Lobbying and "log-rolling" in 1850 Indiana USA

[Joel S. Berson]

 From the OED:

log-rolling: 2. colloq. (orig. U.S.). a.
Combination for mutual assistance in political or other action.
   [That is, quid pro quo; you do something for
me, I'll do something for you.  Log-rolling requires cooperation.]
 From 1823 --   Niles' Weekly Reg. 7 June
210/1   That sort of ‘management’, now rather
more fashionable, and known by the dignified
appellation of ‘log-rolling’­that is, a buying and selling of votes.

I don't find "lobying".  But --

lobby (v.): 1. trans. To influence (members of a
house of legislature) in the exercise of their
legislative functions by frequenting the lobby.
Also, to procure the passing of (a measure)
through Congress by means of such influence.   From 1850-
   2. intr. To frequent the lobby of a
legislative assembly for the purpose of
influencing members' votes; to solicit the votes of members.  From 1837-
   [That is, to (attempt to) use influence, "pull".  Lobbying is one-sided.]

Joel



At 4/7/2012 08:42 AM, Stephen Goranson wrote:
>My unofficial guess is that "log-rolling" may
>refer to legislators trading votes (in-house
>quid pro quo), whereas "lobying" could be
>practiced by non-legislators, for instance,
>buying legislators "oyster suppers," in hope of getting the vote sought.
>
>Stephen Goranson
>http://www.duke.edu/~goranson
>________________________________________
>From: American Dialect Society
>[ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] on behalf of Michael McKernan [mckernan51 at GMAIL.COM]
>Sent: Saturday, April 07, 2012 12:06 AM
>To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>Subject: [ADS-L] Lobbying and "log-rolling" in 1850 Indiana USA
>
>I have located an 1850 report on an Indiana state constitutional
>convention, wherein a delegate remarks that:
>
>"recourse is had to "lobying," "log-rolling,"...and...other appliances
>still more reprehensible, by which legislators are rendered supple and
>pliant."
>
>Not having suitable reference works handy, I solicit ADS-L's assistance on
>the questions of whether "lobying" and "log-rolling" were synonymous or had
>different meanings in this political context.  And if different, what did
>each term mean, specifically?
>
>Thanks for considering this request.
>
>Michael McKernan
>Benson, Arizona
>
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