, 1874-06-24

Auo IAee4AoAt p!6A1AAo4 VIZ 4aot Ant " tAo
session by discharging camou}aet at Congress-
in The person OF Alexander 4. Shepherd. whom
ho appointed Chairman Of the new Government
Of tic District OF Columbia. In tho whole
course Of American history there oannot be
found another Executive act so utterly cheeky
md unbearablo. This man Shepherd has been
proved by Committee Of Congrosa,-n Ropub-
lican Committee unanimous Oommittee,-to
have violated law and decency in the most high
handed and reckless fashion, and to have
brought tho District Government to the verge Of
bankruptcy, from which 1t waa only rescued by
IN appropriation from the National Trcasury.
The bogus aafo.burglary comes very near to his
door. The Committee recommended tho
abolition Of tho District Government OK
presaly because It waa Shepherds Government,
and Congress conourrod in the recommendation
for tho sayae reason. And NON the President ap-
points Shepherd at the head Of tho now Govern
meutl Such an net ID not merely deliberate
insult to tho Committee that made tho report
and to tho Congress which ratified 1t, but scotr
ut public decepcy whose echo will DO heard with
shame ovor tho whole civilized world.
When the ramoval Of CluHs, the engineer, was
announced, we remarked that President Grant
never allowed docent poop1o to think wol Of
him worry long at i tirno. He had won golden
opinions from all eorts Of people BY Ills
veto of prodigate and ruinous piece Of
legislation. He had e1torted praisea FROM
many who had dospaired Of ever finding any
thing In him resembling moral principle, and
in the very moment when the mir was filled with
Lis com,nonuations he removed from oilico l.
man whosc ofrense was that he had exposed =
fraud Oh the Public Troaaury. Yet even this oct,
! impudeut aud rowdyiHh aa it Was, is altogether
eclipeod by tho renppointment Of Shepherd. So
glarng defiance OF public opinion can only be au-
counted for On the hypothohis that tho President
hua private interest In Shepherds retention.
THIS would not DO tho first tlme that tho Presi-
| dents private interests have made tho public in
| forests kick the beam. His participation In the
ealary-grab was thoroughly blaekguard per-
| formanoe, but eGen tint waa not 90 barefaced
and exaspera.ing as tho reappointment Of shep-
| herd.
| Who is tho mnn Sheppard, that tho Executive
| power should bo interposod in his behalf The
public have already been instructed in part by an
Investigating Committee composed OF major
| ity Of Lis ftieuds. Previously Lo had been
known ns colleague Of Mullett, tho Government
Architect, in joint venture Tor roofing Gov
ernulent buildings, which, considering Mullott's
official position, waa d fraud on its face. Tho
tenacity with which Mullctt aticls to his place
! in spite Of investigation aud exposure, is only
! equAled by tho baruaclo adhesiyoness Of shop-
herd III sticking to his place In spite Of inyesti-
| CATION and exposure. Both arc living oxomplia-
| outious Of ths utter moral obllquity which pro-
sidos ovcr tho destinios Of the Republic In the
person Of U. s. Grant. Shepherd Ia not the
Kind Of man to incur enmties and exotic
prcjudicea at distance, from Washington. for
lie has never como In contact with tho people.
| It ia impossible to regard him ia tho victim Of
unreasoning popular olamor. He Ia known
only to tho public by facts proven
! against him, md theSs facta hhvo brought
lin to DO thoroughly ddtested wherever
any knowledge OF tho District Investigation, Aaa
penetrated President Grant nooln't think that
he eau uintllcato Hhophord by reappoint|ng him.
He cannot alter tho iaots iu tho oaso by 20 much
aH hAir's brandth, aud moreover he has no sur.
plus claractorot his own to spare to cover tha
uakodnuas Of Shepherd vithal
We acquit the President Of any intention oi
lolpng his political friends in tho coming ea1l.
yass by tho reappointmont Of Shepherd. Il
has been cvldont Tor q long tlmo tAnt III
haa looked upon tho Republican party es I
squeezed lemon, or rathor as o lemou-aqueezer
1ts auocass or otherwise giyen him no more con
oorn than tho progress Of cogEia's comot,-elH'
le would havo known hotter than to iliug hi
msn 6hepherd, lile docsyed ogg, into the fac'
of public opinion. Tho act will cost tho Repub
loan party thousands OF yosos In ogory Nosthos1
Hsato, and sond many Congressman, klrsaa,
rsrploxed aud harassed by salAry.SrAbs aud II