Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-09-03
Special Cor. Of the!Baltimore Gazette.
FROM WASHINGTON.


Questionable Apology for Grants Dissf-
pation-sIt Cont Cost Him a Cent" r'
sa WASHINGTON. August %, 1869.
General Grant will be here on another
flying visit the latter part of of the week
to ratify few appointments of the Union
League and Grand Army of the Republic
to Federal offices. Tullock's agency is by
no means confined to the Treasury. He is
the General Agent of ''the League" IN all
Departmental affairs, while Logan is the
accredited representative of the ''Grand
Army" It may be thought that the Presl-
dent might as we'll sign these documents
wherever he may, for the time, be the
"League's" or the ''Army's" guest. But
not so. To save appearances, it has been
determined that he should be in Washing
ton when signing such important instru-
ments, which are still necessarily dated at
that now deserted village" A disaffect.
ed Radical there are now thousands OF
such hereabouts) was specializing to-day as
to the probable income of these two chosen
domestic plenipo's at the seat OF Govern
ment-Tullock and Logan. Including
'income from all sources" he set down
their receipts at half million apiece. ]
give this item for the benefit of Commits
sioner Delano, who at this instance seems
hell -bent upon swelling out incomes and
swelling his account of daily receipts. -
His official accounts need not expose ''the
party" Instead of putting down the item
received as Of the per centage upon 'sin-
come from matchmaking ofice-seekers, "
why cannot he ''collect the revenue" and
record it as from other than the several
offices they hold under the Government, .
without descending to particulars in other
respects?
The actual whereabouts of the President
whether here or elsewhere, so far as the
operations of the government are concern
ed, it will thus be seen, is matter of no
sort of consequence to any one, except in
the philosophic sense referred to. Tie
might as well be in the mud palace of the
King of Timbuctoo as in the White House.
Beyond the appointment of about three
hundred of his relative, four-ffths of whom
are now in deadly opposition to him, he
has had no more to do with the Govern
ment of the United States than has his
Majesty of the aforesaid Kingdom-indecd
! not so much I, therefore, beg leave to
dissent from the current captious obiec
tions to his absence. The same line OF re-
mark is applicable to his Cabinet. The
"League and the "Grand Army of the
Republic - are here, through their recog-
nized epresentatives-and that's enough
Besides, the country is reminded through
| his mouth-piece here, that it need have no
care about the expense incident to the
Presidents periginations. We are grave,
! ~ told that they don't cost lin cent
60 In the first place." says his discreet and
economical defender, (" the Generals visits
cost nothing. Like all public functiona-
ries and most of the leading candidates of
both parties, he travels free over the rail-
roads, through the ready courtesies of the
compe MES, ana Xix them, he is gen
orally the guest of the hotels at which he
stops" quote this admission for two or
three reasons. The first is, to make good
Il statement in a former letter. that these
iiunts are per Sc, money-making affairs in
the hands of public functionaries. | will
not lay this charge, in this form, at the
door of the President, without further
proof, but I do lay it at that Of heads OF
Departments and Bureaus and still lower
officials They are allowed by law, at the
Treasury, their mileage, notwithstanding
the courtesy" Of the railroads, and their
''expenses," notwithstanding the charity
, OF the hotels. | quote it secondly, as in
dicating, sarcastically, to the country that
the Presidents finances will not, on &C
count of his present didoes, be brought to
the condition OF another levy upon Stew
art, Borie, Robson, Battlefield, Ell al
And thirdly, lastly. and chiefly. because it
reminds me Of an anecdote'' which the
venerable Lincoln used to tell with great
accommodation:
Two brothers started in business, and
when at critical and decisive moment of
their affairs one of them went off on a
weeks peregination.' Returning in a
jolly mood. he was met in quite another
by his incensed partner. Brother, said
he, don't frown, the liquor didn't cost
me ID red [ was treated all the time. ,"
Nero fiddled while Rome was burning.
The high dignitaries of this country are
"pereginnting," swhile the "leagues -
are driving the country into anarchy
tending to general, not sectional, civil
war. X.