See quotation 1841.
1832. Perhaps I shall have a case of congressional lobbying, by which I can make it a jaunt of pleasure and profit.—Lorenzo Hoyt to Jesse Hoyt, Sept. 10. W. L. Mackenzie, ‘Life of Martin Van Buren,’ p. 237 (Boston).
1841. A practice exists in the State capitals of the country, called “lobbying,” which consists in this: A certain number of agents, selected for their skill and experience in the arts of deluding, persuading, and bribing the members, are employed by public companies and private individuals, who have bills before the legislature which they are anxious to get passed. These persons attend the lobby of the House daily, talk with members, form parties, invite them to dinners and suppers, &c.—J. S. Buckingham, ‘America,’ ii. 421.
1846. They had no committees from the banks of the Mississippi, or even of the Ohio, “lobbying” in these halls to regulate tariff duties.—Mr. Allen of Ohio, U.S. Senate, July 2: Cong. Globe, p. 1046.
1861. We will not have, in a southern confederacy, that vast number of persons called a lobby, who live upon the Government.—Mr. Thomas Ruffin of North Carolina, Feb. 19: Cong. Globe, p. 228/2, App.
1861. I did not understand the Senator to say … that Commander Dahlgren had been lobbying about here, but that his friends had.—Mr. Henry M. Rice of Minnesota, U.S. Senate, July 31: id., p. 361/1.
1881. The lobby that the express companies had here three or four years ago tried hard to make Congress believe, &c.—Washington Critic, Nov. 22.
