New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-04-08
ABOUT INVESTIGATIONS.

ABOUT INVESTIGATIONS
We find in The Reading (Pa.) Times and Dis
patch of March 26 the following:
owe heartily agree with The Scranton republican
when It says that the most prominent and ready men III
the country TO charge corruption upon others for pot
cal effect have been, and now are the Hon. Horace
Greeley OF TIE NEw-YoRK TRIBUNE and Charles A.
Dana Of The Sun and yet in instance have these
brave accuscrs been able TO establish the truth OF what
they charged, although again and again have they had
the opportunity"
This is of piece with good deal more of
Misrepresentation, instigatCd, We are glad to
believe, by Ignorance rather than Malice, and
therefore, to be corrected right away. THE
TRIBUNE has been always Il little free in
denurciat of had men and gross abuses,
political and social. As long as the men and
wrongs denounced were Of and by the Demo
cratic party we were applauded by Republican
papers. When we discharged the higher duty
of exposing corrupt men and practices in our
own party, there were certain partisan journals
which roundly abused us in manner as above.
Now let us review some of the charges of
corruption we have made and proved, and see
how far the abuse is deserved.
We reluctantly published a few months ago,
as the only way to correct the evil the pain
full fact that the Administration was sustain
ing, to the injury of the Republican party and
the discrcdit of the country, corrupt poll
tician and contractor, in charge of the princi-
pal CustOm-house of the nation, and we named
him by name, Thomas Murphy. The evidence
we published showed precisely how and to
what extent he had swindled the country in
time of its sOrcst need. Mr.. Murphy did not
wait for an investigation but resigned, which
was perhaps the wisost course for him TO
pursue.
We found it necessary in like manner 70
expose Mr. Murphy's man, Tcrwilliger We
charged that he had coTuptly received
twenty per cent Of the State printing and
misapplicd other property of the State
while Clerk of the Senate. Investiga-
ton confirmed all we had charged and de-
velOped, indeed, something more, by which
another appropriation of postage stamps, named
Cushman, came to deserved grief. Mr.. Ter
williger did not wait the issue of the investi-
CATION, but, offering as an excuse that the
peculations proved against him were customary
under former Clerks, confessed guilt by re
signing before the Senate could act
Senator James Wood was also of the Repub-
lican party, to its great discredit. We said he
had taken brides from VIM. M. Tweed and
Jay Gould and had voted in their interests
corruptly, and we published the proofs. They
have been examined by Committee and sus-
tanned the report condemns Mr.. Wood q
resolution of expulsion of the guilty Senator
has been introduced and is pending in the
Senate at this time.
AS to the case of Col Leet We charged
that this staff officer of the President while
still on duty in Washington drew 5000 a
year from the CustOm-hOusc in this city, and
that was proved by written documents. We
said that he had come here and, fortified with |
a letter from the President, had demanded |
control of the General Order business The |
letter was produced and published. We
charged that he had threatened one Collector
with removal if he did not get the business. |
and that was proved by Leet's own coniidants. |
The Collector did refuse, as we stated, and he |
was removed, as everybody knows to give |
place to Collector who at once
gave Col. Leet monopoly of Gen
cral Order. We said the charges under |
this monopoly had been increased fifty
per cent; the first merchants of New-York ca
tablished that they had been doubled. All
this was shown before an Investigating Com
mittec by witnesses named by liz on the stand.
Before the Committee had concluded the il.
luiry the General Order business was redis-
Irictcd the charges fixed at reasonable rates
he monopoly was broken up; and the mpo.
,itiOn Oh Commerce of which we complained
vas removed.
There were printing frauds like those of
rerwlligcr in NowJcrsey. and THE TRIBUNE
sent correspondent TO Trenton TO exDose
hen. Well, this was done pretty fully
md no Ncw-Jersey papers will be found 10
igre with the journal above quoted, IN the
notion that it was not done very eilcctually.
We declared last July that the Quarantine
'f this State was administered to the disad-
vantage OF commerce, the robbery of mer-
,haIts. and the dscrcdit of the State: and we
asserted that the Health Officer, Dr. Carnocban.
iad been bribed with $4,000 to allow the most
'ntrgeois impositions on merchants. When I
Committee of Investigation was secured WE ,
ent Witnesses before il who proved mat. q
ers woso than we bad stated them