New-York tribune., 1872-08-28

that there may bo few believers still left in
the fealty of the Grant party to Civil Service
Reform They may not be inclined to think
there is anything in the cases of Clarke,
and Casey. and Murphy, and so forth. Per
hans the unspeakablo meanness OF an act like
this may be more effective In opening their
eyes.
Senator Wilson is not content TO let bad
alone. He first evaded the question whether
be had been KnOw-Nothing, but the evasion
was so maladrOit that it injured him more
than silence or confession would have done.
But it appears that certain Germans have
written to bring him to book, and this time
he takes heart of grace, and answers squarely
that he never was Know-NOthing. This Is
unfortunate for the General, because although
his word is a good one, it is not SO good as
those of Mr. f. w. Bird, Mr.. Albert Pike,
THE TRIBUNE ALMANAC, and the common
knowledge of all England. lie had bet
ter write a letter in English to explain TINS
last, or people may think that lhe has inten-
| tionally stated the thing which is not.
The recent wheat panic at Chicago promises
Il
to have some good results as compensation
for all the damage. The leading merchants
are full of excellent resolutions about such
irregular proceedings as the recent corner"
and their virtuous resolves have taken re-
troactive tendency The Board of Trade has
suspended the firm of James b. Lyon g. Co.,
who organized that unlucky speculation, and
Mr.. Hugh Maher of the Iowa Elevator, who
was also concerned in it. There can be no
question as to the immortality and disastrous
consequences of these "cOrners," whether in
Chicago or Wall-st. They can only be pre-
vented by public opinion among reputable
merchants and in the effort to arouse that
public spirit the Chicago Board of Trade de-
serves great praise.
If Mr.. A. E. Borie, the Presidents Secretary
Of the Navy, who once was an active mer-
chant in Philadelphia, or Mr.. William Welsh,
the Presidents Indian missionary, who is now
a merchant of the highest standing, were to
ascertain that their cashier and bookkeeper
had for years been engaged in mysterious
stock speculations with disreputable broker,
| their accounts kept in initials or fictitious
Names and all the while the secrets of the
| counting-hOuse used for private and per-
sOnal ends, we can easily imagine what
would be the result. We are very sure the
delinquent boOkkeeper would not be promoted
| to be a partner in the firm. Yet this is ex
actly what the Cashier" and "BOOkkeeper'
of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania have
been doing for the last three years
Our special correspondent in Arkansas gives
a sngularly clear and striking account of the
processes by which the State of Arkansas has
been reduced to the condition of the mich
COW of the Grant Clayton Ring. Seventeen
millions added to her debt; enormous amounts
assessed and collected for special purposes
which are never carried out; the credit OF the
State pledged for the issue of railroad bonds
which are stolen and sold by the Ring and
never a mile of railroad built these are few
of the results of the rule of that ravenOus
crew which settled down on the country after
the war; like buzzards on field after battle,
and has been rending and devouring ever
since. Our letters give an accurate general
view of the system of thieving adopted, and
also add a series Of concise biographies of the
soldiers of fortune who have in so short
time stolen themselves rich and the State
poor.
1t would seem difficult to paint the lily of
Blanton Duncan's absurdity, but the facts
every day coming to light about him make
him every day more comic. There appeared
no lower depth of the ridiculous when it was
found that Postmaster Edmunds was franking
his documents and those lifelong BOurbonists
Morton and Chandler were organizing his del
egatiOns. But he becomes still more grOtesque
in the light of the articles we publish this
morning, showing that this uncompromising
and pure-bloOded Democrat, who bolts from
his own party because it is less consistent
than himself is an old-fashioned Know-Noth-
ing, and one of the instigatOrs of the Bloody
Monday" Riot in Louisville, where his asso-
ciates amused themselves by cutting the throats
of the Irish Democracy of that city. He appears
to have disliked their politics then as much
as he does now. But then he attacked them
honestly as an enemy, instead of, as now,
wheedling them as friend. He makes striking
picture of an Old Line Democrat, with Know
Nothing Oaths not yet washed from his mouth,
the blood of Irishmen not yet cleansed from
his hands, the illegal frank of Gen. Grants
Postmaster covering his circulars, and the
money of Grants Committee paying the fare
of his delegates.