Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1872-07-27


charging that PrsSid eut Grant has received many
and valuable presents, Having made this
charge openly and repeatedly we presume they
are prepared TO prove the statement. We there
fore ask proof Of single case In which the
Pres dent received = present. Let US have the
proof. You have made the statement For the
beueht Of the men who want to vote honestly
aud intelligOntly, give Us the proof,-Rosk L.
LHd UHioR.
Il will afford US great pleasure to do so.
In speech delivered By the Hon. Thomas
A. Hendricks, the Liberal candidate for
Governor Of Indiana, delivered in lndisnap-
oils, on the 20th Of August, he produced
the proof and commented on il as follows:
GrFT TAKING.
The practice, on the part Of General
Grant OF taking great presents, has also
been justified IN our midsI, and the people
are asked by their votes to say that il is
right aud proper. You would punish with
great severity, under our criminal laws, him
who would give or take bride. How near
AKIN 70 that IL Il If person interested in
pubhc business makes valuable present 10
another who has control Of that business or
Is likely soon 70 have such control? And
how deplorable is the stale Of our public
morals Il Ihe people sanction il? General
Thomas refused large present, and said
tha. his country paid him for his services.
Bat the defence is that General Grant re-
ceived his presents before his election as
President, except perhaps cane, a pipe,
and box Of cigars. II is NOT OF canes. or
pipes, or cigars | AN speaking. Such pres
entsi OF trihng value, may be given and re-
ceived because Of personal friendship. Il is
OF equiPaRes, Of houses, of United States
bonds, OF such large values rs to make him
very rich man and | suppose they we're
all given after il was understood that he
was to become President. Indeed, on the
18th Of February, long after his election,
and only two weeks before his Inauguration,
General GrAut seems to have written the
following letter:
WAsHToroS, D. O., February Il, 1869
DEAR GENnRAL Your letter Of the 18th, en- |
closing me the handsoms testimonial Of the eiti- |
zsns Of New York, with the names OF all tho |
too generous contributors TO II Is received.
Through you ] wan to thank the gentlemen |
whose names you have enclosed to me, ind ivid-
uAlly and collectively. have the honor to b. !
youE opediens servant, l. 5. GRANT.
THE "HANDsoME TEsTIMoYIALn
thus acknowledged to General Butterfsld |
WAS not any pipe or box Of cigars" but ia |
understood TO have been money, United
States bonds, and other securities Of the
value OF one hundred and nee thousand DOL
lars more than the salary allowed BY the
Constitution and laws TO the President for
four years. Some Of the donors we're soon
thereafter appointed to high and valuable
Offices. But il il said they we're able TO
give without missing the amount" That
was 30, no doubt They we're very rich
men. They have made General Grant one
of themselves. They have voa his special
sympaIhies. he is Of them not Of you.
They have not missed the amount II has
all come back to them. The recommends !
tion 10 the inaugural message that provision
be made TO pay all the bonds in gold, and
the first law which he approved and signed,
providing for such payment in gold, added
20 per cent. to the value Of the 6ve-twenty
bonds-mAking each thousand dollar bond,
which was payable in Treasury notes, as
was generally conceded, worth 81 200.
During the year ending June 20, 1871, !
believe the Secretary of the Treasury claims
credit for 81, 100000 paid rs premium on
that class Of bonds. They lost nothing.
The burden Of making
GENERAL GRANT A VERY RICH MAN
was as light as a feather, compared with
tns advantage to them Of controlling the
pohoy oil his Administration and securing
its special sympathy in favor of the untaI-
90 aud dead capital Of the country. want
to see no preiudice against that class Of
capital no unjust legislation 10 ia hprt
There should be no partially or favor;tisr
In any direction but if there must be OAR. |
TALLY, il ought to be shown to the active
capital Of the country, the use of vb;ob
gives employment to labor, adds TO the nro.
ductions aud wealth of the couutrv. and
helps Us to meet the constantly Increasing
foreign demand upon our resources. YoS
know that the vice Of taking presents pre
vailed here during the wAr-that il hurt the
puohc service, that il enabled contractors 70
receive excessive prices, and to deliver de-
.eotlvs articles. You know that il oush,
70 Dc StopPed-thAt in its nature il ia a
growing evil and that the people alone can