The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1869-03-19

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The last sere leaves come hurrying down
And ON the wayward autumn breeze
Are round US blown.
Slow fall the heavy dews, like tears
Drawn from proud eyes unused to weep,
And DER the yellowing inland meres
Dim shadows creep.
The silence deepens. Closer still
Fold her fond arms! We sever soon.
See, o'er the brow Of yonder hill
Slow sails the moon
One last gaze-one long last kiss
Oh vacant life oh, lonely heart! ,...
Death holds no anguish, life no bliss.
For wc must part.
The Cabinet as a GIFT Enter
-.- ". prise. ~
Mack, writing from Washington
to the Cincinnati Enquirer, under
the caption Of THE Great Ameri-
can Gift Enterprise, says "Gen.
Grants cabinent is more Of a gift
enterprise than I at fitst supposed.
I have already stated that Stewards
appointment looked like the ou1D
PRO QUO for tho house and lot re-
Gently occupied by Grant in this
city, and that Boria' 8 sccretaryship
Of the navy was receipt in full for
the Philadelphia mansion Of the new
president. But I was utterly at
loss to discover wherewithal Mr..
Atty. General Hoar had paved HIS
way to the presidential affections
The mystery is solved BY, the ascer-
tainment that Mr.. Hoar gave Grant
a fine library, year or two ago,
which, however, judging from the
knowledge Of law displayed by the
great captain of the age on the
second day Of his administration
does not appear to have included a
history Of the initial period of the
United States government. So
here We have the gift enterprise fea-
ture of Grants cabinet complete
Applicants for Office under the new
administration must take notice that
the safest way to approach the new
administration is through q house
and lot. A LA Stewart and Borie. -
Hoar got it through the cheap me-
dium Of library, but it is safe to
say that there is nothing moro to be
disposed of at that low rate.
LEST there be those who think I
slander the great captain let me
mention another fact. The public
have recently been informed Of tho
gift of Grants former residence to
Gen. Sherman. How was this
brought about, and by whom I? The
leader in this item of the great
American gift enterprise was a man
who expects to be collector of the
port of New York, and who knew
the influence of Sherman over Grant
and the Importance of placing Sher-
man under obligations Of this kind.
Nor is this all. Grant had prcvi-
ously offered to sell the property for
$40, 600. which was the amount
raised by the expectant collector Of
customs. Mr.. A. T. Stewart then
came forward and said the price was
too low being only little moro
than he himself had paid for the
house four years ago, when it was
originally given to Grant. So he
put his hand in his pocket and drew
out check for $25. .OOO.-making
$65, 900 in all,-which was paid to
Grant, for the house and lot. Truly
. nice thing for Grant, but q nicer
thing for the custom-house man.
Just here let me enter a protest
against this kind Of private sale of
public Office. I insist upon an auc-
tion at which all shall have chance
to bid. The New York custom
house would bring half-a-dozan such
houses and lots as Grants under
any sort of competition. In the
declining days of ancient Rome. the
empire was up at auction by the
Pretorian guards, and sold to Di-
dius Julianus after some heavy bid
ding between him and Sulpicianus,
at price equal, I think, to $lO.-
600, 900. If the good old American
republic is to bo disposed of in the
same way, let not al, the proceeds
be given to ono man, or two or three
men, as seems to be the present dis
position, but let there be something
in the nature of fair divide.
"Gen. Grants gift enterprise
standard Of qualification for Office is
in strange and unhappy contrast to
the conduct Of his much-a abuscd pre-
decessor. Among the many faults
Of Andrew johnson, faults which
I have never been slow to point out
and condemn. the slightest taint Of
personal corruption or venality can
not be included. We all remember
that when some citizens Of New
York proposed to present him with
carriage and q pair Of horses he
peremptorily declined the gift. And
10 the last hour Of his administra-
tion has he adhered to the practice
Of keeping himself Independent Of
such personal obligations to those
who were or might become eandi-
dates for Office. The searching or
deal Of. the impeachment trial failed
TO stain his character with Z single
instance even Of constructive bri-
berry. Lea those who bAvo indulged
in such unexamplcd vituperation of
Mr.. Johnson's corruption contrast
80 o. 851 aa's I