this was the obvious
misery she saw in Arthur Selden's dejected countenance, and a certain
dread she felt at the silent coldness of Robert Gunther. His eyes seemed
to her darker than they used to be, but perhaps they seemed so because
he was so much paler. But what could she do? she asked herself, and
wished very much that these two young gentlemen had remained in New
York, for, surely, they couldn't expect that she would give up Clarence!
No, indeed. Not for fifty thousand Gunthers, or two million Seldens.
There were times when the coldness of these two young gentlemen was very
marked, and, amiable as she was, she felt it. But her Clarence was
always near, and his superb eyes were watching, ready to come to her at
the slightest indication. It was so sweet to be so quickly understood
and so promptly obeyed by him.
There had been a brilliant ball at one of the legations, and on the
following morning the Seldens and Gunthers were discussing the event in
Mrs. Mechlin's parlor.
"You made two new conquests last night," said the eldest Miss Selden to
Mercedes. "Those two _attaches_ are now your new slaves. They are
awfully in love. I felt pity for them, to see them so completely
captivated. You ought to be proud."
"I don't think they are in love, but, admitting it is so, why should I
be proud? I should be annoyed, that's all," replied Mercedes.
"Do you expect us to believe that?" Miss Selden asked.
"You may believe it, for it is the truth."
"You are a strange girl, then."
"Why so? Why should I wish men to fall in love with me, when I cannot
return their love?" said Mercedes, evidently vexed.
"You are the first girl I ever saw that did not want to have admirers;
yes, loads of them."
"Admirers and friends, yes; but you spoke of those young men being _in
love_. Now, if I thought so, I would be very sorry, and, as I do not
wish to be unhappy, I hope you are mistaken."
The Misses Selden laughed incredulously.
"In my opinion, no kind-hearted girl ought to desire to be loved except
by the one she loves. Else, she must be a very heartless creature, who
enjoys the miseries of others," added she, earnestly. "Now, I want you
to know, I am not cruel; I am not heartless; so I do not wish any man
(but one) to be in love with me."
"You are right, my dear," Mrs. Gunther interposed. "But the trouble is,
you are too pretty, too sweet, to be let alone; you can't help being
loved."
"Then I am unlucky, that's all," she said, with trembling lips, "and the
sooner I go home, the better it will be for mutual comfort."
Robert Gunther was talking with Elvira, but he had not lost one word of
this conversation. In the evening they went to a Presidential reception.
It happened that he was near Mercedes when Elvira proposed to go and see
the flowers in the conservatory; he offered her his arm, and they
followed Elvira. He had spoken very few words to her since they returned
from Newport, but had watched her and feasted his eyes on her
loveliness. Now, after walking in silence for some time, he said:
"It is a sad sort of consolation to know that you regret inspiring
hopeless love. I heard your conversation with the Misses Selden this
morning. I thank you for not enjoying my misery."
"Oh! how could I do that? I wish I could make you happy; please forgive
me if I have ever caused you pain?" said she in the sweetest of pleading
tones. He looked at her sweet face, turned toward his, and his love for
her seemed to rush upon him like an overwhelming wave--like a hot flame
rising to his brain.
"Oh! Mercedes, it is frightful how much I love you! What shall I do to
conquer this unfortunate infatuation?"
"Forget me; I shall soon be away--far away."
"Oh! darling, I would rather suffer seeing you, than to have your sweet
presence withdrawn from my sight. You see my unfortunate situation? I
vow it is awful to love so hopelessly! But I shall never talk to you of
my love again. I see I pain you," he added, seeing that she trembled and
looked pained. "Forgive me, for I am very wretched. My life will now be
a blank."
"I wish you could feel for me, as you do toward Elvira. How I envy her
your friendship," she said, in very low tones.
"Do you, truly?"
"Indeed I do. I would be so happy."
"I shall try. But how can I, loving you so ardently?"
"As a proof of your love, try to be my friend--only a friend."
"You ask of my love a suicide--to kill itself. Be it so. I shall try,"
said he with a sad smile. "The request is rather novel, but perhaps it
might be done. I doubt it. I suppose you will be my friend then?"
"I am that now--most sincerely," said she, earnestly.
On leaving the conservatory, they saw Clarence coming to meet them. He
joined Elvira and walked by her side.
"Thanks, Mr. Darrell. I am glad you have good sense," said Gunther,
addressing the back and broad shoulders of Clarence from the distance.
Mercedes laughed and felt herself regaining her composure.
They had now been in Washington ten days, and the ladies of the party
had only made one very hurried visit to the Capitol. This day Mrs.
Mechlin had set apart "to devote to Congress," she said, and it was
arranged that they would go in the morning, would lunch at the Capitol,
and remain part of the afternoon. A debate on the Texas Pacific Bill was
expected that day, and the Mechlins, as well as Clarence and Mercedes,
wished to hear it. The President of the Senate put his rooms at the
service of Mrs. Mechlin and friends. Thus the ladies had a delightful
time, taking a recess in the President's parlor when they liked, or
strolling through the corridors, or sitting in the galleries.
After luncheon, the party, walking toward the public reception room,
were met by five or six old men with very white beards. Two of them
walked slowly as if weakened by sickness, one walked on crutches, and
one had lost an arm, his coat-sleeve being pinned to his breast. Mr.
Mechlin stopped to shake hands with them, saying to his wife to go on,
that he wished to speak with these gentlemen. On rejoining the party,
Mr. Mechlin was asked by Miss Gunther where these venerable old
gentlemen came from.
"They looked like a little troop of patriarchs," Miss Selden added.
"What can they want at the Capitol?"
"They want bread," Mr. Mechlin replied. "Those men should be pensioned
by our Government, but it is not done because Congress has not seen fit
to do it. The three oldest of those men are veterans of the Mexican War.
For twenty-five years they have been asking the Government to grant them
a pension, a little pittance to help them along in their old age, but it
is not done. Year after year the same prayers and remonstrances are
repeated in vain. Congress well knows how valuable were the services of
those who went to Mexico to conquer a vast domain; but, now we have the
domain, we don't care to be grateful or just. It would perhaps be a
matter of perfect indifference to half of our Congress should they hear
that all those poor veterans died of starvation."