Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1874-07-09
Ross Shepherds Friend.

repugnance winch vary Dut trlfe
from indignation, His persistence in
putting Shepherd toward after he had
been condemned by an investigation
committee and disgraced by the abro-
cation of the District Government in
order to get rid Of him, can be inter-
preted as nothing less than an insult
deliberately put upon the people, for
it is the people Of the whole country
who are taxed to support the District
Government, and who have been
swindled out of between ten and TWEEN
ty millions by the corrupt District
Ring of which Shepherd was the head
and soul. Gen. Grant evidently under
stood why he appointed him Governor
Of the District right upon the heels of
Cookies enforced resignation, He
paid no attention to the protests raised
against it then, which might have been
accepted as a token of what he would
do later. The Committee reported to
the House the actual condition of the
District, and the reasons for it; bat
they decline to suggest pen altles for
anybody. The House needed no
prompting, but Immediately abolished
the District Government. That act
included everything of which Shep-
herd had special reason to be appre
hensive. Yet it was an inexcusably
mild treatment. The Presidents sub
sequent course showed the mistake of
aiming the Judgment at the abused
and corrupted Government rather
than at the individual found guilty of
reducing it to that low condition.
The action of the House struck the
President more as challenge for him
to manifest his official friendship than
as a punishment of his friend not to
be RENTED. Accordingly he selected
the deposed Chief of the Ring as his
personal companion on characteristic
sally from the Executive Mansion for
the inauguration of new hotel-an
errand quite worthy of the sentiment
that dictated the companionship.
This was the first reply of the Presi-
dent to the action of Congress.
His next step was to send Shop
herds name in at the head of the
Commission for Governing the Dis
trct until new Government should
be organized by Congress. The Sen
ate rejected it with prompt disdain,
though it confirmed the other two
members nominated. This was the
Presidents delicate mode OF manifest
ing his respect for the Judgment of
Congress. 1t also illustrated afresh
his promise not to- have any will other
than that of tho people. A people
plundered of millions, therefore, weigh
ed nothing in his mind in comparison
with his friendship for the chief plund-
erer. But Congress was thus insulted
because its investigating committee
shrank from pushing their inquiries
beyond the limits of the District Gov
eminent. They dared not penetrate
to the centre of the Ring. A Wash
ington paper openly charged that
every time the Committee struck an
important trail it led straight to the
White House, and it wcs pursued no
further, for party reasons, no doubt
This the tenant of the White House
comprehended the meaning of, and he
resolved to defy the party that was
afraid for its own sake to expose him.
Here, then is Tweedism at the Capital,
and the Presiden; openly unfolding
it. What is the inference, and the
only one? Tweed was arranged,
committed, and turned over to a
felou's punishment by the Democrats j;
Shepherd is upheld, made a public
companion of, and nominated to the
Senate by Republican President
Will not the country be profoundly
impressed with the difference The
testimony on the investigation was as
bad as anything that was brought out
in the trial of Tweed. Only the
associates of Shepherd refused to be-
tray him, while Tweed's convection
was secured in that way alone. Shep
herd pleaded ignorance of everything.
Porter, the secretary OF the President,
who certified to the false measurements
as true ones, was with great care not
called as a witness. The people paid
for work twice done, or as often not
done at all. Shepherd protested his
surprise at having been so shamefully
imposed upon. 1t was meaner than
pleading the "baby act" And The
New York Times saws that the Presi-