Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-08-02
Wilson versus Grant.

son, late solicitor Of the treasury, before the
Congressional Committee charged with in.
vestigatiug the whiskcy frauds.
Mr.. Wilson's testimony is very explicit
aud volumiuous lie arraigns President
Grant for having nterposed obstacles 10 the
conviction of General Babcock at st. Louis
aud of desiring TO thwart Secretary Bristow
aud himself in bringing to Justice those
parties engaged in robbing the treasury by
means of "crooked whiskey." Mr.. vii
sons statements are backed up by letters
and documentary evidence OF such charac.
ter as to command attention, and. il must be
acknowledged, he makes a very strong prima
tdcie case.
IL appears that at the beginning of these
prosecutions the President was earnest in
his desire i" to let no guilty man escape" and
worked cordially aud effectively with Bris
tow and Wilson to accomplish this object
This Mr. Wilson AYERS As the prosecution
proceeded, however, more particularly after
Babcock became implicated, the ardor Of the
President cooled, aud his desire that the
guilty parties should be brought to iustice
sensibly ahatcd About this time, too, the
ears of the President were filled with stories
by those about him to the effect that the oh
ject Of this raid was TO make Secretary Bris
tow President, aud to bring disgrace on
Grant and his administration. To accom-
plish this, distorted aud altered copies Of
Wilson's letters to prosecuting attorney Hem
derson, at st. Louis, were shown the Presi.
dent, and his mind WAS poisoned with
jealousy toward Bristow aud the prosecu-
ton, and il cannot be denied that he evinced
little desire, II not positive repugnance, TO
further proceedings.
1t is Of no use now to reflect what
glorious chance the President had if be had
only continued faithful unto the end in this
matter. lie is not of nature 10 brook
characterization among the ranks Of his
oilice-holders. That he thoroughly believed
Babcock innocent and the attack upon him
absolutely uniustiiied is evident. "IfGenerd
Babcock is guilty-which ! don't believe ="
said the President, as Mr.. Wilson testifies
"he is the most guilty wretch in the world {;
he has betrayed my confidence in the most
Infamous way, aud besides has betrayed his
oslicial trust and no punishment would be TOO
severe for him" This was unquestionaby
his idea, and the Presidents unhappy habit
of sticking 10 his friends through thick and
thin" has placed him in most unfortunate
position before the country
While Mr. Wilson brings these charges
against General Grant, he cordially expresses
his conviction in the Presidents personal in
tegrity aud rectitude. This rs sorry comfort,
indeed but is perhaps better than none. Mr..
Wilson thinks that the President allowed
himself to be deceived by those interested
parties about him-those indeed whose only
safety lay in poisoning the mind of the Pres
ident-and fatuously aud stubbornly refused
to believe in their guilt and So thinking,
shielded them from well merited exposure
and punishment. This is 50 strictly charac-
teristic OF the man that perhaps there is no
need of going further for a solution o: his
actions
There is one point, however, even in these
humiiating disclosures, which gives us great
pleasure and that is the noble stand taken
by Secretary Bristow in these cases al
suppose" he writes Wilson, after the Presi-
dents position has been made known to him,
al must make up my mind to bear the abuse
of ring papers, hard as it is to do. They
are fighting TO keep their friends out of
prison and to save themselves from exposure,
and of course will seek to destroy anybody
who stands in their way. Well, as for my
self, cannot turn back, nor will stop to
parley with thieves. have no ambition 10
serve, no purpose TO accomplish, but the en-
forcencnt Of the law and the honest collec-
ton of the revenue. ! will compromise ON
nothing short of this but on this issue ! am
ready to be sacrificed any day"
These are noble words, and clearly indi-
cate the brave and honest reformer, such as
we thoroughly believe Mr. Bristow TO be.
They were written in the most private and
confidential manner, to his subordinate Of
iicer, at a time when, 10y the slightest weak
ening in his prosecution, he could have
been restored To high favor in Washington,
and all his dilhcultln. removed. Had they
been publish ii before the Cincinnati con
yention, W. think the wisdom of the Yer
mont delegation, in sustaining him there
would have been demonstrated by his tri.
umphant nomination, aud more triumphant
election.