'He seems to
have no business, and is constantly watching the proceedings of both
Houses, vibrating between them like an animated pendulum,' said I. 'Oh,'
said Jones, 'he is a member of the _Third House!_' Here was a new thing
to me. I evidently had not learned all the machinery of legislating. I
asked for an explanation, and soon learned that the 'Third House'
consisted of old ex-members of either House or Senate, broken-down
politicians, professional borers, and other vagrants who had made
themselves familiar with the _modus operandi_ of legislation, and who
negotiated for the votes of members on terms to be agreed upon by the
contracting parties--in short, these were the Lobby members of the
Legislature--a portion of mankind which I had never heard mentioned in
terms other than contempt and disgust. Was I then to become familiar
with these leeches--these genteel loafers, who, having no apparent
business, yet manage to live at the best hotels, drink the best of
wines, and go home at the end of the session with more money than any of
the _honest_ members? The sequel will show.
After waiting a week, I became impatient at the want of interest on the
part of Jones in my bill, which so materially concerned a large number
of his constituents. He, better than any other member, knew how much our
company was doing for the development of the country, the furnishing of
employment for laborers, and the increase of taxable inhabitants. He
knew that not a man in the county had an objection to urge, or a
remonstrance to present against our proposition.
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