The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1872-02-28

code of international Law. which is rec
osnized by all civilized nations, is
amply proven by the Cincinnati cot
ton Job. In 1862 his father entered
into a formal partnership with fully
responsible Hebrew firm in Cincinnati
for smuggling cotton through the lines.
Tie Macks were mch' of large re-
sources AM, the cotton smuggling husi-T
ness was not only extremely hazardous
ordinarily, but Immensely expensive,
for cotton was. then worth some fifty
to sixty cents per pound. Jesse L. !
Grant was to receive one-fourth OF
the entire profits. Now, it is not
usual for wealthy Israelites to form
business associations with penniless
Ger tiles, especially if old age aud
,lecrepitude unfit the latter for per-
sonal participation in the business
What was the iuducement, thenF Why
Jesse R. was the father OF "my son
L,ssis," whose army then lay at the
objective point in their field Of opera
tinns. But did General Grant inspire
this movemeutf Let us see. The sub
jcct was first broached by Grant, Sir ;;
and he must necessarily have been
acting under special authority from
his son; or, still worse, must have
known his low and surdid nature so
we'll rs to justify him in consi'nna-
ting the trade on general principles.
So, n'importe. The old fellow went
down to General Grants headquar-
tiers early in 1868, and, with other
representatives of the smuggling firm,
gathered up quantity of cotton, and
returned 10 sell it. This was tho be-
ginning ola series Of raids made upon
Southern cotton by those enterprisi"g
fellows, extending through a considera-
hie period and various sectians of the
country. Now, the agreement was
that the cotton should lac bought in ..
S. Grants Military Department. and
that the Macks were to furnish all the
money, and pay for the association OF
Jesse % per cent, of the profits Is
not the inference irrcsistibles
The venerable elder soon f"nnd a
practical proof that ''the best laid
schemes of mice and men gang ait
aglce" for, after the cotton had been
bought under the protection Of his
sons sword, and after removing it to
a place of safety by government trans
portatiun as he AYERS, his pa' tners re.
fused to pay him Il nickel ia the way
of profits. So Jesse sues the Cincin-
natl Jews, and Ulysses issues general
order banishirg every Hebrew from
his department! These things are
matters Of history, and will no doubt
be remembered by our readers. 1t
may be inferred that the smuggling
was very extensive, as Jesse laid his
claim at 100000; but the snit. after
hanging fire until 1866, was hnslied by
compr",nise, and just at the time when
"Lyssi was beginning ~ strip fo'
the Presidential campaign.
| Judge Bethany Storrer, then presi-
ding Judge of the Superior Court o.
Cincinnati, aud a decided Republican
said in p, onouncing a decision in this
case ''rhe whole of the trade was not
only dissraceipl, but tends directly Il
disgrace the county. 1t is the price
of blond" The grounds of this cner
getic judicial declaration are not hare
To discover. The trade could hav,
been efficiently promoted by U. S
Grant so as to furnish an honest qni,
, pro quo for his fathers per centage q
the profits only in two ways. Tb'
first involved the "giviug aid and com
fort' tn the enemies of his govern
!: ment by assisting to exchange thei
, confscable property for gold. Tn
secnnd involved a felonions CONVEX
a sion Of government seizures, or re-
!, lease from seizure nn condition of sell
!, ing to his cnnfetlerates. The tribunal
+ Of sollierly honor, or Of national u
International law, would have con
: demncd either as criminal in privat
! citizen, and reasonable in an officer
r and it was '.'the price Of blood" be
= cause. that, tn the extent to whic
+ the traffic relieved or benefited tt,os
, whnn. he aud his government Gale
= ''rehels," pr" tauto it neutralized au
n negatived the struggles and hardship
II of his own army and his whole peopl,
= And the father priced the dishouor 1,
A. his son alta good round snm.
= Bnt, yet. q. S. Grant is not total
t. depraved, While we admit that |
). has shown the faculty of assembling
If his character the conspicuous vic
,r and crimes of Marlborough, Robe
> pierre, Arnold and Hastings, and exc
e nf experimenting them with lyin
n drunkenness and delauchery,. still y
If can not shut Onr eyes to the fact til
~ the greatest hero of history has II
81 exhibited mere conspicuous dev
{. ton to the welfare OF his flmii
er -[COurier.J Journal.
nj HfS A Dav or two since Il coupie