Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1872-08-21

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II. BlLLISoFELr
Adamstown, Aug |, 1872.
A Glimpse at Grants Character,
The Bowen Case in Washington His Connection with
Fisk IN the Black 3 Friday Panic.
(From the Washington Capiiol)
No man ever held Office in this
country who has been treated with
the same tenderness by his opponents
as Grant. This originates, we sus.
pect,in the fact that he was first known
to the public as brave and efficient
army officer, and the diusion is com
mon that a courageous, able soldier
is also an honest, capable man and
therefore one to whom the popular
heart has turned with gratitude in the
hour of peril we shrink from critics
ing, and, satisfying ourselves that be
means WELL there is q disposition TO
overlook ordinary bunders But, an.
fortunately for Gen, Grant, his errors,
TO use the mildcst term, are not ordi.
nary blunders, while the time in which
his trial is to DO had is pregnant with
peril.
The first, and il occurred so close
after the Inauguration that it must bo
considered the beginning, is that in
volved in tho sale Of the gift house,
formerly the residence of Gen, Grant.
Now, as Mr. Sayles j. Bowen, the
prosecuting witness, states the case,
we find no blame whatever attaches
to the President. But this is not the
casc--aud Mr.. Bowen does not state
tho case. He cannot very we'll for all
the truth eliminates himself. 1t is
asserted, aud VIC believe that it can be
proven, that in return for his release
of the contract, Mr.. Bowen was prom
jsed the Executive patronage OF this
District. But whether he had the
premise or not, he undoubtedly sccur-
cd the patronage, and not only boast
ed of Il at the time, but gave good
and sufficient proof that his boast was
10 idle one. Bowen's friends filed
all the positions in the gift of the
President that belonged to tho Dis
trict of Columbia. And here come
several significant facts of circum-
stantial character that make proof
strong as that of Holy Writ. These
places were filed to the exclusion Of
the Presidents own friends. They
were filed by Bowcn's people after
promises made the President, without
a word of explanation. We speak Of
what we know. One of these expec-
tants was Dr. Robbins, an estimablc
citizen, who had been promised the
Postoffice. He only knew that he
had been sacrificed in some political
transaction, the nature of which he
could not understand. Tho President
paid, and Bowen received $4,000
worth of Official patronage, This
included q comfortable place for Mr.
Bowen himself, never given; and ut
the bottom of the discomfort may be
found hero motive for the subse.
quent wrath and disclosure.
The next case, and one that never
has been properly investigated, is that
known as the gold conspiracy of New
York--tho Black Friday. We know
that Fisk. Gould and Corbin--one
brother in.law of the President and
three unprincipled adventures con
spired to control the gold market of
New York. To accomplish this it
was necessary to keep the gold of the
Treasury under lock and out of the
market. Fisk, the then friend and
associate of tho President, undertook
to give him reasons for retention of
tho gold, and Corbin claimed to have
such control at the White House as to
make the operation perfectly safe 1t
was an infamous conspiracy, organized
to rob, and had its base in the Execu-
tive Mansion.
We will not occupy space in telling
over what all so wildly remember
the fearful struggle of that eventful
year, la the very moment OF victory
MIR. Boutwell,, contrary to the orders
of the President, broke the combina.
ton by opening the vaults of the
Treasury. The relief was instanta.
neous. When this monstrous affair
was over, the people saw that it edged
so close upoa the threshold Of the Ex
ccutive mansion, shat an investigation
was demanded But IL was never
had. The committee, made up in its
majority of the political and perma
nent friends OF the President, followed
tho trail to the door of tho White
House and then suddenly dropped It.
One day the committee passed o reso
luton inviting the President to appear
und render such information or ex,
planalion as he might wish and the
next day after midnight visit to the
Executive Mansion by Gen. Garfield,
the resolution was recihded, no reason
bcihg givon other than that found in
tho Presidents brief rejoinder that
"he had nothing to communicate
The Committee, as IL appeared
through its majority, then reported
that no facts had been developed i'm
plicating the Administration.
Now we are driven to one or the
other conclusion: Tho President,
through his brothcrin.law, Colbin,
who yet holds his confidence, know Of
the conspiracy, and had some reason
for helping il on, or he bad become
infatuated with Fisk's monstrous d.
nancial theory Of locking up gold to
aid in the transportation of Western
produce. II tho FIRST is truo, the
President should be impcachcd for q
high crime; If tho last Is correct, he
lacks sadly the Intellect necessary for
his position.