The Republican journal., 1870-03-03
LETTER FROM MACK"
WASHINGTON, February 9, 1877


TIE GIFT ENTERPRISE ONCE MORE.
The White House Gift Enterprise would
be much less Objectionable to the people, and
much less harmful to the country, If its con-
, tributors We're paid more promptly-it the
drawings took place more frequently, and
the prizes were awarded with greater pune
tuality But this thing of letting it drag its
slow course along through the space of a
year or more, and allowing long, dreary
months to intervene between the donation
and the office. is an intoerable bore-not
alone to the unfortunate contributor, whom
it keeps in the straight jacket of anxious eX-
pectancy, but to the country generally, whose
people are interested more or less in the pat
ronage of the Administration, to the extent of
seeing it fifty bestowed. Who would have
thought that Grants magnificent villa at
Long Branch would come into consideration
at this late day to decide the claims of rival
candidates for the vacant seat on the SUI
preme bencho Yet it has done so. The de-
cision has been made in favor of the gentle
man who was conspicuous in getting up that
donation.
BRADLEY.
The Hon Mr. Bradley was the first to con-
ceve the brilliant idea of making General
Grant a summer citizen of New jersey: and
the first to suggest the substantial Gift which
has since accomplished that great purpose.
Months have rolled around since that time
months of anxiety not unmixed with doubt
and fear to Mr.. Bradley. The star of hope
has burned dim at times, and, perhaps, he
has often wished his labor and his money
back But now he has his reward. He feels
that the investment was good one.
| On the day before the nomination of Mr..
7 of ,b,, Lo,J
Just been visiting the White House to urge
the claims of another candidate. He seemed
in an unusual bad humor, and before ! had
said a word to him about Grant or the Ad-
ministrat:on, he commenced promiscuous
damniIg of things in general. ! asked him
what was the matter. "Oh, nothing" said
he, "only l wish Grant would pay off his
debts some other way than by nominations to
the Supreme Bench He then proceeded to
state that when he entered the President s
private room he found Ex-Governor Ward, of
New. there shat Grant was whttlinga stick,
and smoking, that he and Ward We're talking
about that Long Branch property; that Grant
had asked Ward how much he thought it was
worth that Ward said he didn't know, but
he hoped Grant wouldn't sell it. NO. said
Grant, Il don't think I will sell it. It's a
very nice piece of propertv.N 1.-The incest
Ill tHe icldlc vi NcW Jtlocp, Saul w ara, anu,
you'd better hold on to it. It's getting bet
ter and better every day"
l couldn't exactly understand what all this
had to do with the Supreme Bench, for up to
this time l had not heard Mr.. Bradley nam
ed 50 | asked what the connection was.
"Oh, it has d--n sight to do with it, said
the exasperated Radical. Ward has come
on here to get Bradley, Of New Jersey, ap-
pointed, and / infer from the way they wrre
talking that he has succeeded
The next day Bradley's nomination was
sent to the Senate, and meeting my Repub
lican friend in the Senate lobby | reminded
him of our talk on the avenue, and said he
was right in his guess about the object and
success Of Wards visit. "Of course l was
he said land | wish you'd expose the thing"
III do it, said |, ''but it won't do any good
One half of the people in the Republican
party have determined to believe nothing
Injurious to Grant, and the other half are
always ready to be persuaded that what
would be a crime in another President is Il
virtue in Grant" However," said |. ''rll
make a paragraph about it, And so have.
CARPET-BAGGING.