The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-07-16
From the Binghamton Republican.

From the Binghamton Republican.
Greeleyites are constantly asserting that
Grant did wrong in appointing Murphy col
lector of the port New York. The time has
come when the Fenton and Tribune false
hoods on this subject, and the base motives
therefore should be exposed and the truth
published. When Grant appointed Murphy
he did not know that anything could be said
against him; and there has been no substan-
tial cause or justifiable ground for assaling
Grant by Fenton and the Tribune, as facts
will show. M Ma1 95t a
In the first place Murphy made a good col
lectOr, and honestly collected and disbursed
the revenues at New York, and at a less per-
centage or cost to the government than that
for which any former collector had ever col
lected and disbursed the same amount of
money within the same period. The base mo-
tiyes that Fenton and the Tribune editor had
for assailing Murphy will show why they have
abused Grant for appointing him collector.
Before Murphy was appointed collector he
had testified before an investigating commit
tee that Jay Gould and one Harris had ad-
mitted to him that $4,000 was paid for Fen
toms approval, as governor, Of one of the
Erie railway bills. Fenton did not go before
that committee to deny that he received the
10000, or to deny that he was benefited by
that money. But Harris, who resided at AL
bany, and Jay Gould testified before such
committee as friends of Fenton. They were
compelled by chain of circumstances to ad-
init that 1.-THE 5000 was paid by Gould to
Harris to procure Fenton's approval of the
Erie bill; but Harris said he received the
money for arguing as counsel before Gov.
Fenton to convince him it was proper for him
to approve the bill, tchich he did. f.. ..
When Murphy was made collector, it be-
came necessary for Greeley and Fenton to de-
stroy him to get rid of the effect of his evil
dence against the latter. Fenton made the
first attack on Murphy in the Senate, which
was followed up by series of malignant at
tacks on him in the Tribune. Charges
against him respecting some army contracts
on which he had been acquitted by Gen. Dix
and Others, were raked up and distorted in
the columns of the Tribune to induce Grant
to remove him. The Tribune tried the case
over again, and suppressed one side of it.
We care nothing for Murphy. but so much is
due to be said in fairness. Grant knowing
the motives of Fenton and the Tribune,
would OF become their accomplice, nor aid
their scheme. He had appointed Murphy by
reason largely of the dotage and Incompetent
cy of Grinnell, and would not remove him on
charges in no way affecting his integrity as
collector, and which, according to better ar-
thority than the Tribune, had no foundation.
He finally induced Murphy to resign, in Or
der to secure peace and Harmony in the Re-
publican ranks.
But he failed to pacify Fenton, who then
thought he could make Grant unpopular, ,and
be nominated for President by the Republ-
can party. And Greeley, intending to de-
stroy the Republican party, continued his un-
just and malignant attacks on Murphy and
Grant in the Tribune because he, Greeley,
was corresponding with copperheads and
rebels to secure his own nomination by them
for President, as is proved by his letters to
the editor of the Rebel Caucatisian of Missou-
ri, and Others. One of his letters is dated
October 4, 1871.