Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-03-22
VINDTCTIVENEsS OVERLAPPING IT
SELF

Poor Zach. Chandler, boosted a few days
ago that be had closed Trumbull's mouth,
and that the Illinois Senator would not dare
say word about the French arms scandal
But Trumbul s'would not scare worth a
cent Instead of keeping quiet, he ex-
posed Chambers rascality most efectually.
The New York Tribune says of the affair:
'Nlr. Chandler is a great orator, but
very poor shot. Aiming at TTumbull he
has hit Grant and COnkling. For bis ques-
ton has already been answered, and it ap-
pears not only that the circumstance 10
which he refers occurred long before the
articles of impeachment were reported, and
that Mr.. johnson had nothing to do with
it, but that Mr.. Trumbull was retained
to argue the constitutionality Of the re-
construction acts in a case where Mr..
JOhnsOn's Attorney General refused to APP
pear, and that he was retained-by whom?
Why, by none other than u. S. Grant, Sc
cretaTy of War Gd Interim and afterward
by Edwin NJ. Stanton. As for the fee, that
was fixed by Mr.. Stanton. Are We to un-
derstand from the Hon. Z. Chandler that
Gen. Grant and Mr.. Stanton were employed
in bribing Senators to vote against i'm
parchment?
"But it is net only the President who
has been hit. The head of the Presidents
particular champion, the Hon. Roscoe
Conkling, is also sore. There is no law to
forbid a member Of Congress taking a fee
as counsel for the Government before the
Supreme Court; but there is law prOvid-
ing that mo person who holds or shall hold
Office Under the Government of the United
States whose salary or annual Compen-
salon shall amount TO the sum of
s., 500 shall receive compensation for dis
charging the duties Of any other office"
and it is said that Mr.. Roscoe COukling VIC
lated this law in 1865. Mr.. Conkling at
that time held the Office Of Representative
in Congress, with an annual compensation
of more than s., 800, and nevertheless was
appointed and paid 10 investigate
cases of fraud in the Provost Marshal's De-
partment of the Western Division of New
Y oTk. The question whether Mr..
Conkling had violated the law was after
ward raised in Congress, and the honorable
gentleman excused himself bv saving that
his appointment from the War Department
was not as an officer but as counsel. Mr..
Blaine (now Speaker denounced this eX-
cuse as a bubble, showing that the special
commission under which Mr.. COnk'iug
ac'ed contained the following words: "YOu
will from time to time make report 70
this Department Of the progress Of your
la ors, and will apply for any special
Authority for which you may have
occasion. The Judge Advocate General
WI | be instructed to issue 10 you an APP
p)iniment as special judge advocate
That was a curious way Of addressing a
counsel; but Mr.. Conkling answered That
he never received any other commission
than th It, the Judge Advocate General Lev-
er having issued to him any such appoint
ment as the Secretary promised. Tie
House seems finally to have accepted Ar.
Conking's Postion that be was not an Of
ficer Of the War Department in this affair,
but a raid counsel Of the Government, and
then he added the following remark, which
IL will no doubt be a great comfort f3r Mr..
Chandler 10 read:
al shOuld be sorry as an American to
suppose that the standard Of intelligence
anywhere in the country is so low,tEat any
human being, unless it be that distinguished
mathematician and warrior, Provost
Marshal General Fry, believes that there is
the slightest improperly in a man who IS a
member of Congress practicing his profes-
son as counsel in courts, or accepting from
the government of the United States or
from any other client a retainer for such
professional services
"Don't throw stones again, Mr.. Chandler,
unless your hand is steady