New-York tribune., 1872-07-02
WHAT TIE ADMIN STRAnoN HIS DONE

TOR Us.
The friends of Gen. Grant, when they ask
us to vote for him a second time, ought at
least to show that he has done honor to his
Office and administered the Government with
advantage to the country. But there is not
one particular in which they can point to his
record with satisfaction. When he came into
office, the most important problem in domestic
affairs was the condition of the Southern
States. Vexed by disability laws and plum
dered by Northern adventurers, their situation
was a shame to the nation. What has the
President done for them? Instead of an hon
est representative Government he has given
them Caseys and Spencers. Instead of com
plete amnesty he has given them force bills.
Instead of sending away the carpet-baggers
to earn their living Off they know how by
honest industry, he has made "cOmpacts
with bogus Senators to farm out his patronage
in return for the control" of the States,-as
witness his shameful bargain with Mr.. Spencer
for the spoils of Alabama. Politically, socially,
and financially, the Southern States under his
administration have made no sort of advance.
The settlement of the Indian difficulty was
an achievement upon which the Presidents
supporters especially plumed themselves. But
the Indian difficulty, it seems, is not settled.
There is every prospect now of fresh saw
age war. Southern Colorado and NewMexico
are in a fever of alarm. Texas and Arizona
are disturbed. The Kiowas have begun an ex-
tensive raid. The Cheyennes and Arrapahoes
are supposed to be making ready to JOIN
them; and there are rumOrs of a massacre OF
troops Oh the Brazos. In word, Indian at-
fairs remain unchanged even the swindling goes
on as usual.
There has been no reform in the scandals
of the Federal maladministration. Peculatlon
has prospered in the public service. The
revenue has been diverted into the pockets Of
collectors. Paymasters and pensiOn-agents
have stolen more boldly than ever. The White
House has become nest of rogulsh specu-
1ators. and over all the transactions OF the
Government has been thrown an atmosphere
of iobbery. From the lease of naval station
and the negotiation of treaty down to the
sale of suffers goods to frontier garrison,
whatever the Government touches becomes
tainted with corruption. There has been mis-
conduct. if not fraud, in the arms sales of the
War Department, and the expenditures OF the
NAVY. and the Administration has not
rebuked them. There have been frauds
and extortions of the most infamous
character in the customs service, and the Ad-
mipistration has done nothing to check, nay,
has directly protected them. 1t was the Pres
ident's young friend, Leet, who fieeced the
merchants of New-York, and it was under the
Presidents friend, Mr.. Thomas Murphy, that
the arbitrary seizures Of merchants' books and
papers were pushed to the most outrageous
lengths. Indeed the Administration Of Gen.
Grant has been signally an era Of pecuniary
corruption.
The destruction of political morality through
the patronage of the civil service has been
carried further by Gen. Grant than by any
preceding President since Jackson. 1t used to
be one of the degrading maxims of party pol
tics that with change of power there should
come redistribution of places among the
yictorioussparty; but Grant has gone beyond
tbis. and for the first time in our history has
made Offices the personal spoil of the Execu-
tive. to be dispensed not for "the good of the
"partyn but for his individual advantage
Some he has given for the support Of his