New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-03-04

general sweep az the incoming Of u
ton tend 10 destroy that liberty and ire ~ P"
actionf Yes, sr, there IA question about tAal. n
q Wouii not rho political Interests -, INC q, H. vyar-
tce of the Government uufer Washington boln w ~
ldainss aud Monroe A. II We cap nav "J, hetter
think a tenure OF Office for given number OF years.
with an authority to reapPOint. wouid be well
TESTIMONY OF HORACE PORTER.
Horace Porter sworn-cxamned 10y Senator Patterson
O state your postioni A. Secretary to the President
q. DO you know Col Leetl A. do.
Q. How long have you known hint A. have known
him since 1863.
Q. Under what Circumstances your acquaintance
madei A. We served together the staff Of Gen.
Grant.
Q. DO you know what business Col. Leet Is now en-
gagged INF A. In charge OF a portion OF the General
order business under the New-York Custom-House.
@ DID you ever ask tie President or the Collector 10
never asked the President Collector Murphy, or his
predecessor. Mr. Gfune. that this business might DC
business ~ any business under the New-l0rk Custom
House have never even visited nus place or business
in NewYorE. With this statement. will submit the fol-
lowing letter which wrote TO Collector Murphy III
July, 1870; 1910,
psa s E yea al, s Sioes a % sS o.
S nc ue arr@ der claus s.S to .ia'e to you d.
at-ig a. The ortsrt thai no on q attortli 70 10 80.
h.ny Lrads Of niue. whom 'hold be yer, GLAD TO
oo.si have mporr-ei me to write you YOU, e, ,. "a
b,salt dong Win hear from Toe subject Of
e % only ,I -, 10 to . ,i' 81 10 % pr s & %
To- H. Tr o8a. s1rr6, Cslsetaf Of Customs. Yes.Yors.
@ Did you ever suggest him for ths place to any
that after be had been given M GenoTS order D@,l-
ness 4 had conversation with Collector Murphy; ne
collector Murphy said he had been struck with the
business capacity and general character Of Col Lcrt,
and asked me what I knew about him. told him
knew lin infinitely when We were pom s,rlhg To-
eethcr on Gen. Grants stah and that thce ne b0rr
NcrS high character Tor energy eapici auI lhte5rlg'
mendod Col Let for this employ mont or BUSHES A.
T. the best 81 my knowledge and belief he never DID
The only letter that the PRESIDENT, according To my
knowledge ever sa.e 10 % l.et "a . ~ ~
dUctiOr a. the Hon Moses II. Grnrei. IN NcW-l ORR
think. before Mr. Gruue was appointed Collector Col
Leet had deierlintd 10 resign ~ III lhe aihy "u ~
into business in Ecw-Iork and Gen. Grant gave him
Tor ma while me Lad served on his sta-not asking that
he should DO given any business IN the custom,
@ would the ffcslatut have been Hkciy 10 Law VIII
tel a recommendation for Col Let to this place without
your knowledge \. He could scarcely have written
such "a erwitlout ny buowlcdeoas have cA"rge OF
his public ana private ietter NE: ....,. 49,, nj
O. Have you any know edge Of the fact that the Presl-
dtif at one time spoke against Col Lcet's appointment
10 any place n The New-Iofk CustOn-Hon,et A. zee,
sr. T.e President once spoke to me on mat s14ecl
that conversation. NY recollection Is tAat Col Leet
came over TO W"shinston at ono time,
PORTION OF the General order business in NewIork. ana
told him from what | had gathered m con .ersaIlon
wtue President be Che President would much "a ther
,nat nc "o' ~ ~ IN ,,, ,,-pnrpt Iu.ire,s in New
R'-inE 10 o " -,'t ,i9 M ho IHry bcef TcIubr
of his staff Inat mere quetti N Of ptOprety.
O. DO you remember what rely Col. Loet made youl
A do moi rcco.ect Dis language, but be appeared rather
indignant 10 tus tla, the fact Of his having served on
CEN Grants stat should work 10 ID, disadvantage.
O. Have You read Ugsr the testimony mat Wa' given
by Mr. Horton aud other in AeB-lorki A. READ NJ
T,rfnn's fr,tiriD ny only.
