The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-12-29

unuorlaken. Edcn one OF the departments
deserves investigating, and the White House
should not escape. If the task were not
such an interminable affair, the Sentinel
would venture to name the more prominent
matters that need the attention OF congress.
Mr.. Grant needs Investigation. A commit
tee might commence at either end of his
presidential career and have work to do.
The Republicans thought or pretended to
think that Mr.. Johnson was guilty of high
crimes and misdemeanors because be dis
placed Stanton from the cabinet. The proper
investigation of the dismissal of assistant
district attorney Henderson at st. Louis,
Immediately alter the indictment of Bah
cock, might show up Mr.. Grant as meritipg
impeachment. Or committee might COM
mence at the other end of his career and
make the matter of gitt-taking an interest
ing study. Mr.. Grant received costly gifts
and, as soon as he came into
power, appointed the donors to high and
responsible offices. and when the law for
babe the confirmation of some of these, be
impudently asked the repeal of the law that
he might reward these making gifts to him.
The committee might take another step and
inquire with reference to his completely in
the stock gambling of Black Friday. They
could proceed to consider the Seneca sand
stone contracts, the relations OF the presi-
dent to the jobbers and gamblers of New
York; the custom house swindles; to the
Indian rings; the st. Domingo project,
with its corner lot speculations. They
might inquire touching his intimacy
with Joyce and Mcdonald, now perjured
convicts. On the principle that policemen
arrest any one found among vicious $50
ciates, presuming guilt from the association,
Grant might beinvestigated on general prin-
ciples. His intimate associations have been
bad, and his reputation has suffered thereby
There has been gold selling at various pc
RODS that ought to be investigated. But it
1t useless to attempt to present all, or half,
or even twentieth part of the questionable
acts of Mr.. Grant that need looking into. 1t
would be better perhaps, just to convict
him as having very bad record and repu-
tation, and let him go at the end of his
term. Il
What il the postoffice department should
be looked into? What perfect svslanch of
disreputable practices would be revealed.
Our little affair here at Indianapolis would
be but drop in the bogshesd. Straw bids
and contract sales, fictitious pay-rolls, and
fraudulent claims stare at us from a thou
sand pigeon holes.
The department of the interior is also an
inviting field. The ghosts of half-starved
Indians, robbed by Mr.. Grants officials,
rise up, and with their skeleton fin
gers point out the guilty parties.
The treasury department would not escape
if justice were done. There is much that
Mr.. Boutwell, needs to rise up and explain.
A half dozen years OF uninterrupted plllsge
by the whisky ring compromises somebody.
The navy and the army secretaries need
looking after, and the archives under their
control would tell many dark tales. And,
alas, that it must be said that the depart
ment of justice might be interviewed with
profit TO the treasury, il the attorney gen.
81 ais were interviewed with power to send
for persons and papers. But when ell these
departments are oYerhauled, there would be
necessary review of Republican legisla-
ton to ferret out the ring interests and jobs
at the bottom. The subsidies afford an ap-
palling heap of rsscally transactions that
have been covered up. There have been
more Credit Mobilier affairs around the
capitol than have been exposed, more than
have ever been dreamed of by the unin-
itiated.
Then to branch out from the capitol to
the outer branches of the public service, still
more and more abuses OF public trusts could
be discovered. IL is really alarming
to think what a general system of public
rsscality has prevailed every where so long,
the people, ground to death by taxation,
peaceably enduring it. 1t is worth while to
consider whether it were not q better policy
to let the investigations 90 and proceed with
legislation in the interests of reform, the
lower house of congress preparing, as best
they may, for better era, when the whole
mass of corruption shall be closed out
With the power of the president to hinder
as he did at st. Louis, it is |
more than doubtful If the chief rascals |
could be brought to punishment and their |
ill-gotten gains disgorged. The rings within |
rings, which have reached to the presidents |
own household, admonishes that it will be |
fruitless task to develop and punish these |
traitors to public trust, and it may be a wise
conclusion on the part of the house, to only |
investigate twenty thirty of the more
prominent, and most fragrant and open cases
of public rascality, and from these let the
American people judge the rest.
Democratic Reform.
The Sentinel of this morning contains the
annual report on the condition OF the states |
funds. lust presented to the governor by |