The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1876-02-25
WHAT GRANT KNOWS ABOUT Bah.
COCK,

swezs, relative to his knowledge OF Gen. Bah
cock, his antecedents, his official conduct and
his character in general The deposition has
been filed in the United States Circuit Court
at St. Louis, in the case of the government
Va. Babcock, charged as accessory to the
crime of defrauding the revenue. The sworn
testimony Of the President of the Republic
viii be and ought to be received and applied
as truth, unless disproved by counter testi-
mony So far as it is in favor of the accused
it will have great weight, without prejudice
on account of politics or Of the odium in
which the people Of st. Louis hold the par
ties and rings with which Babcock is alleged
to have been crininally complicated.
Grant deposes that he first knew Babcock
during the vicksburg campaign, and that the
acquaintance has been intimate since 1864.
Ia 1869 he became aid and private secretary,
and served as such to the time of his indict-
ment Says Grant: ellis general duties
were to carry all communications from the
President to Congress, to have charge and
supervision over al of tie correspondence,
particularly Of official correspondence,
and in his capacity Of private secretary he re.
ceived my mails, opened my letters, and read
them. In regard to many of them he gave
directions to the department with reference
to me, and such as required any dictation OF
answer from me he submitted to me-"
The relations were described as very conf
Dental It occurred almost daily that per-
sons throughout the country applied to Bah
cock to lay their special matters before the
President and Departments. BE was always
regarded by the President as "most efficient
and most faithful" After twelve years &C.
quaintance, has left upon deponent the i'm
preston that Gen. Blbcock's character and
reputation are good both in the army and at
Washington.
Respecting the appointment Of successor
to Ford:
was intimately acquainted With Mr. Ford,
first in the State of New York, when was .
lieutenant in the army. He was then q
young lawyer living in the same town where
was stationed; then from 1854 to 1850 we
were both living in St Louis county, and our
relations were intimate from 1854 up to
the time Of his death. He was connected
with the United States Express Company in
St Louis, and from 1869, but l will not be
sure about that, to his death, he was Collector
of Internal Revenue of the First Collection
District of Missouri.
It will be impossible for me to remember
all Of the applications that were made for the
place. I do remember, however, of Gen.
dressed to him from John A. Joyce. practi-
1caliy applying for the place. [Answer OBJ
jected to by counsel for the prosecution, IN
less the telegram is produced.
(The dispatch he thought was in the hands
of Babcock's counsel OF Of the District Attor-
ney of st. LOUSY
When Gen Babcock showed mo that dis
patch from John A. Joyce, I said to him that
Mr.. Ford having died very suddenly and
away from home, I should be guided largely
in selecting his successor by the recommends
tions or wishes Of his bondsmen that I
thought they were entitled at lesst to approve
of the appointment of the man who should
go in and settle up the affairs Of his Office.
The bondsmen Of Ford recommended Con-
stantine Mcguire, who was otherwise we'll
recommended in the Presidents opinion, end
therefore he was appointed. He does not
think Baboock knew that Mcguire was in ex-
istence at the time, or that he recommended
his appointment or said anything about it. :.
Q-Are the kilograms now shown you the
ones received in relation to tho appointment
Of Mr.. Mcguire?
|. [Objected to as immateriai and incompe-
tent, and because the papers do not purport
to be originals
Al have no doubt that these are the dis
patches, or copies of the dispatches, that
received, or if not, kilograms similar in tenor
to those that were received.
Q-There is a letter, Mf President, con-
nected with these kilograms, dated January
4, 1876, from d. D. Pratt, Commissioner.
Will you be kind enough to explain how that
letter was received by you, and what connec-
ton it had with the kilograms?
[Objected to as immaterial, irrelevant and
Incompetent
|. A.-The note from the Commissioner Of
Internal Revenue is In answer to q request
for me to be furnished with kilograms recon-
mending Mcguire to the office of collector.
[Answer objected to by prosecution as in
competent and immaterial.
Odd Gen. Babcock, sosfar az you know,
ever seek in any way to inf uence your action
in reference to any charge made or proposed
to be made against Joyce or Mcdonald, or
either of them?
lOrJected TO as incompetent, lmmaserlal
and irrelevant
ADO not remember of his ever speaking
to me on the subject at all. He certainly
took no lively interest in the matter, or l
should have remembered it.
Odd Gen. Babc6ck, so.far as you know,
ever ssek in any way to influence your action
with reference to any investigation of alleged
whisky frauds in st. Louis or elsewhere?
[Otjected to as immaterial, irrelevant and
Incompetent
Ale did not. Possibly might state right
here that remember but one instance of his
ever talking to me at all about the matter of
Investigations, except since he has been in
dicted, aud then it was simply to say to me
that he had asked Mr.. Douglass why it was
that they threatened all their officials IS
tn ugh they were dishonest persons by send
ing spies to watch them, and asking why they
could not make inspections somewhat as they
do in the army, send . man of character to
Ar-. All. k-l L.