Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-01-19
GRANT AND THE REvENUELAws

The case of Collector Bailey, in New
York, illustrates how Grant enforces the
laws. Bailey was appointed collector Of
internal revenue, and he appears to have
carried things with high hand while he
held the Office; Selling property and levy
ing black mail without scruple. He went
outside of his district for the purpose of
plumber, and embarrassed all who disa-
greed with him, and finally in fit of
spleen, entered into conspiracy to i'm
prison Judge Fullerton, an eminent citi-
zen, who had been Judge of the Su-
preme Court of the State. But it was
discovered that, in addition to these I'M
lawful acts, he had embezzled a large
amount from the Government; and he
suddenly disappeared. This occurred
nearly year ago. No effort has been
made, so far as has been learned, to dis
cover his hiding place and bring him to
punishment. In the mean time the Radi-
cal papers have found no fault with
Grant for his leniency towards Bailey;
but the case is so scandalOus that one
Radical journal has at last broke silence.
The New York Standard says in its is
sue of Jan. IA:
"Since his departure there has been a
mysterious silence as to the cause of his
flight and the amount of money he car
ried away with him. When he left here
he had many friends, and was surrounded
by able and energetic and subtle accom-
plices. He is known 10 have robbed the
Government of large amount of money.
1t is the general impression of the people
that the Government, controlled by pow
erful influences, has so far condOned his
crimes as TO make no investigation, and it
certainly published no report. Mr..
Bailey became phantom. If he had
any accomplices, there were none pun
ished. We do not know the amount of
money he stole, but to all intents and
purposes officers of the Government in
high standing have been permitted to do
bis will upon such revenues as came
within his keeping, and to walk off in
broad daylight, never to be heard of
again.
'NOw, it seecms to us that the men
who knew most of Mr.. Bailey's transac-
tiOns are just the men to investigate the
matter, and therefore we propose that
Gen. Pleasanton should signalize his en-
t -ance upon his duties as Commissioner
of Internal Revenue by appointing
Board to examine into Mr.. Bailey's trans
actions, and if they cannot find that any
body helped him to steal, let us know the
amount of money he carried away with
him. We name, as members of this
Board, the following gentlemen:
''HOn. b. F. Tracy, United States Lis
trict Attorney,
"Hon. S. b. butcher, Supervisor of
Internal Revenue.
"Hon. A. J. Dittenhoffer, Counsellor
at Law and General Counsel for Bailey.
"Hon. Daniel G.. Rawlins, ex-Assistant
District Attorney.
sHon. Thomas A. Land, Deputy Com
missioner of Internal Revenue.
"sHon. Z. Rollins, Commissioner of In
ternsl Revenue.
Hon. Samuel G. Courtney, ex-District
Attorney.
GAN would admit that that this would
be an able Board. In the absence of Mr..
Ditetnhoffer in Europe, it would be i'm
possible for him to give immediate atten-
ton to the business, unless he could be
induced for the patriotic purposes of the
inquiry to return to give us his advice. 1t