New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-08-01
A Lame and HlnpOtent Conclusion.

In carefully prepared speech delivered in
st. Louis the other day by Carl Schurz, in
defense of his treason to the Republican
party, and his malignant and infamous war
fare upon Gen. Grant, he made the startling
declaration that while the President was
urging upon the country the purchase of
SantO Domingo, he sent certain agents to
port the measure he could have all the pa
tronage he wanted. But that we may do
Schurz no injustice we will quote his own
language:
"When the Santo Domingo scheme was
pending, two gentlemen, in somewhat init
mate relations with the White House, came
to me, each one separately soliciting my sup
port to the project, and telling me that 1
could have all the patronage l wanted if
would aid the President,' sc.
This remarkable statement the President
authorized the absolute and unconditional
denial of through the press of the country.
And as Schurz asserted that he had in his
possession letter from one of the gentlemen
to whom he refers, stating that he made the
lenged him to publish the full name of the
writer. This Schurz has done through the
New York Tribune, and it turns out to be
Gen. Alfred Pleasonton, who was suspended
about a year ago as Commissioner of In
ternal Revenue. The note from Schurz COM
municating the name Of Pleasonton as one of
the gentlemen who attempted to bride him
with an offer of call the patronage he
wanted' was accompanied by another letter
from Gen. Pleasonton, which is claimed to
reaffirm his previous statement.
But this is done in so timid and hating a
manner as to create the impression that he is
by no means sure he understood the Presi-
dent correctly, or else is conscious of having
misrepresented him. He does not confirm
Schurz's statement or his own original one,
that he was authorized by the President to
make the stupendous offer of all the patron
age Of the Government to the Missouri Sena-
tor-for who can doubt that he uanted ii? but
only says "your (Schurz's) statement is cor
rect that the President wanted your support
for his Santo Domingo scheme, and that you
Souiu nave Hitu lit pdtTOudSc VI tIle UofeIH-
ment for giving it." He says that was the
distinct impression the Presidents converse
ton made on his mind. But he is careful not
to say the President authorized him to make
any such offer to Schurz or anybody else.
He knows it is not true. But he tries to
help Schurz out of his disgraceful position by
prevarication or innucndO.
Carl Schurz is as unfortunate in his witness
as he has been in everything else since he
forsook the path of honesty, and patriot
ism, and duty. Pleasonton is the last man
upon whom he should have relied to impeach
Gen. Grant, for having been removed from
office by the President he is his bitter enemy,
and utterly incompetent to bear disinterested
and truthful testimony in a case of the kind
in which he has been dragged forward. AS
the Presidents enemy and Greeley-Tam-
many partisan he Is an interested and preju-
diced witness. And at any rate, in ques-
ton of veracity between him and the Presi-
dent, the people will not be long in deciding
that truth is with the latter. Having never
found him false or untrue, they will require
better testimony than this to induce them to
doubt his word. Schurz must therefore try
another card.