New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-07-18

are wondering why it has not been done IN
the three and half years Of despotism we
have had. We need not 90 to New York
for instances of civil service reform, or to
New Orleans to show up corruptions there:
Casey, his brother-in-law, the collector OF
that port, was proved to be briber of leg
islat0rs. Judge Scofeid told me that be
went to Grant and showed him
evidence that this man Casey was
briber Of legislators. 1t was clear
case and Grant told them that he would
see about it, and he is seeing about it yet.
Il had been said by the newspapers that
Casey was to resign, and it was understood
that he came to Washington for that .pur-
pose; but there came up delegation from
Louisiana, l believe all negroes instructed
to nominate Grant. Grant was told it was
not at all safe to remove Casey, because he
was such useful man. The President told
them he would postpone it, and Casey Is
still collector of that port, to help carry on
the campaign for Grant. When money can
be made useful, Casey is useful
Fellow-citizens, have said more than 1
intended TO say now. Cries of $50 on,
90 on ri The people of this country ought
to be looking on at the administration on
trial now. It's not. the App0mattox or the
Vicksburg General but the President OF
the United States. The people viii pro-
nounce Judgment, and | am willing to leave
y
party under the sun to put down fraud and
corruption. 1t is TO be left with them
whether we shall keep or let perish this
personal government There are men IN
the different places who are a shame and
disgrace to nation, and l know them, and
know them we'll. / have been looking on
as a witness, aud am compelled to say that
this administration, as a whole, is simply
damnable, and no other words can de-
scribe it. TLoud cheers The Postmaster
General, whom you all know, spoke here
in 1868. He was brought here by a
man in Detroit, who has carried him in his
pocket ever since. He claims that the Post
Office Department ought to make money,
but it is running behind S5,000,OOO year,
and assuming retrenehments. CressweI
recommended the abolition of the Thanking
privilege as means OF saving 100000, but
nothing could save enough to make good
Postmaster of him. In the last days of
Congress at one of its sessions, as you
know, there came in resolution to open
and examine claim of George ChOrpenning
for carrying mail in California fifteen years
ago. It got through, and did not know
ANYTHING about it. The POstofiee Commit
tee had recommended it, A friend told me
about it, and knew it ought to be stopped.
We shouted for tellers, but we could not
get them. 1t took twenty-five to call the
yeas and nays, and we shouted for them,
but we could not get them. Every man
had shis AK to grind, and it went through
the House and Senate and was
signed by the President. And thus the
Postmaster was allowed to pay out S443, 900
on a claim every dollar OF which had been
paid before. But Dawes, who is an honest
man, stopped it at last. He brought it up in
the House ana exposed itin speech, show
ing that it was fraud. One of the commit
tee from New Jersey four reporter did not
catch the name) told ne that he went to the
Postmaster and asked him about the claim.
The Postmaster told him it was good, and
gave him to understand that it amounted to
less than $4,000. The House finally passed
a resolution prohibiting its payment, The
first Assistant Postmaster General resigned,
and prosecuted the claim, and would have
collected il bat fer the scti0n OF Con.
gress to prevent it. Afterward, Dawes
speech, in which he showed up tue
fraud, was taken to General g ant, and the
action Of Creswell clearly explained. Did
Grant remove Creswell in accordance with
his civil service reform No, but he is
there yet, raising other Chorpennings and
allowing other claims like it. In every bill
passed after that, clause was inserted that
no money should be used to pay the claim
of George ChOrpenning, and so Congress
has. to stand over Ores well with a clRb.
The President will not help at all, but
1
could recite thugs like this which have
occurred in the administration longer than
you could stand and hear them. My mind
is full Of them, but will not 20 over them
now. During the campaign | am going to
meet the people face to face, aud ask them
whether they will be paiticcps criBliItis with
this scoundrel Creswell,
Ben Batter kicked civil service reform
out of the House, and Morton, Chandler
and Company trampled it under foot in the
Senate as dead carcass, and yet they 60
to Philadelphia and put it in the platform,
and lsOine witty allusion TO Nasts drawing
which in the uproar and laughter our re-
porter missed). Why have they not been
showing their love for civil service reform
before Why wait until the Philadelphia
convention to tell the people that they be-
lieve in economy and good administration
in the future} The people are not inclined
now to take the promises Of the admins
tration when it has rope over its head
and already feels the twitehing in its neck
They regarded not the promises then, for
they looked back upon the past. When Grant
came in power there never was a greater
opportunity to make q good administration,
He was idolized by tne people for the great
work he had done, and lie was believed in
by a great and triumphant party. Did he
call in men who would iuaugurate great
administration No; but his first act was
the taking of $3.50, 900 in cash as q gift, put
ting it in his pocket and appointing A. L.
Stewart, who gave $4,000 Of that sum, to
the office of the Secretary of the Treasury.
He took up Borie. Do you know who he
vast No, no. Who dug him up! Laugh
teri Where did he come from! | can tell
who he is and that is all know about him.
He subscribed $4,000 toward the purchase of
the Philadelphia house for Grant, and was
then made Secretary of the Navy. That is
the way Grant began his administration. /
was in Congress then, by the favor of the
people, and when Stewards appointment
was made known there were many faces
SO long it would have been very costly
to get them shaved. They heightened
more and more as they thought of il,
until they looked like a funeral. Each
one asked, Heard the newsl w at
do you think of itl' Many OF
them did not think at all. Thanks TO the
sturdy old forefathers who framed the con-
sttution, they not knowing that but just
such a blocl1head as Grant would get into
the White House, passed a law that no im-
porter of foreign goods could be Secretary
Of the Treasury. Grant saw that it was
bad investment. In the hurry of military
life he had learned how tc issue an order,
but knowing nothing about messages, he
sent an order to the Senate 40 longer than
it would require to say to Logan to 60 and
attack brigade. at such point on a battle
field, asking the Senate 10 abolish the law
which stood in his way. Then there were
long faces in the Senate, and doubtful ones.
TOO; but there was one that was not doubt
tui' and that was the face of Charles sum
3er-God bless him. He AROSE and said III
ms Wen known voice, "MF President, l OBJ
Jeet' ana the message had to go over for
one 'day' After the session they gath
e e.11 2 Ground Grant and said 10 him,