New-York tribune., 1872-07-30
tial campaign half finished. III no S 'u'''
fuI IL will only have been begun.
NEW SCINDAL.

a
,.-:a.-at;on Ring at Washington is
getting reputation almost aS u"o ,' rho
that of the Tweed Ring In Ne"-io' 80
latost disclosure of villainy ooi'o'
Alabama. OF course Senator oPcnooi ~ -
CONCERNED in it. His famous conpac. WIZ"
President Grant, to give the reeiec'ioiii''' '"0
" controlp of the State in exchange lor 'ho
,otroroco comes to light in all manner OF un-
avnoo,od yavs. and seems to have influenced
.'I.;tndoo of schemes of corruption and
-, fro,d whose number we are only be-
e,;nn;no to learn. For the details OF the
beautiful story our readers are referred 10
washington letter, whose statements are MADE
unon authority we cannot question: iho
Postmaster at Selma, Ala, one MARROW, being
a defaulter to the amount of $4,000, tired TO
otra;obten his accounts by sending package
filed with strips of newspaper in lieu OF bank
notes to the designated depository at Atlanta
and charging the route agent with stealing the
money. The fraud was discovered Senator
Spencer was delighted. This little affair would
give him a hold upon the man. The criminal
could be driven to extraordinary exertiOns In
behalf of the Compact, and there would be
no danger of his deserting to Greeley and
Brown. SO he represented that the retention
of NARROW was necessary to the success OF the
denomination party, and Mr.. Creswell re-
leased him from arrest, and sent him back to
Selma, with instructions to make up his de-
falcation by installments, and do his best for
President Grant.
Whether Marlow's value was less than had
been supposed, or Mr.. Spencer believed that
the Compact could be more effectually pro-
moted by a new distribution of spoils we
cannot say; but as soon as the stolen money
had been repaid the name of Henry Cochran
was sent to the Senate as Marlows successor.
Mr.. Cochran Immediately afterward received
a visit from Messrs. Coon and Clark, delegates
from Alabama to the denomination Conven-
ton and confidential friends of Senator Spen-
Ger. From these gentlemen Mr.. Cochran
learned the conditions upon which Mr.. Spen-
Ger was willing that he should be confirmed: (:
he must promise in writing, l, to support
Spencer for reelection to the Senate; 2, to
support Coon for Governor; 3, to give Coon
and Spencer all the patronage OF the Selma
Post Office; and that there might be no mis-
take about it, Mr.. Spencer reiterated the de-
mands of his friends. Mr.. Cochran refused.
Mr.. Spencer thereupOn concluded that 1t would
be safest to keep MARROW; Cochrans nomina-
ton was consequently rejected and Mr. Mar
low is Postmaster of Selma still.
1t will not escape the notice of our readers
that for this scandalOus transaction higher
functonary than Senator Spencer is respon-
sible. 1t was the Postmaster General who
compounded Marlow's felony. bargained with
him to support the Administration as the
price of his liberty, restored him to trust
which he had abused, and in nominating
Cochran concealed from the Senate the cir
cumstances which made change in the Selma
Post Office necessary. And though Mr.. Cres-
well has since been demonstrated with by
member of the Alabama delegation against
keeping known rogue in office, he refuses to
make new appointment, and processes to
wash his hands of the responsibility. Com
mcnt upon this affair is unnecessary. 1t is
one of the most dlsgTaceful of all the corrupt
transactions that have been brought home TO
President Grants friends, and one of the
most thoroughly characteristic Of the methods
by which they are trying to force his re-
election.