The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-12-31
The Secretary Stands Alone.
From the ". Y. Sun.


Mr.. Bristow's position in the cabinet
has at last become painfully isolated, and
the facts connected with it have reached
point when they eau no longer be dis
guised or concealed from the public. The
real cause of this isolation is his earnest
and upright prosecution Of the whiskey |
ring, though the anterior hostility of other |
rings in whose face he slammed the door |
of the treasury, has contributed to in |
tensify luminosity against him at the White |
House.
1t is no secret now that the president
reluctantly consented to the vigorous
measures which Mr.. Bristow posed for
bringing the whiskey conspirators to jus
tice He knew that they had contributed
large sums of money for his reelection:
that they supported his newspaper organs
in the west; that they helped to elect
third-term senators and representatives,
and furnished the sinews of war for main
taining the Republican organization 10
several states. But after the crushing
proofs Of the guilt of Mcdonald, Joyce and
Avery were laid before him, Grant had no
alternative but to sustain Bristow 5 plan OF
campaign, or subject himself to serious
consequences by refusing to see the laws
faithfully executed. Hence he made
acquire credit for the discharge of Il plain
duty that could not be evaded without
personal risk 1t was a bitter pill to
swallow, but he gulped it down.
But when in the course Of this prOsecu
ton it became necessary to enter the
White House, and indict Babcock as
the principal prop OF the great conspiracy,
the president could no longer hide the re-
sentement which had been previously held
in check when his other friends were
caught and convicted He was fully in
formed before the action of the grand
Jury of the nature and extent Of Bah
cocks complicity and yet he did not hesi-
tate to pronounce him innocent. Since
then he has followed up that theory with
extraordinary zeal and intenest. That
unusual efforts were made at Washington
to avert an Indictment, will be shown when
ever investigation shall revail the whole
truth of this case. The first Of them was
intended to check the prosecuting officers
at st. Louis, by private inquisition in the
attorney. generals office, which should
determine whether the evidence against
Babcock was sufficient to indct him,
That proposed interference by Mr.
Pierrepont was promptly resisted by Mr..
Bristow as unwarranted and had to be
abandoned. The president regarded thi:
refusal rs a blow levelled at himsel
through Babcock, and he has not forgiven
it, The knowledge, too, that Bristow has
declined in any way to aid in making up a
defence for the indicted military secretary
has added to Grants bitterness Of feeling
These facts serve to explain the unworthy
assaults now made upon Mr., Bristow in
the third-term organ at Chicago and il
other cities, all of which are inspired fruu
the White House. Ills motives are as
sailed and his character is slandered, TO
no other reason than because he exposet
the presidents intimates, who were de
tected in stealing the revenue and dividing
the proceeds. The object is to drive hin
out Of the cabinet and to make room TO
a tool who will smile on the swlndleTs ant
step the prosecutions.
There are disclosures yet to be made il
Chicago aud elsewhere, more astounding
than those at st. Louis Other cOnfdeu
tal friends of the president sand lOca
Republican leaders, will surely be com
promised. Hence these various interest
are all combined against Bristow, an
will move in every direction to force hi
retirement. They charge him openly wit
the ambition to he president, and tina
his whole policy has been directed to tina
end, This is daily dinned in the ears q
Grant, until he believes Bristow to b
an enemy in his camp, and the chief OF
stacle to his own reelection.
Asa consequence of Ethese intrigues
Grant has given the cold shoulder t
Bristow, looks upon him with distrus
and excludes him from the intimate cour
ellis. His relation to the administrator
is now strictly official and nothing more
He has been deserted by Pierrepont
who at the beginning was more than
colleague but who has gone over to UraI
and Babcock. Jewell, too, the self-adve
tised reformer. has followed in his foo
steps and is among the most ardent wo
shippers at the White House.
0fthe other members of the cabinet wi
are only head clerks to the president ar