New-York tribune., 1872-10-02
SUOW THE BOOKS.

Gov Seymour has given an authoritative
exDression to the claim which the Democratic
party will have, and the demand which they
will make upon the Administration of Mr..
Greeley. "All we ask of Che Liberals" he
said, "is that they shall Show the Books.' 1t
is highly probable that this demand will be
made and granted This is the conspiracy,
the truck and dicker, the shameless bargain
and sale of which we hear so much in the
Grant papers, whose pure souls are vexed by
the prospect that this unholy coalition will
win. The Democrats, on behalf Of the people,
are to demand an account of affairs. They
are to know the condition OF the Treasury.
They are to be furnished some adequate means
of investigation OF present and past frauds and
swindlngs. The Greeley Administration is to IA
ciltate research, investigation, andrgid account
ability. Ii is no wonder that this plan should
seem brutal and unprovoked, TO the average
Grant office holder, who if not dishonest him
self. is compelled to associate with thieves and
to defend them In some form or other the
condoning of villaiDy has been the counter
sign of this extraordinary campaign. The evil
geniuses of the Administration have been those
Senators who instead of welcoming the in
vestigations of the best and purest men In the
Senate, denounced and OstTacised them as the
enemies of the President. When Sumner and
Schurz and Trumbull were called traitors
because they wanted malefactors taken by the
collar. when Conkling took up the cudgels for
Murphy, when The n. y. Times fought in its
spitefu and foolish fashion for Terwilliger and
Wood and every thief that shouted for Grant,
the Administration placed itself in the attitude
of defending the law-breakers of its own
party, and cannot now complain if the country
judges it by that attitude.
1t has been ruined III popular estimation by
the blind folly and arrogance of its own house
hold retainers. When Sumner and Schurz
called attention TO gross irregularities III the
sale of Arms to France, they met only insult
and abuse from men like Conkling and Harlan
When after bitter and injurious contest The
majority of the Senate allowed the appoint
ment of Committee to investigate the abuses
of our Custom house, they sent Az the Repub-
lican members of that Committee not Judges,
but shyster advocates. When Mr.. Howe came
to make his report, bis suppression Of facts
and indecent levity Of comment were disgrace
to our National Legislature. The majority
even tried to take advantage OF Senator Bay
ards illness to prevent him from making
minority report. The utmost efforts of
the independent press and the opposition in
Congress have not yet been able to get
any light on the subject of Casey's
,rascalities in New-Orleans. When the de-
faulter Hodge gambled away half million.
the public could never learn from either the
War or Treasury Department how it became
possible. And when the letters OF Oakes
Ames were published, showing that he was
engaged in buying Congressman like cattle,
not paper in the Grant interest published
these lotteIs. not a partiEn of Grant called
upon AInes TO explain, bnt all tried to hide
and cover out Of sight the most frightful leg
islative scandal of the age. There are thou
sands of honest people, who read only Grant
papers, Who do not know that these letters of
0akes Ames ever we're written!
More lately the Administration has fallen
into still graver discredit. While formerly il
seemed only TO defend its criminals, from the
mere blind spirit Vt party, and contempt of