O. Yoi ob.er,eY thc, perhaps suggestion Of your
81 he p-If. ~ the Genera. order business. wish to
AZ have ysu ever received any portion Of the profits
r.i. from the Genera Order labor, carriage bu-uf>sor
au, col her business und.s slc NtwIVik CustOmi House
g. TO tho ie,t3f your sswip dge and belief, has any
one connected with the Executive Mansion ever received
Ff4IlO
,tra-t labor hu-iucs-. any other bu~lht'7 uhdcf
Inc New-Y0rk Cdstoui-iloa>ri \. 10 the best Of my
know ed 70 and belief uo .na connected with the ENecu-
tive Mansion has had any share IN such prOhts or had
any particular intimacy with any one having charge OF
O. So lar as you know did the President ever recon-
mend Col I-,f Llr GrIHuc Mr.. Murphy a stJ-
lie person 10 carry on Tho General order busines-l a.
lie did not. And in THIS connection / submit . leltef
which wrote 10 MI Murphy, ~ the PRESIDENT uiec-
''O' EXECUTIVE M,,.os. w.,useToS , c, DC. 81 ls7o
r. portion Of te ne Newspaper article While the rresdens
rr :, -oa h. deem. il is.t 20 ase thi- opportunity to
;as s'' any P. a. 4f ut the piralr ffen or
~, IN vo a. on ,uc = pre.,ur he rqael,s ,sey
ai, BE- empoyed an. 'eg respectfully. yours ~.
TO the Hon Tboma. Nuptr Collector Of Customs. Nes.Yor.
T. VI. BXBY's TE,rmoNY-HIs DoNGs WITH
LEET-ABOUT THE GENERAL ORDER Bu>I-
FRANCIS NJ. BrNBY SwoEN.
By Senator Pattcr-on.-Q. How long have yOu been a
resident OF this ciiyy \. Since Isis.
O. Have You had any connection with this General
Order business it Is called A. had charseDt it Tor
about 20 or il years.
O. You have warehouses nov a. Yes. At Nos. 5G and
~ Grceuvich-,t, Mo- lO7 400 and III Greenwio-s, bu
the warehouses formerly AT No. 81 Wa,hnsionst
had these stores for eight or nine years.
O. Please state the Committee your connection with
the system 10 established by Mr. Giinnel, during
bis administration Of an, Ia''Gmionr. mere 1oI io rit
aware that he established new rl'ith' A. 1 uoI.
IuuW that be established new system, bui ne changed
the Cust 'dian- OF the &c neral o.ii H'-, lns
az the time Mr. Ginnci ciInc mo % VIZ
uldert control Of Mycr smith. Mr. t,nneq changed
Il ~ slurc- a Co. shortly after that change made IN
with Col Lec and came INTO pos. sion o.
a fragment OF the busIucs--but "a small portion OF
IL. had all on the A0r'h RIVER Dut tne man nIe
Mr. Lets influence with MIR Gruuoll brought that buS
mess iuo NY possession. Let came on here from Wash
ingrou .lIe was supposed TO Doe a protcg6-I at first
u0rght a rclative-of Gen. Grants but have seen
recently that it is denied that he is related TO him IL
about year and haii ago hu tne pV ". d
year under this arrangement, an' gave u up stA
months ago, think. lie came on here had h9u me
business under the administration OF Mr. Schci
Mr. Barney. Mr. Draper, and Mr.. King. lie
or hi friend Mr. Lindsay, came TO me aud wanted 10
make nn arrangement with for the business, VIZ :
Thai ! was to pay Col Lect a certain sum OF money Tor
naming portion of the year, watch was about ten monHs
ard divided h NJ into monthly pt!n,ns' "a 800 o
Two months up before cOnsulnnatlhS the arI"s'
% DO Won know whether Leet rented ont other por-
tIoIs Of business or nol A. do not know Of my own
knowledge. OF course, 1 have theory about the
Bv Mr.. sheldon-o. Do You know by anything that
III Irrt sid fo YOU! 4. No sir. know that TINS husi-
nr OF selling mi. species of Government patronage was
mau.tIraied by Henry A. Smyt
By senator patpr-on-t Has - been kept up since
uuder Sir Grinnellt A. Wen, paid Col Leet for tue
portion had under Mr.. GrinuclI. a.,
q When did yOu lose the business or leave tf
A When | refused pay Henry \. Smythe t20OOO Tor
/ H. That was when lost 10 before.
o. when did you lose 10 Afterwards A. Mheh the wear
wa up Col Leet wanted NE To pay INN more none!
for IT, and declined. 10,
O. What did be want you to pay for III A. did not
ash Inn. ,...osto
foIe III the termination O contract. which my DOCKS
will show / paid this money personally 10 Mt l.eel
o. Was col Let your knowledge a rendent or tus
CITY W fore hc came here and acted IN this gotah