New-York tribune., 1875-12-11
AN ThTIVTLY INTERFERENCE.

We have given the President such hearty
end cheerful praise for his conduct thus far
with reference to the Whisky trials at st.
Louis, that we have the better right now to
take exceptions TO his latest step. The re-
moyal of ex-senator Henderson from his
position of Government counsel III the
prosecutions does not strike us as being
wise. 1t certainly is not prudent to take
out of a prosecution of 80 much I'M
portance as this, an attorney who is presuma-
bly, familiar with all the facts and the testi-
mony; who has been i'll it from the beginning,
and is acquainted with its whole history as no
new man coming into the case can be. The
simple discharge in the midst of the
trials OF an attorney who, in compli-
Gated series of prosecutions, mas become
thoroughly cOnversant with every feature
of them who started With the first
threads of evidence that led up to successful
issue in the courts, and who has already pro-
cured the conviction of some of the parties
implicated may in itself be fatal to the sue
cess of the Government in the prosecutions
still pending We are not surprised that the
defendants in these cases-the persons COM
prising the Whisky Ring-are cOngratulatlng
themselves upon a change i'll the aspect OF
affairs SO favorable to their side. Scarcely
ANYTHING could have been done so well
calculated to weaken the prosecution and
strengthen the defense. Simply as
matter of public policy as regards the
winning of cases in which the People is the
plaintiff it strikes us as very grave mistake.
1t would be so dangerous step to take, even
had cause arisen in the progress of the trials
ho1 ba shown
weakness, that it ought only to have been
taken upon the most careful consideration OF
the whole matter, and very cautious calcula-
ton of the possible effect upon the interests of
the Government and the ends of public justice
There is another thing to be considered in
this matter, which the President seems either
to have overlooked or disregarded. That is its
effect upon the public mind with special ref
erence to the question of how far the Presi-
dent himself is sincere and in downright
earnest in the prosecution of the Whisky Ring.
1t is understood. of course, that the cause OF
Mr.. Henderson's DISCHARGE from the case is his
alleged use, in an extempOraneOus argument,
made necessarily with little deliberation, OF
language disrespectful to the President.
Nothing else is alleged against him. The
offense-and it certainly was an Ofense
against good taste and against the proprieties
is not to be excused. But there is
surely one man IN the United States
who of all others could afford to overlook it; (;
one man who should be above resentment of
it, and he the man against whom the Ofiense
was cOmmtted-the President of the United
States Under ordinary circumstances it does
not seem dignifed in a person holding such
aI tn la of no
loose expressions Of any citizen, whether no
be the holder of Government office or not /;
he shows neither strength nor greatness when
he stoOps to resent them. But this was pecu-
liarly case where the exhibition of
anger was ill-timed, and the summary
discharge Of the offender a serious bluDder.
For President Grant cannot conceal from him
self the fact that though public opinion acQuits