Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-10-03
RADICAL REVELATIONS.

The criminations and recriminations
which have illustrated the quarrel in the
Radical camp in New Yoik, has exposed
the fact that the dominant ring in the affairs
Of New Yorh city is largely composed OF
Radicals, and that the iniquities which have
been perpetrated have had the sanction Oh
Radical Legislatures to this extent, that the
laws Which enabled the guilty to commit
these frauds were passed by Radical Legs
latures, without whose aid they could not
have been committed. 1t has also been
shown that as part of ''the Tammany
ring" Radicals were the beneficiaries OF the
extravaganza of the city government. The
other faction retaliates by charging that the
Grant leaders have surpassed in corruption
all the political operations OF the day and
have set the example of villainies which be-
fore their time were unheard of. Here, for
instance, is one of the charges which the
New York Tribune makes against
Mr.. Murphy, the Collector of Gus
toms for the port Of New York, who is the
head of the movement for Grants renomin-
alton:
"Inquirer'' has touched but lightly, in his
questions, the real gravity of Mr.. Murphy's
war record. 1t is ''true that he made large
sums of money out of the Government at
the time Of its greatest peril" That vera
family hints the extent of the case. Ii is
not denied that the transactions by which
he realized these large sums were of such a
nature that the War Department ordered
an investigation. 1t is not denied that very
damaging results were attained. 1t is
not denied that private political influence
was brought to bear at headquarters to
suppress the investigation, and that it was
so suppressed 1t is not denied
that, when the papers were subsequently
called for, it was found that the War De-
partment had suffered from burglary as
alarming as that which lately convulsed the
City Hall and wrung with vain regret the
tender heart of Connolly. 1t is not denied
that the twelve affidavits distracted were
hurtful to Mr.. Murphy's case. 1t is not de-
MED that Mr.. Robert Murray has openly
. sted that, at the proper time, he disposed
of witnesses as effectually as these mourn
fully mysterious burglars did of the affida-
Wits about Murphy and the vouchers against
COmolly-by spiriting them away at Mr.
Murphy's instigation, and on his promise to
pay their expenses.
This is the man whom, under most I'M
wise advice, the authorities were induced to
place at the head of the New York Custom
house. The odimn in which his appoint
ment has ever since been held is due to this
o,,H 10 NJ fOfTnQI m him nv
the mercantile community-an estimate
well expressed by that upright Christian
merchant and Republican of unquestioned
fidelity and influence, William E. Dodge,
who in his sworn testimony before the In
vestigating Committee of Congress, said:
The fact the Administration was repre-
scented here by such a venal, corrupt ma
chine as the Custom-House, has taken the
heart out Of all the German Republicans. L
scarcely know an intelligent Republican
who voted at the last election in New DIRK.
The whole conduct of things has been on
| that basis and just as long as all offices I'M
der the government are political gifts, just
SO long We will get worse aud worse, and go
to the dogs"
Now mark the contrast. Mr.. Connolly is
charged with ''doctoring' the public ac-
| counts, in order to secure or conceal dis
honest gains by himself and colleagues; and
with srppreSsing the evidence against him
Democratic citizens at once rush forward,
says the Albany argus, to prosecute him in
the courts; a Democratic Judge pronounces
his guilt; a committee of Democrats with
the Chairman of the Democratic State
Committee, ''move on his works" and COM
pei the surrender of his papers and his pow
er; and a Democrat assumes the control
Of his office, in whom the whole
public express confidence. Mr.. Murphy
is accused Of similar offence
to that of COnnolly-in addition to being a
confederate of Connoly's. Mr.. Murphy is
further accused of connivance in burglary,
the object of which was to suppress evil
dence against him, and that in pursuance of
the plot ''twelye affidavits' duplicating him
were distracted. He is moreover charged
with bribing and spiriting away the witness
who on his trial would have proved his
guilt. But how is Mr.. Murphy
treated by his party? Grant takes
him into the bosom of his family; gives to
him the office of the highest power and
emolument in the United States, and he
becomes the accepted chief of the Admins
tration party in New York. 1t seems that
such crimes and dishonorS as are imputed
to him do not disqualify him for the leader
ship of his party or the confidence of its
chief. The imputation of such ofenses,
cast upon Democratic officials, sinks them
at once. Must there not be something OPP
pOsite in the texture and character of the
two parties that results in such differences?