The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1871-01-12
srARTL1SG DIscLosUsE.
C0RRUPTIONS IN THE REVENUE SER
VICE IN IELINOIS

Confidential Letter from the Prssident's
brother Published,
The Cincinnati Commercial of The
4th inst, publishes what purports to
be copy of a letter from Orville
Grant to the President, which its
Washington correspondent, Don Plat,
says is authentic, though it would not
be correct to say the President had
authorized its publication. The corr
respondent says that the President did
not hand him copy of the document
he viii not deny its authenticity:
sf CHICAGO, ILL.,, june Is, 1870.
DEAR Brother: The matter that |
referred to III my note, and which j
expected DR.. Lamper to explain to
you, was in reference to a proposition
made by General Bloomfield TO the
distiliers who had been evading the
law, and whose distillelies were seized.
fields confidential assistant, was au-
thorized to make overtures to the dis
tillers, and for a certain sum of money
$4,000 paid into the hands of any
man whom they might select, he
III WOOld PiaOO Win tllO
man all the papers and evidence he
had against the distillers, with posi-
tive assurances that the cases would
to approach the distillers, as it might
have a bad effect, and proposed to me
| that if would act as third party and
get the distilleries to raise the money,
/ was to retain part as my fee. /
Fol- ~ rar0 l,o
| honesty of his intentions, and thought
it might be ruse to see whether /
| would loan myself for such work or
not, and gave him to understand
/ that unless had positive assurances
/ that Bloomfield would carry out in
good faith all that was proposed moth
| ing could be done. He gave me such
assurances that he was authorized by
Bloomfield to make such overtures
that knew that he and Bloomfield
had discussed the question, and that
he Bloomfield had Instructed Crosby
to make such propositions. ] have
had nothing to do with it,, but know
and can prove by men under oath chat
such propositions were made to them.
These are all facts that / most posi-
lively know, can swear TO them, and
can prove every word of il by men
under oath. / also know that there
are men here as guagers and store
keepers who have assisted the distil-
lers in stealing whisky, and received
their pay for doing it, and that Bloom
field knows it and still retains them
in office. IF Bloomfield were TO take
, his solemn oath that such was not the
case, such strong evidence can be
brought to bear that you would be
( convinced that he had perjured him.
self by such evidence. a few months
ago a supervisor from Pennsylvania
was here and seized Kerchoffer 81 Co.'S
distillery, but Justin's brother-in-law
: was storekeeper or guager, / have for
gotten which, and after the Pennsvl
, vania supervisor left the case was moi
: prosecuted. ] know no reason for il
!. unless it would convict Justin's broth
er-in-law. There is. not one man il
the revenue department here who ex-
i erts a particle of political Influence
f and the success Of the party here de
mands some changes. The party i,
, crying for it,, Ayers has worked
: hard for the party, and his appoint
: ment as supervisor would give gener
/ al satisfaction. IF could see you
! would tell you much more than / ,lik'
I to commit to paper, worse than / hav'
:. written, and equally true, yet 1 nigh
!; not easily prove .it,a,,I have writer
. you enough that you may know tha
= you have a dishonest man in office
Now that you are appraised of tn
n facts, you are individually responsible
S for his dishonesty in the future.
+ have gained my knowledge of tn
! affair in the strictest confidence, an,
to tell it I am betraying that conf
i dence, and the only apology. I CA
: make for doing man so great an &C
4 of injustice is that my duty to you i
: stronger than my word Of confidenc
to one who is Instrumental in defraud
ing the Government and running you
D reputation, for all the frauds of you
: appointees fall upon You and the PAL
1 ty. ] prefer that you do not use thi
letter publicly, but remove Bloomfiel
nd if really necessary to prove s.
-. | have written can and will do i
and great deal more. / think knoy
Il where parties are stealing under th
a protection of the revenue, officer
r which an investigation would prove
and when you get a proper man i
: charge of the revenue here, 1 will pu
him at work, but to make the reper
it now would only injure me, and nc
). cause the stealing to be stopped. ]
, would injure me because the officer
. could cover it up, which would shoy
+ me up as making false report. d
it hope you can see the necessity. of
Ii change, and that you will try to pre-
4 serve the integrity of your party an
your position by removing such men
If you wish to retain thieves an
Is scoundrels in office, you, alone mus
" be responsible for it I would like t
9 see you personally and tell you a littl
y that l know about the Cuban bon
a corruption. 7 GU would then knoN
d why one of two prominent Republi
= cans worked so hard for recognition
9 and why they make such strong al
II tacks OH you. I got my inforTnato o
p from Mr.. TAYLOR, who tried TO bfib
e me for my influence. I know he wa
: prepared to rake proposals, for, h
: had letters which he showed me, au
e thorizlng him to do SO. r.. 8 ~.
It If this letter be genuine, the Sec
n ond Warrington isn't entitled i t
e quite so much credit for the appoint
e ment of faithful officials and for a
n honest. collection of the. revtiruc q
a has been awarded to him BY some {
e.. his admirers. The letter, as will Fb
II seen from its date, was written onith
l. 18th of June last, since which time th
e President has been advised of th
n frauds that were being practiced, an
IL yet he retains the thieves and scour
l. drels in Office, and if not in scomptic
'e1 ty with them, he must, in Che 1anguag
IS of his brother be held responsible fe
n their villanies. .ar,.4 {..,t. lr5sii
!, = The Republicans are apt to be pre-
q q .ty hard up foF, a acandidate in 1872
= Grant is about theionly man at the
- disposal, and if he continues to t.u
down in popular estimation With hi
3 present velocity, by that time his nam