Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1872-01-17
THE CAMPAIGN OF LYING

of SANDER We suggest change in the
title, and for ourselves shall call the cam
paign now being waged against him the
campaign of lying. al e.GE.F7 4
The rebel papers in the South are just
now publishing copious extracts from the
New York Tribune and some other pa
pers heretofore identified with the Repub-
can party, in which serious and false
charges are made against the character OF
President Grant. The basis for the publi-
cations is the testimony now being taken
before the Retrenchment Investigating
Committee in New York. 1t Is claimed
by the papers hostile TO the Administration
that the evidence already taken connects
the President with certain frauds in the
New York custom house. Thus the World
says in reference TO the General Order
business:
Who besides Leet and his partner Stocking,
have shared in the profits of this gigantic swim
die of tho New York merchants The testi-
mony carries it homo to headquarters IN wash
ington. There is no longer any room to doubt
that General Porter, the Presidents private
secretary, shared in these dishonest eXtortloin-
ate gains, and probably the President himself.
The President otcn letters, IN has oicn hand
,rriting, conrict him Of completely 'c'H the
troRd.
We have read with great care this testi-
mony filling over twelve closely printed
columns of the Tribune, and we propose to
convict the World by the testimony it re-
lies on, of gross and willful falsehood.
Mr.. John 2. Lindsay, the witness relied
upon to convict the President and his pri-
waite Secretaries, Generals Porter and Bah
cock, with corruptions in the New YORK
custom house, was examined at great
length. .
From his evidence it appears that soon
after the Presidents Inauguration Colonel
Ieet. one of his former staff officers notiii-
1 IL, hot no ,vcDpSpl n
ton in the army and go to New York to
engage in business. The President eN-
pressed his regrets at hearing of such n
purpose and attempted to persuade him to
change his plans. Butfinding him decided
he gave him letter ofintroduction to Hon.
Moses Grinnell asking that gentleman to
aid air. Leet in establishing himself inbusi-
ness i'm New York. Armed with this
letter and with the information that Mr..
Grinnell was to be appointed
Collector-inforInatio received no
doubt from Porter and BabcOck, the Presi-
dents Secretaries-Colonel Leet proceed
ed to New York, presented himself to Mr..
Grinnell, notified him that he was TO be
the Collector of the Port, and in reply to
Mr. Grinnell's offer to serve him, asked
for the General Order business of the Gus
tom House. Grinnell promised to consid-
er the request When Leet went back to
Washington and the President learned of
his request of Mr.. Grinnell, he expressed
to General Porter his regret that Leet
should have made such demand, rs by
reason of having been recently on his sta1f,
! the matter would cause unpleasant com
ment. That we have not misrepresented
letter to Mr.. Grinnell or of his
views of the propriety Leet,s
| conduct, we,extract, verbatim the follow
ing from Mr.. Lindsay testimony:
Question Are you acquainted with Gen. Por
ter the private secretary Of Gen. Grant An
| swer. | have met him. "
q. Are you aware that he testified before-ar
| investigating committee, little less than q yea
ago-on the I'd of March last? He was askeC
this question DO you know whether tn
| President ever recommended Col Leet for thi
appointment or position {? and to that he mad
the following answer, TO which call your at
tention for the purpose of inquiring OF yo'
whether your recollection of the contents G
that letter is the same as that of Gen. Porter
ITO the best of my knowledge and belief h
never did. The only letter that the President
according to my knowledge, gave TO Col. Lee
was a letter of introduction TO the Hon. Nose
: H. Grinnell in New York. ] think before Nj
Grnnell was appointed Collector, Col Leet ha
} determined TO resign from the army and 6
: into business in New York, and Gen. Gran
gave him n letter of introduction, stating th
high regard he had for him while he had serve
on his star, not asking that he should be give
any business at all in the custom house" A
have no doubt that tits the same letter. a.
O. Does your. recollection OF the conten
agree with Gen. Porter's recollection? a. Ye
Sir; that is tho substance of what L meant I
state before.
e @ Do you or do you not know that Genert
= Grant was opposed to Col. Deets resigning h
, position in the War Department and coming
/ Now York A ] know that Col. Leet tol
f me that the President was opposed to it.
n Colonel Leet so well knew the feeling
\ of the President that he tried in every wa
4 to conceal from him his connection wit
a the custom house, when some month
= after Mr.. Grinnells installation, he becam
: interested in the General Order business
For this purpose he persuaded Nj
| Lindsay to give him the use of his mann
and to remit his proceeds of the bushes
to him secretly at Washington. This pr
e gramme was carried out as appears frol
. the following evidence of Mr.. Lindsay
+ "At Mr.. Leet's own request it was kel
n from the public and / substituted m
: name, but i never received a dollar or
e cent from it; the money passed throug
# my hands; / can show you the checl
t with Mr.. Leet's indorsement'
n The testimony thus far, then, shoy
:, that the NPresidenUs only connection vii
:. this General Order business is that he gay
e to former faithful staff officer, who rel
d resented to him that he wanted 70 lea
C the army and engage IN business IN N Q
e York, friendly letter to aid him in h
G new field of labor. This testimon
" so far from showing any improper IN
: tive on the Presidents part proves tn
8 he objected to .Leet doing -anythiT
H.. ,,.o,II ;n,yoI,-h him i'm anr SppmiI