The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1871-12-19
From the n. Y. Sun. Radical !
aeneca Sandstone.

According to the books of the Sene.
Ca Sandstone Company, President Grant
owns $25, ,0G0 in its stock; and in the
service of this Company, and with "a
view of increasing its profits, he has
connived and assisted in the enormous
fraud by which a debt Of four million
dollars has been fixed upon the people
Of the district Of Columbia, while two
millions are 10 he eXacted from them hv
DIRECT taxation. In order to accomplish
this fraud, the managers of the District
GovcrnmenI-evsry one of them inter.
estcd in the profits Of the Seneca Com
pany-imported twenty thousand voters
from the surrounding counties of Mary
lapd and Virginia, suppressed at the
polls all ballots against the fraud, and
allowed only ballots in its favor TO he
supplied TO the voters, while liberal guam
titles OF ale and whisky were furnished
to stimulate the zeal of those who were
bought up to accomplish this enormous
wrong. A more shameless outrage was
never committed by the Tammsny rob.
be!s and forgers in the height of their
reckIessness and theiY power.
OF these six million dollars thus sad
died upon the people of the District, a
very large proportion is to be spent in
the purchase of this Seneca Sandstone
1t has been charged that the S25, ,000
which President Grant holds in the
stock Of this Company WAS all given to
him as present, and that it was in re
turH for this present that he not only
permitted and encouraged the outrages
which we have mentioned, But express
ly approves and endorses them in his
message. But according to semi-of
fetal statement from the White House
published in the New York Times of
Friday, the Presidents stock cost him
$4,000, That is to say, be holds Sl0,-
OC0 Of this stock which he paid Tor at
par, and he also holds $4,000 which
was given him as present 1t is thus
seen that the excuse made on behalf Of
the President respecting this, stock is
the same as in regard to- every other of
ienec against law and propriety with
which!he,is charged He has commit,
ted the offence, that he admits; but it is
not SO large as has been asserted; n
fact he ought 10 be forgiven for commit;
ting it, because it is such a little one.
This excuse, however, can make no
difference in the public Judgment. 1t is
Of no consequence whether Grant has
been bribed by S25, 900 to prostitute his
power as President in promoting the in
terests of the Stheca Sandstone Compa-
ny, as bis critics alege, or only by Sl5,
600, as hsl lhimselT, ,.adanits. The case is
the same either ay,and he must be con
yic!ed on his own showing The au-
thority which the people committed to
him he has used to plander the hspless
pfepeatv holders of tile District of Co
lumhis The total amount of the fraud
is six millions OF dollars, and the Seneca
Sandstone Ring receive the largest Share
of it In this Ring Gen Grant himself
DECLARES that he has invested $4,000
and not. content with the six millions all
ready provided, he asks Congress for
additional appropriations. He must
have satisfactory dividends, both on the
$4,000 OF Seneca stock which he claims
he has paid for, sad the $4,000 which
ne admits WAS given to him as 4 present.
Bnt in this mstter the question 81
present taking is comparatively uDimpor.
tant. The great thing is the immense
fraud and robbery arranged and com
mittsd by the Washington Ring, and the
strocious share Of the President in their
trsnsactions. Why should Tweed, Con
molly, and their fellows be arrested and
punished in New York, and tue mem
hers of the Sandstone conspiracy il
Washington go unscathed Of justice2