Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-12-09
BY Mall,


hlsnt is that the grand lury in s f,oni
on Friday last. sou.id a true hin Of in
dictment against General Babcock, an
t6Et it will probably be formally r,
tuF1ed to tils court Tomorrow. II hs
been beIieveS here for some time b
well-iDIOrmed persons that this voul
be done. 1t is well known. as was teIe
grsphed 10 you several days ago, tba
evidences of his communications Wit
the st. Louis whisky ring was discoy
cred some months since, 90 lcng ego !,
tact as last July. Shortly afterTard th
matter assumed such q definite shan
! that al its details were
LAID BEFORE ThE PRESIDENT.
From that time the investigation il
the case has been vigorously followed vi
! by the prosecutors, and the Preniltan
has been made acquainted, in advance
| with each step taken. Tie delsy in IN,
case has arisen rom the extreme caution
which has teen enjoined by ths treas
ury department. upon those who wer,
managing the case in st. Louis, on ac
count of General Observation-Disclosures re-
lstions to the President, and the effec
which the proceedings against him mus
have upon General Grant. 1t wa.
tsought only justice TO bestoW unusua
care upon the investigation, 80 that nc
public step should be taken until it was
known, beyond reasonable doubt, this,
General Rsbaoek
WAS REALLY INVOLVED
in such way ss to make it necessary.
ln the interests ofjusticp, that he should
De brought to trisl. Is the knowledge
or TIE great care taken 70 eft the evil
dence IN his csse which gave such
weight to the open announcement OF
eeneIal Henderson, the chief prosecutor
IN 81. Louis in the whisky trials, the
otner day, to the effect that the govern.
meht expected to show that General
6aocock vas connected with the ring.
6eherai BeJcOck, in common with tae
lF,lesloe~t. has known, in general terms,
the nature Of the evidence collected
~gairs! him, and bas, therefore, had a
good opportunity to prepare his defense.
The movement Tor
MILITARY COURT OF INQUIRY
has much more behind it than the siua.
PIE demand for court on the part OF
al officer jealous for his reputation. 1t
Wss decided upon after long and earnest
consultation with army friends and with
politicians OF high standing, It was b.
IleyeG that matters could be shaped 40
as to have a military courttaks the place
Of trial by civil court in st. Louis, or,
at any rate, 80 as 20 have it meet and
pronounce iis opinion in the absence of
any civil tribunal. But after very full
discussion Cf this feature of the case ia
cabinet on Friday, it was unanimously
decided that under no circumstances
would it be decent or allowable 10 Der.
NIT military court to take the case out
Of the
HANDS OF A CIVIL TRIBUNAL.
1t has come out since the decision,
through SOME of General Babcock's
army friends, that when the court of
inquiry was demanded it was confident
y expected that the trial of the Gaze
could be Transferred from st. Louis to
his tribunal. 1t was believed that the
prosecutors at st. Louis VIC uld willingly
give way, or, at least, virtually permit q
rsnster TO take place by refraiRiUg from
'urther proceedings. But upon this view
If dealing with the subject being pre-
'ented in cabinet, it is understood that
SECRETARY BBIsTow PROTESTED
1t once and presented such forcibIe rea-
Ions that all present were constrained to
admit that he was right and it was de-
'ided that instructions should be for.
Tarded to DlstriGt-Attorney Dyer that
Inder no circumstances was he to be de- |
syed or restricted by the appointment |
n the action OF the military tribunal to |
)s appointed. These instructions were |
ent him yesterday. Chicago was fixed |
lpoD as the place Of the court because 1t !
would allow lis president (Sheridanl to |
)e near bis headquarters, and it was |
.lsO sufficiently near ST. Louis to enable |
t to obtain witnesses readily. It Wss |
IlsO deemed fAirest to General Babeock |
0 have his case heard at distance from |
THE EXCITEMENT AND CLAMoR
which frs known to exist at st. Louis.
NE court has the same power to sum-
non witnesses as q cCurt-martial, and
IS process for summonIng witnesses
uns through the United States. Gene
al Babeock's military frieuds say that
be President, at recent cabinet meet
lg, probsbly oD Friday, suggested thst
be proceedings before the civil court
hOuld give way to those before the
military court of inquiry, but that the
awyers in the cabinet quickly showed
i'm that this would not do, and the
resident i'm mediately scquiescsd. The
clay possible under the military pro-
eedings would be very great. The court
ordered to report upon the iacts and
i've sp opinion. None OF the necessary
'itDegses are in Chicsgo, ami they n. ust
e brought mainly from St. Louis and
Washington.
POWERS OF COURTS OF INQUIRY.
The court Of inquiry csn pronounce
0 sentence, no matter how guilty it
light find the accused. It can at the
lost only say that, in lis judgment, a
IA by cOurt-martial should take plScs.
such trial should follow SO much Of
lie ground would have to be tTaversed
new as to consume much time. The
Owsrd court Of inquiry, where nearly
| the witnesses and sll OF the records
were in Washington, where
e court was held, occupied over forty
iys. Theee statements give point to |
e strenuous attempt to have the mill.
~ proceedings supeTsede all further
.tion by the grand jury or court at st.
ouis
THE PERSONNEL OF CONGRESS.
The forty-fourth congress, which is to
sembie on Monday next, will consist
two hundred and ninety-two repre-.
ntatives and seventy-fOur senators,
akiDg total of three hundred and
zty-siX members. To this number
ust be added nine Territorial delegates.
! the senate there sre forty-two Re-
twenty-nine Democrats, two
and one vacancy. The
spublican msjority is now eleven; in s:
G fOTIy-third congress 1t was twenty
e. In the house there are one hum
ed and one Republicans, one hundred
ID seveuty.seven Democrats, five Lib
al Republicans, four Independent Re. !
four Independent ReformeIs,
ID one vacancy, the Democratic ma
-ity oeing sixty.three, The Republi-
n msj0rity in the forty-third congress
As one hundred ard five. OF the three 6
IudTed and sixty-s members, one
i6dTed ard forty have served In pre-
ous cong gresses, willis the remainder 1
e hundred and seventy -six-are, with [
v exceptions, strangers in Washing 2
a,
1t Is congress Of young rather than 9
! beaos. A very large proportion of c
8 new members are in the early stsge {
middle life, one OF them being only
and only one being over G
venty. AL but seven Of the new mem- c
IS are natives Of the United States
Fenty. one were born in New England,
irty-two in New York, thirty -one in J
N osvluonfa oud Nm Tar.axy t-.antr | .