New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-12-01
NETWORK DAILY TRIBUNE FRIDAY, DECEMBER I. 1871

ineness Of the sample hats; and the conflicting
statements of the experts, who declared the
sample hats before them whom they denounced
Murnhy's as shoddy and shellac were not the same
with those shown them when they were brought
before the CommissiOn,-Of Marshal Murray
whose accounts of the corruption of detectives
nointed conclusvcly in the same direction
and Of the third member of the Commission
who distinctly and peremptorily refused 10
sign this withdrawing card. We SAID
at tho outset that tho commission
was unable to report legal PROOF Oh
INV substantial breach of Mr.. Murphy's con-
tracts. and based our charges on evidence
of experts and others, not laid before tho
Commission, but amply presented through
MANY of our columns. What the two men,
bers of the Commission say in their card is
nrcciscly what we said before their card was
written; what We have adduced then and
since against Mr.. Murphy is evidence
which only lacks the opportunity of prcsenta-
ton in legal tribunal to make it legal. We
believe it to constitute now moral evidence OF
his guilt, and We know that the vastsmajority
of those who have given tho case any con-
sideration are of our way Of thinking.
.
contractor rests on no such uncertain basis as
tho single paltry contract on which the
struggling officers of the Government were
able to force him into an imperfect invcstlga-
ton, and the consequent terror which Marshal
Murray 80 graphically described. When the
news came that our former exposures had
been sufficient to drive him out, we were busy
in collecting some further records OF his
career by which he amasscd at the Gov
crnmont's expense, and in its hour of greatest
trial the wealth he now enjoys. We present
this morning only what VIC had then secured.
1t is but sample of much more We expected
to develop, but it Is enough to form our am
ple warrant for every charge we have brought;
and, with that now that Mr.. Murphy has re-
tired, we are content. The story to-day Is OF
failure to fulfill legal and binding CONTRACTS,
at CONSEQUENT loss to the Government, and
gain to this millionaire, of nearly half
million; of the shifty evasion of the penalties
this failure cntailed; of the gains on 1res'i
contracts secured by subterfugc, in the names
of his unconscious clerks, and OF the shoddy
wherewth they were fulfilled. The docu-
mcnts are correct copies OF those on file in the
War Department the other statements are
made on the authority of personal knowledge
of witnesses named, who arc ready and eager
to verify them with their oaths.
And. with this, VIC are willing to leave the
subject We have accomplished public ser
vice at the usual cost of malignant mlSrcpre-
scntation and ignorant misjudgmcnt, but
with tho reward to which we are accustomed
and which we most prizc-the approving Judg-
mcnt of those who value honesty in politics
and public service above rcprOach. 10 the ab-
sllrd charge that orr whole exposure was po-
litiCal maneuver, slillfully timed to further the
interests of Senatorial faction, we need only
say that we opposed Mr.. Murphy's nominal
ton from the outset, on our general
estimate of his character, and with firm
belief that he was schcmng to bctray the one
of our Senators as certainly as he had sup
ported Hoffman against the other that while
his confirmation was before tho Sen
ate, we went Us far as any actual ey-
idence then in our hands would war
rant, in warning tho Senate and the Coun-
try against him; that We then and steadily
aftcrward made diligent efforts to secure
tho conclusive evidence we have since pub
lishcd that VIC began to use it the very day
after we finally secured it, and that this use
had, with u.s. no further connection with local
political struggles than that it was not till
near the crisis of these struggles that we were
able to secure what wc had so long sought.
Whoever has, in the face of powerful official
influences, sought for evidence which he
knew to be in existence, against those high
in authority, can comprehend at once tho diff
ticulty and the delay. We deeply deplOre the
fact that one of the nOblest traits III our Pres
idcnt's character, which makes him instinct
lively stand by his friends the most heartily
when they seem most to need his friendship,
has in this instance been uncOnSciOusly per-
verted into the defense of q criminal.
But, gladly as VIC sustain, whenever we
can, the President wo helped to elect,
we cannot forget the higher allegiance to pure
government which THE TRIBUNE has faith
fully kept for many Administrations past, and
may safely be trusted to keep for very many
more to come. In that allegiance we have
exposed Mr. Murphy Now that he is driven
from the Office he disgraced, we implOre all
who believe in the reform about which We
have so much talk and so little work to unite
with lis in efforts for Civil Service that shall
for the future make Murphys in Office IN i'm
possibility.
TIE BLA7HERSKITE at THE BALL.
lie was there, of course; for, as he says