The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1871-09-06
RADICAL EXPOSURE.
One Hundred and Forty Thousand
Dollars Raised to Elect Grant.
How It Was Done and Who Was
Rewarded.

On the 18th inst, the New YORK
Evening Post published communica-
ton signed ga Republican" severely
criticising the political course of SEN
ator Fenton and his friends. A re-
ply to this communication appears in
the Post of Thursday evening last,
over the signature of General George
W. Palmer, recently holding the Office
of Appraiser of the New York Custom
House, and formerly Commissary-Gen::.
eral of the State. 49,
The reply denies the charges made
against Senator Fenton. and then ex-
poses some of the inside workings of,
the Radical party under the Grant ad
ministration. General Palmer shows
that the campaign for Grant in 1868
was considered hopeless until Nose II.
Grinnel raised one hundred and forty .
thousand dollars to be. used in the
canvass, which great sum of money
saved the day. For this Mr.. Grinnet
was given the most lucrative Office in
the gift of the President, in order that
he might reimburse himself Here we
have a chapter of Presidential cor
politics. Grant buys his way to the
Presidential chair, and when once
there he assumes the role of dicta-
tor, and uses United States troops to
perpetuate his power.
We give the concluding portions Of
General Palmer's communication, as
follows: -fs Es|
1t is true that Governor Fenton,
prior to his election as Senator, had
been ten years representative in Con-
gress and four years Governor of the
State. He had been elected Governor
in 1864, after the defeat of General
Wadsworth in 1862, and was again
elected in 1865 by about five thou
sand more majority than at his former
election, against the combined efforts
of the Democratic party, Andrew
johnson and his so called Republican
followers.
1t may not have been unreasonable
to expect that his advice would have
some consideration in the counsels of
the administration. 1t is true that he
was clothed with authority by the peo--
pie later than his colleague. But it is
not true, as stated by your correspon-
dent, that the men named were ap-
pointed to Federal offices upon the
Recommendation of Governor Fenton.
1 venture the assertion that he never
made a recommendation to the Presi-
dent or auy Of the heads of depart.
ments of any man for the sole reason
that he was friend of his. In regard
to the persons mentioned as having
been appointed through his influence,
would respectfully say that -
Moses III. Grinnell was President
Grants own personal appointments
the reason for which 1 appreherd may
be found in the following facts /:
In 1868, Hon. D. E. Washburne,
now Minister to France, came to this
city to enlist the efforts of the Re-
publicans in the canvass then in pro-
gress for General Grants election.
The ratification meeting in Penn
sylvania had been failure. MIR,
Washburne desired that money should
be raised for the purpose of carrying
the Maine, Indiana and Pennsylvania
elections in September and October.
He applied to Mr.. Grinnell, through
whose great personal efforts SAC, 600
was procured and used in that cau-
paign. -. T.
Mr. Washburne and General Grant
have since admitted that this aid was
decisive of the Presidential contest.
For this and his extensive reputation
and popularity, Mr.. Grinnell was ap.
pointed collector for the port of New
York.
!: x x So far as my own ap,
pointment was concerned, am not
aware that Mr.. enton or anybody else
recommended it either to the Presi-
dent or the Secretary of the Treasury;
I was solicited to take the position
while Senator Fenton was in Europe.
I was never candidate for the place
until an officer of the Treasury De-
partment was sent TO me, as l believe,
by the Secretary of the Treasury, and
l was asked to accept the position.
This much for Senator Fenton's in
reference with the Federal patronage.
His opposition to Mr.. Murphy's
confirmation will, in my judgment, be-
regarded as we'll founded when the
facts are fully known.
GEORGE w. PALMER;