Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1872-01-24
FNncuIIvE MANsInN,l
wAEHfNaTON, March ~, Ie9.

follows
FxnCuTtyE MANunNl
wAHNorJS. March u, Is9. !
DnAR sin: This will Introduce to you Colonel
q. X. Lset who served under me from early 10
the war 10 the present day, from the fail Of
Nleksburg forward, as staff offieer. He IL bust.
ness man Of unquestionable Integrity. His ex.
perience before the war nis him tor business Of
almost any kind. He now proposes 70 resign
from the army to engage In private life, anu
obeerfully recommend him as possessing all the
Yours, truly, u. s. oRAST.
We ask our readers to carefully consider
and weigh the above brief note, and then to
honestly say whether there Is the slightest
foundation for the pyramid Of slander and
abuse and villiacation that has been built
upon II. The letter Is positively cold and
chilling In lts terms. II Is the merest form Of
an Introduction, written evidently without
consideration and in the most casual way.
What were the cIrcumstancesl On the one
hand was President only few weeks 10
office, taking Is Ii were an official leave Of q
young and gallant member OF his stan, who
had served with him from ''early In the war
to that day" who "from the fall OF Ylcks-
burg" down 10 the surrender OF Lee had been
one Of his staff oiicers. This young officer
then proposed to resign from the army.
fhe cry Of the reduction Of the army had
then been raised all over the country, and
this young officer was anxious to get out
into the world Of business and trade aud COM
merce again. which he had left at the call Of
his country to arms. Gen. Grant knew his
great ability as soldier and his Integrity as
n ,,., III, pr,,f 81 Ia ,,,y,, IA hnnaatv ha unyyIt
tngly gave In his evidence on the same day
when he said that he entered Into business In
New York with capital Of only one thou
sand dollars. Col Leet had been on the
staff OF the general Of the army for years,
In intimate, personal aud Official relations
with him, aud ln oil these years, when for
tunes were made In the army by the thousand
and the ten thousand, oil that this ''pettcd
iayorite," as he Is called, had been able to
save was few hundred dollars.
The letter which his President aud his Gen
eral gave him then, when he was leaving the
army, was ouly letter such as any merchant
In the country would give TO any one Of his
clerks In whom he reposed confidence, whom
he had found honest aud faithful. lie did
not express even u wish that Colonel Leet
should be given this or that position Of emol-
ument or trust. There Is not In the note the
shadow of shade Of desire that Colonel
Leet should OOtaln the general order business,
or any other business, and II Is not claimed
by even the most recklessly partisan that the
President took the slightest Interest In the
matter, or iuteriered further In Mr.. Leet's af-
fairs or prospects.
No fair.minded or honest person In the land
will attach the slightest Importance 10 the
base accusations that have been made against
the honor and integrity of tho President on
the strength Of this letter. Placed side by
side with 1t, they carry with them their own
refutatiOn. The efforts which certain jour
nallsts arc making TO connect the President
with whatever Irregularities there may be In
New York (lf there be any ut ALL on such ey-
ldence will In tho end inevitably react and
iniure only themselves. The great mass Of
the people have confidence In the President
a confidence whichsc0nnot be shaken or i'm
paired by such absurd and ridiculous charges,
TuE DEMOCRATIc PAPERS and the OppOsi-
ton Republican journals have charged that
the Presidents Secretaries are Interested In
the general order business Ia New York. A
few days ago we printed the evidence of one
witness cOntradlcung that slander. Here Is
the evidence OF another, taken on Monday
Q.-DId Gen. Porter have any Interest in IT.
Odd ho never have benefit from IT, A
Q."was Gen. BabcOck interested In iI2 A
No, sir,
Q.-Dld he ever receive any boneht from Il ?
A.-ROi cent. This arrangement with MT.
BiNby lasted about ten months. l did not belong
10 any mess In Washington at the time Of IN
partnership with Mr. BlNbyi or for years pre-
U.-What compulsory Influence did you bring
TO bear on Mr.. GTinnell to bring about the gen
efal order buslnessf A.-NOne whatever,
Q.-WhAt political inhuence2 A,-NOne, sir.
Q.-DO understand you TO say that you do
not directly or indirectly, divide the profits with
any QUO but your partneri A.-No one else Is
0.-HSs any one else got prOmI'el A,-NO,
u.-Would you have any objection TO allow an
expert from this committee TO Inspect YOUR books
aud papers' A.-No, slri none ln the world.
SENATOR TRsMRULL Is entiucd 10 the sym
,,athIes nf eveFV hnnest man In the COuntFy.