The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-04-03
JESSE'S CARD.

From the ". Y. Sun.
Mr.. Jesse r. Grant, the Presidents father,
and Postmaster at Covingtop, has published
card respecting his relations with Mr.
Horace Greeley Stoms, Assessor of Internal
Revenue in the First District of Ohio. In a
letter to President Grant, written on the 10th
of January last, Stoms made the following
statement:-
''Mr Jesse r. Grant requested Of me he reap
pointment of a removed gauger displaced for mall
feasance in ofce), accompanied with proposal that
/ sincerely trust that may never be compelled to
versation with me, made use of these words SUBJ
stantally: so and 80 has offered me $500 If l can
get you to recommend his reappointment; he is
rascal but will take his money and divide with
you.'"
In reply to this, the venerable Jesse makes
the subjoined explanation
sAbout the middle OF April, 1869, l told William
Stoms that several merchants in the bottom had
asked me to speak to him about two OF the oldest
and most experienced gaugers in the city-Tayor
and Weithon; He said Taylor was drunkard, worth
sI50C0, and Weithoff was rascal, told those who
had spoken to me what Mr.. Stoms said. Every one
said WethoH was an industrious, hardworking
Dutcbman, who did his work well, and was not
rascal. one Of them in talking said that he would
give s5C0 to have Weithor appointed. went again
to William Stoms' store told him all had heard
that knew Taylor was not a drunkard and that
every enc gave Weithon good name; that he ought
not r0 Ter because OF what that man said, and
that A lad better take the $500 and give it to the
poor, and try Weithou, and If he ever did anything
wrong, to turn him out"
The substantial difference between these
two statements is nothing at all Stoms says
that Grant proposed to him to appoint
Weithoff in consideration of bribe of five
hundred dollars, TO be divided between Grant
and himself Grant admits that he made the
offer of five hundred dollars for Weithoffs s
appointment, but says he wanted Stoms to
receive the whole of it and give it to the
poor. But when he confesses that five hun
dred dollars were offered by him for the
Dir,t ant bn o6p ifc fha uhn
Whether the money was to be divided be-
tween himself and Stoms, or whether Stoms
was to keep the whole of it, or apply
it all to charitable purposes, makes no differ
ence The fact is established beyond further
question that the Presidents father made to
the Assessor of the First district of Ohio q
proposal to appoint gauger in consideration
of bribe of five hundred dollars. This fact
he admits and attempts to Justify. He sees
nothing wrong in it. Taking pay for the
appointment of public officer does not, in
his judgment, constitute any offense against
law or morals. Nor does it constitute an Of
fer Sc in the eyes of the President for he sM
keeps the old man in Office as postmastey
This explanation from Mr.. Grant agouni,,s
indirectly for many things in the PrSslueIC,
own conduct which have been Ear Iof MS
former friends and admirers to unerstand
1t shows that in his youth Geperalorant can
net have been trained to that scFpulous re-
gard for the public honor and phorrence OF
bribery and corruption which 1re indispen-
sable safeguards for the purit,of republican
Institutions. The father thaKs there Is no.
thing wrong in taking none Tor the appoint
ment of a gauger; and wy should the son
think that there is anyHng wrong IN ap'
given him preseats, or n forcing upon the
Country such gross s%lndle as this annexa-
tion Of SsI Domingo in consideration of
money TO be received by his favorites and
cronies! The vice runs in the blood;'i is a
family failing. But tbs most melancholy fact
abort the affair is that large portion of the
Republican party ard most of the 4epubli-
can press. in continuing to hold up Grant as
| their foremost representative, substantially
Justly and adopt this unblushing corruption
%or their oWp,