The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-10-23
The Gold Ring Scandal-Latcst Develop
ments.

/ ments.
We have not yet seen the end of the gold
ring scandal and frauds. Not only is the fire
kept up on them by the party and opera bouGe
press from partisan and malicious motives,
but it seems the Grand Jury of New York is
investigating the subject with view of bring
ing, if possible, the conspirators to justice.
1t may be difficult to make the law reach those
who were in the gold ring conspiracy for they
are cunning fellows, with plenty of means to
fee the lawyers, and they may be able to say,
as Daniel O'Connell once said, that there was
no act of the legislature that a coach and six
could not be driven through. But whatever
may be the result we hope the Grand Jury
will probe the matter to the bottom, as far as
its power goes, for in that way we shall get at
many facts, and be able, probably, to place the
moral responsibility OF this nefarious transac-
ton on the guilty parties.
The greatest efforts have been made all
through by the party and opsr0 boufe press
nimical to the President to drag him into this
gold job. After it has been made clear to
every unprejudiced mind that he had no
knowledge of the conspiracy, or part in it,
directly or indirectly, and even after his
enemies have been forced to admit that he is
assailed by innuendoes, and matters are raked
up entirely unconnected with the transaction
for the purpose of damaging him in the esti-
nation of the public. For example, great
stress is laid on the fact that he is
the brother-in-law of Corbin, the arch
schemer of the gold ring. A great
deal is said, too, about General Grant
having received certain presents from some
rich individual citizens as an acknowledge
ment of his services to the country. Is the
President to be held responsible for the acts Of
a man who by chance married his sister
] The idea is absurd. We know honorable
people who have near blood relations that are
rascals. Yes, we know fathers of the most
| undoubted honor and highest responsibility
| who have sons that are scoundrels. The fact
| Of relationship with bad man, and certainly
Of relationship by the mere accident OF
marriage, cannot involve any one in guilt.
| Then, as to General Grant receiving the pre-
| sent of house, or anything else, from
wealthy fellow citizens, in acknowledgment Of
| his services to the country, what objection is
| there to that? He was q poor man, and had
| not dollar to pay on the purchase Of home
! for his family before he became President.
| He had been too honest to use his high posi-
| ton and great power to make money at the
| time he was almost dictator, and when many Of
| the leading public men were making fortunes
| Men are not rewarded in this country in pc
Nv ba mt
vices to the public, as they are in other coun-
tries Why, then, should not General Grant,
whose services were the most exalted and
beyond all value, accept spontaneous gift
from grateful people? It is both mean and
ridiculous to question his conduct or his
motive in accepting house, or anything else,
from his fellow citizens.
The more we get at the facts about the gold
ring the more apparent it is that the game all
through was q confidence one, and just as much
| 50 as that which is practised at the notorious
mock auctions. Corbin operated upon the
strength of his relationship with the President,
though the President knew nothing of what
this man was doing. Corbin is a cunning and
sly old lobby operator at Washington, and he
knew there was tower Of strength in being
able to say he was General Grants brother-in-
law On this he gave, no doubt, some sly
looks and winks to Fisk and Gould, and, per-
haps, to others. He might even have gone
further, as has been said, and have made posi-
tive assertions as to his influence. Fisk and
Gould, who acknowledge they are spectators,
were eager to seize hold Of Corbin as part
ner in their scheme, believing, no doubt, that
he was the very man for the business. Wall
street spectators often catch at smaller look
ing straws to make money or to save them
selves Corbin looked sly and portentous,
from the brother-in-law point Of view, and
Fisk and Gould winked with satisfaction at
the prospect before them. This is the secret
and foundation Of the gold cornering operation.
1t was, as has been said, a confidence game all
through. Now these SPECTATORS are trying
hard to bring in the Treasurer, General But
terrified, and Secretary Boutwell,. They have
apparently wormed round the easy good nature
of the former and woven meshes about him,
but there has not yet appeared any direct evil
dence to inculpate him. Nor has there
| appeared sufficient proof that the Secretary
withheld at first the sale Of gold to favor tn 0
| bulls, or that he sold afterwards to favor the
bears. AS regards the selling ofIgold we know
that he was ordered to do SO by the President
| for the purpose of smashing the gold con-
spiracy. One thing we do know. and that is,
the President is above suspicion in the matter.
| As to the rest, we hope there will be search
| inc examination into the whole affair, 30 that
the guilty may be exposed and those that are
innocent exculpated.
DR.. Boynton on the Giant.