Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-03-05
CUSTOMHOUSE CORRUPTION.
Gen. Porter on the Witness Stand.
The Administration on the Defensive.
Grant Regards Leet as a Pure Man.

Grant Regards Leet as q Pure Man.
WASHINGTON, D. c., March 4.-The
New ork Customhouse Investigating Com
mlttee assembled this morning. twas re-
solved to ask the Senate to appropriate
$4,000 to pay for printing the testimony.
The chairman caused to be. read q letter
from
AttOrney-GeneraI williams,
dated Feb. 81, addressed to Noah Davis,
Attorney for the Southern District Of New
York, stating that it appears from the testi-
mony Of the committee that certain persons
have accepted presents, brides or rewards
from importers of merchandise. The At
torney was therefore directed, by order of
the President, TO examine such persons,
who have acted in violation of the laws,and
take action In the premises, with view to
| prosecution, without necessary delay. 9th
or letters were read, showing that the
Grand Jury were ready to inquire into the
charges, and that instructions had been
given to the New York Collector Of Gus
! toms to furnish all information In his pos
session relative to smuggling and bribery.
The committee ordered a copy Of the testi-
mony to be furnished.
Gen. Porter.
Gen. Porter was sworn and examined
saying he was now Secretary to the Pres,
dent and had been since the Inauguration.
He testified about Col. Leet's pursuits be-
fore he became connected with the general
order business. After inauguration. being
DESTROYS Of leaving the army he applied to
the President for some position, and the
President said he would appoint bin col
lARfnF nf into -,.l -
but Leet declined that appointment, stating
The pay at New Orleans was too small and
that his wife objected to 90 there. Leet
having informed him that he was about to
apply for the labor business in New York,
Gen Porter endeavored to dissuade him
from doing so, telling him that any person
about the President, entering such employ
ment would be subject for constant per
sonal attacks. He advised Leet to go into
some private business. A proposition had
been made by Don Cameron to Leet to Sc
cure manager of the Lochiel iron works.
Gen Porter said to Leet he had heard the
President in general terms express himself
against the acceptance of public office such
as Leet sought. On the 2Sth of April Gen.
Porter accompanied the President to West
Point. On his return to New York he
"EIecutire Mansion, Washington, May
4, 1S7O.-My Dear Lett do no like TO be
the bearer of bad news to you, but l think
| ought to tell you what the President said
when he returned from New York. He
remarked that he had heard so much about
corruption in Customhouse Jobs and the in
tuence brought to bear in getting positions,
etc, that he would never appoint any one
" bO had bnan a,.o,,oI hin, 70 n ,Dre;t;oy, II
the CustOmhouse, no matter what his quali-
hcaliOns. In speaking about you he said
don't know who told him of the office;
that you ought to accept Don Cameron's
proposition for though he believes YOU
as Pure as Any One
yet he would never consent to have you 20
to a CustomhOuse. He said the attacks
would be constant and injure both you and
him. He feels just as l have always felt /
about such matters. You can now Judge |
of the situation and act accordingly.
Yours in great haste,
"HORACE PORTER.
"He told me could say this to YOU
On the 9TH of May Col. Hnlyer called at
Porter's room and said Leet and Mr.. Howe /
were anxious to enter into partnership and /
obtain business in New York. General /
Porter informed him it would not be advi- |
sable for Leet to accept such business, as
the President expressed himself against it. /
Leet obtained the general order business /
from Gunnel in the spring of 1870, and in .
this he had no assistance from Gen. Porter |
or the President. In reference to the
Army Ness
so often alluded to, the most that Leet ever |
paid in one month was $59.40. In reply TO /
aquestiOn by the chairman as to whether |
the mess received any interest from the |
business, Gen. Porter replied - None what I
ever" Mudgett had declared that Porter
was interested in the general order bust
ness, but those he had given as authority
for the declaration had disavOWed, and
thus General Porter said Mudgett was left
as the reviler.
On the Sd of May, 1870, Grinnell wrote
q letter to Gen. Porter, in which he says,
q know that you are not in any way in
terested in any contract given out here, and
neither you nor any other person about the
Executive Mansion has ever intimated a
desire to be interested"
In answer to a question Porter said that
Leet was
Not a Connection of the President
or of his wife and that Gen. Rawlings asked
the President to give Leet letter to Grin
nell.
On cross-examinatiOn he said Grinnell
made him an individual present of five
gallons of sherry. 1t was used by the
mess. He had no information whatever
that any other persons were interested with
Leet & Stocking. He himself never bad
any partnership with either of them. He
had never solicited any business for him.
Never did anything that would entitle him
10 their gratitude. They had never given
him money or other valuable considera-
tons. They never had the
EffrOntery.
to offer to. They had known him too well
10 make such a proposition.
The following were read at the instance
of witness:
Executive Mansion, July Is, 1870
Dear Sir: You are about TO enter upon
the duties of Collector Of Customs in New
7 ork. Many persons in seeking office NAV
use the Presidents name or mine in urging
their claims. / wish to state TO you dis
Lictly at the outset that no one is authorized
TO do so. Many friends of mine whom l
should be very glad to oblige, have impor-
tuned me to write you letters in their be-
half, but l have persistently refused to add
to your present embarrassment by so doing
Y on will never hear from ne on the sub
ject of Office. Ny only desire is to see you
so distribute the patronage of your office
as to render the most efficient service to
the country and the cause of the admins
ration. Yours, very truly,
"HORACE PORTER.
"To Hon. Thos. Murphy, Collector of
Customs, New York"
ANOTHER.
"EreCldiUe Mansion, Washington, oct.
81, 1870. Dear Sir: am directed by the
President to forward you the marked por-
ion of the inclosed newspaper articles.
While the President does not for moment
suppose YOU ever uttered the language it
mpute5 to you, he deems it well to take OPP
DOrtunity to say that if any persons have
been employed in the Custom House upon
that they are his particular
friends or favOrites, he hopes they may be
discharged, and that if any persons ever ap-
ply for positions under you upon such pre-
ences, lie requests that they may not be en-
1lOyed. Respectfully yours,