Debauch the Senate?

"These brazen agents of corrupt interests are doing nothing to hold the Government to the purpose of its origin. They are doing nothing to keep alive the ideals and institutions of free constitutional government. They are trying to debauch and debase every Senator and every public man who refuses to turn his back upon his country to surrender his convictions and obey the behests of selfish, morbid, contemptible and corrupt dollar aristocracy.

"Having become the slaves of conscienceless predatory interests they try to besmirch and belittle every public man who refuses to do as they have done--prove unworthy to bear the name of citizen of the United States and betray his country"--thus Senator Heflin of Alabama described The New York Herald, the New York Tribune and "other subsidized Republican newspapers" that expressed weariness with the conduct of Senatorial investigators.