The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1875-05-06

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The Washington correspondent of the New
York Herald explains the way in which the
resignation of Attorney General Williams was
brought about
WASHINGTON, April %, 1875.
When the official correspondence on the
subject is made public it will appear that need
full attentions to his private affairs have left
Attorney General Williams no other alterna-
tive than retirement from public life, and
that it is with no common feelings of regret
| that he has thus been compelled to sever the
pleasant official relations which, for several
years past have attached him to the President
and his Cabinet, and so on. 1t will further
appear that the President deeply regrets the
resolution of Mr. Williams to retire from the
office which he has filled so acceptably, and
that in accepting his resignation he (the Presi-
dent) cannot refrain from expression of his
best wishes for the success and prosperity of
this able and faithful public servant in his
withdrawal from the cares Of State.
All this on both sides is substantially true,
but it is not the whole truth. The resignation
of Mr.. Williams, though proclaimed volun-
tary act, was forced upon him, and it came
upon him as a surprise. Ever since his nomi-
nation for Chief Justice, and particularly since
the disclosure Of certain facts connected with
the withdrawal Of his name for that high posi-
tion, there has been more or less dissatisfaction
in the Republican party with his continuance
in the Cabinet, and frequent ugly hints and
charges from republican sources have been
made against him; but until lately they were
all to no purpose The President paid no at
tention to these complaints of corruption in
the Department of Justice until last Friday
night week ago, when he sent for Mr. Will
liams and told him frankly that his presence
in the Cabinet was embarrassing his admins
tration and the party.
To this stunning announcement Mr.. Will
liams, of course, could only reply that he would
not stand moment in the way of the admin
istration or the party, and that he would send
in his resignation at once. But it was finally
agreed that it should be withheld until the
Presidents return from Boston, and that Mr..
Williams should remain in his Office till some
time in May, to dispose of certain cases pend
ing in the Supreme Court But whence this
sudden overthrow of the Presidents late appa-
rently unbounded confidence in this man? 1t
came from some treacherous leakages in the
Department of Justice For instance, good
natured friend told the President that one of
the Attorney Generals subordinates had "blown
on him ;" that the investigating committee ap-
pointed to examine those charges made against
Mr.. Williams when he was nominated for Chief
Justice had reached a point where, for the good
of all concerned, it was deemed expedient to
stop the investigation and shut the books
Upon this broad hint, touching matter of
which he had before heard nothiug the Presi-
dent sent tor Mr.. Williams and suggested the
propriety of his resignation. At this time
Mrs. Williams was in New York, and was little
prepared for the startling dispatch which, on
Saturday morning last week ago, came to her
from Washington, requesting her immediate
return home She left by the next train, and
was no doubt greatly surprised and ,perplexed
to find that the Attorney General who had de-
clined the mission to Russia and the mission
to Austria would soon be thrown back into the
shades of private life.
So fade away all the glories of this world.
"Put not your trust in Princes" or Presidents,
for you know not how soon you may be tripped
up and brought to the ground. Now it is re-
ported that Mr.. Williams will return to Oregon
and put himself there in training to take the
place of Kelly (Democrat) in the Senate two
years hence; but it is also given out that Ben.
Holiday, the railway and steamship king of
Oregon, and large force of active republicans
out there say that they have had enough OF
Williams, and that he will come to the Senate
no more. Some of the Attorney Generals de-
cisions, good or bad, have fixed him in that
quarter, and besides, the "cat is out of the bag"
in the Department of Justice, and Gen. Grant
has had enough of MIR. Williams. Be it under
stood that Williams is an honest man as the
world goes, but there have been influences be-
hind him that have officially brought him
down.
Of Secretary Deano they say that whereas
he was poor and has become rich, and that
whereas seven millions are expended yearly on
account of the Indians where four millions
ought to be enough, Delano will retire to escape
the wrath to come from Democratic commit
tee of investigation, which will surely walk
into the Interior Department from the House
of Representatives next winter. And shrewd
political astrologers here say furthermore that
the retirement of Williams and Deano will
soon be followed by general breakup and re-
construction of the Cabinet; that Pierrepont
will take the place of Williams that Fish will
vacate the State Department, and that Ben
Butler (preposterous as the idea may appear)
may take his place; that even the jolly Robe
son will have to walk the plank, and that Bek-
nap too, will 20 out. The Cabinet will be re-
constructed to strengthen the administration
and the Iarty behind it, and if anybody can be
found who has heard General Grant say that
he is not in the field for another Presidential
term, but wishes it to be understood that he
has withdrawn from the course, let that man
be produced. =,
But why all these leakages and troubles in
the Cabinet of late? They may be thus ex-
planned. The President has the same dislike
against newspapers that turkeycock has
against red rag. He does not read the news
papers, he will not see newspaper men, as
rule, and all newspaper reports of corruptons
in this or that department he denounces as
"more newspaper lies" He is an honest,
come-and -go.easy man. He likes money, for
he has been very poor and knows how needful
it is but he spends his money freely, and he
is not rich. But the great trouble with him is
that he will not read or listen to the newspa.
pers, and hence he lives in the dark in regard
to the corrupt doings around him, until some
glaring case, by some bold intruder, is thrust
under his nose. Then he acts, as in the case
of Williams But for his foolish aversion to