New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-01-26
The Customhouse Investigations What
the President Thinks.

York Herald:
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 Herdtds report OF
the conversation Of the President printed
the other day, and intimates that the whole
thing is conspiracy to compel bis excel
lency to appoint new secretaries. This Is an
unjust assumption. The President has
never hesitated to express his opinion on the
investigation. He said yesterday to
promiIeut citizen of New York that he was
watching this inquiry with deep attention !;
that there could be no inquiry too thorough,
and that he would be swift and relentless in
dealing with sQy one who had done violence
to the law or tie established customs Of the
government. Speaking of the Leet matter,
and Colonel Leet's acceptance OF $oOOO
year from Bixby while he 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
it. So far as Leet is concerned. he said that
he would, of course, remove him from the
position he held unless a sufficient de-
Tense was made-such a defense as. he
feared, from the evidence, it would not be
possible to make. He furthermore CEN
sured Mr.. 0rinnell for having taken cog
nizance of the transaction, and added, EN-
phatically, that had he known OF this con-
nivance on Mr.. Grinnelrs part he would
have dismissed him from the collectorship
at once, and that he would have done the
same with Mr. Murphy; he had seen no evil
dence that Mr.. Murphy was in any way
aware of the Bixby-Leet transaction, al
though he was very sorry that Mr.. Murphy
had not taken his advice and removed Leet
when he requested it. So far as Leet Is
concerned, the President Furthermore SAID
that he knew him only in general way
as a Junior member of a rather large stan,
and that he had made no impression upon
HIM, except as that of kindly, discreet,
amiabIe and industrious young man, who
was adjutant or something of the kind; that
when the war was over and his staff was
about to 90 to pieces, on account OF
his acceptance OF the Presidency,
General Rawlins came to him and
asked him to write a letter tor the
Young man, who was going to New YORK 10
seek his fortune; that Rawlins had special
interest in him, and that, as much 10 oDlge
Rawlins as anything else, he wrote the let
ter. supposing that, at best, Mr.. Grinnell
would give him a little place OF some KIND
until he got into business. Shortly after,
I'D. Cameron, president Of the Northern
Central railway, offered to give Leet the
superintendence of certain irOnwOrks in
Pennsylvania When the President heard
of this he directed General Porter to write
to Leet, then in Chicago, saying that ne did
not wish him to go to New YORK, or 10 nave
any connection with the custOmhOnse at all,
but to accept Mr.. CamerOn's offer, 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 trans
action makes it impossible for Leet
to hold his present or any office, nor would
auy one who knew of it be permitted to
yarded as enemies of his administration,
not in the sense of active opponents, but in
a more dangerous sense, for they sacrificed
the administration and the best hopes of
the party to their own avarice and dis
honesty. As to Porter and Babcock, the
President spoke of them with kindness, and
said he had seen nothing to shake his con
fdence in them. At the same time he asked
his visitor very anxiOusly whether 1t was
really believed that General Porter and
General Babcock, or either of them, had
apy connection with this matter, and
whether there was any evidence TO That
effect. If there should be such evidence, the
President will give them an opportunity OF
explaining it before court-martlai.
The facts here written are all known IN
New York. and many of the best friends OF
uublicap members of the committee tor not
calling the witnesses who could prove them
The name. of one witness very close to the
President is in the hands of the committee
and so important is his testimony that ne
less a person than General Sickles wrote td
Senator buckingham, urging the exainlna
ton of this witness. Senators stewart AM
Howe have, it is said, decided not TO cal
him. and a most extraordinary theory Is IL
Lott
for this failure. 1t is said that they reSar.
the case of Leet and Porter and the Presl
dent as one-that the investigation can only
succeed in generating them all ; that they
are really the attorneys of Leet, and hence
do not care to go into any evidence tina
would Justify the President at their ex
nense. The President is known to have ex
dressed some surprise at the failure of thu
administration Senators to elicit this testi
mony
Parents ran the FISK vi losing the love o
their children who put aside their trivia
Questions as of no consequence An inter
rIoaat;on poiut symbolizes the life of child
hood "Why" and what are the key
viii which it unlocks the treasury of tn
,un,.ld The bows numberless question
often seem trivial. but the wise parent wi
Ever turn them off unanswered, ii he ca
helm it. It is his rich opportunity OF teacl
;npl He is met half way, and there Is a
the difference between lmpresslng the trut
on an eager mind and an uninterested one
The little fellow, helping you at your wor
and pelting you with endless questions, ma
Learn as much in a halthOur there as IN
week when his body is prisoner IN IL
school room and his thoughts are out
doors
c,oo1oys race for the Presidency may |
l;Jnrod one of the lost racas. After TT