The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-20

Facts for the AnttTObasco Society-Eight
MILLION Nicotine Sinners Putting
,aar Their Way to Perdition. Il
RECEPTIONS AT THE CAPITAL.
c ~. .ap WASHINGTON, Jan. 10, 1877.
The Custom Heuse OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES the
s'int President Thinks.
The reports Of the sessions Of the Custom House
investigating Committee. published in the HERALD
attract much attention here. The home organ Of
the White House Kitchen very earnestly denies the
HsRALD's report Of the conversation Of the Presi-
dent printed the other day. and intmates that the
whole thing is Q conspiracy to compel His Excel.
lency to appoint new secretaries This Is an unjust
express his opinion on the investigation. He said
yesterday to prominent citizen Of Nsw York that
he was watching this inquiry with deep attention;
that there could be no inquiry too thorough. and
that ne would be swift and relentless in dealing
with any one who had done violence to the law
speaking Of the Leet matter, and Colonel Leets &C
cepfanoe Of $500 year from Bixby while ne was
holding place In the War Department, he said It
was simply an infamous transaction, and no friend
Of his could in any way be party to 1t. Solar as
Leet 10 concerned he said that he would Of course
remove him from the position ne held, unless q
sunicient defence was made-such defence as, ne
feared, from the evidence It would not be possible
to make. BE furthermore censured Mr.. GrinneI
for having taken cognizance of the transaction
ana aided. empnatlcaly that had he known
Of this connivance on Mr.. Grinnells part
he would have dismissed him from the
Co,lectorsnp at once. and that ne would
have done the same with MI. Murphy. lie had seen
noevidence that Mr. Murphy was In any way aware
Of the Bixby.Leet transaction, although he was
very sorry that Mr.. Murphy had h6t taken his ad.
vice and removed Leet when he requested It, So
far a. Leet is concerned, the President furthermore
said that he knew him only In general way as o
junior member Of rather large stan, and that he
had made no impression upon him, except as that
OIL kindly, discreet amiable and industrious young
man, who was adJutant or something Of the kind;
thas when the war was over and his stan
was about to 90 TO pieces. on account OF
bb acceptance Of the Presidency, General Rawlns
came to him and asked him to write letter for the
young man, VINO was going to New York to seek his
fortune; that Rawlns had special interest in him,
and that, a. much to oblige Rawlins as anything
ese, he wrote the letter. supposing that at best Mr.
Grinnen would give him little place OF some kind
until he got into business. Shortly after D. Gamer
on, President Of the Northern Central Railway Of.
fered 70 give Leet the superntendance of certain IRON
works In Pennsylvania. When the President heard
Of shis he directed General Porter to write 10 Leet
then IN Chicago, saying that he did not wish him to
20 70 New York or to have any connection with
the Custom House ct ell, but to accept Mr..
Cameron's oner, and that since then he had not
really had chance to think much Of the matter.
and the developments In the investigation were new
TO him in every way. OF course, the President said
the Bixby transaction makes 1t impossible for Leet
to hold his present any once, would any one
who knew Of It be permitted Oshare his friendship.
Such men he regarded as enemies Of his admins.
Aton, not in the sense Of active opponents, but In
Q moro dangerous sense, for they sacrificed the
administration and the best hopes Of the party
10 their own avarics and dishonesty. As
TO Porter and Babcock, the President spoke Of
them with kindness, and said he had seen
nothing to shake mis- confidence in them.
whether 1t was really believed that General Porter
ana General Baocock, or either OF them, had any
connection with this NATTER AMI whether there was
any evidence to that eject. II there should be such
evidence the President Will give them an oppor.
tunity Of explaining 1t before court-martial.
The facts here written are all known in New
York, and many OF the best friends OF the admins.
tratton are vexed with the republican memlers OF
the committee for not calltng the witnesses who
amid khovm
very olose 70 the President is IN the
hands Of the committee. anu 30 i'm.
portant 10 his testimony that no less q
person than General sckies wrote to Senator Buck
lngham, urging the examination Of this witness.
senators Stewart and Howe have, 1t u said, decided
not 70 call him, and most extraordinary theory Is
in circuation this evening to tho reasons for this
failure It IL said That they regard the case Of Leet
ana Porter and the President AZ one--that the In
vestgation can only succeed In exonerang them ALI
that they are really the attorneys OF Lee and hence
do not care TO 60 into any evidence that would JUS
tfy the President ct their expense The President is
known to have expressed some surprise ct the fail
ure OF the administration euators 10 elicit this tes
umony. .'ls
Wcstern Railroads aud the Land Crabs
f. @. Ingersoll, as attorney for the St. Joseph
aud Denver Railroad, was heard to day in oppost
tiou 70 recognizing a. legal Ian grant transfer
made between tine ST. Joseph and Hannibal and
the Pixies Peak and Atchison now the Contra
Branch Of the Union Pacific Railroads. The argu
nent was not completed when the committee ad.
/, ,.ourned Ex-Attorney General Hoar ana Mr..
Nichols appear - attorneys for the Central Branch
and ex-senator John B. Henderson for the Kansas
Pacific, which takes the ground that there is ne
legitimate land grant 70 transfer. The Centra
Branch Union Pacific road has been fruitful source
Of discussion In Congress and constant applican,
for legislation before the appropriate committee
AlH NNa IH1N 'H II gig lN.i I|ftI
sDH fe' a..itFll ~ .era Elo1a. IL 81. il..