Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1876-01-15
STARTLING NEWS!
Grant and Bristow to Testify In
the Case OF Babcock at
st. Louis.

A telegram to the Chicago Times
under date of Washington, January
3, states that among the startling
events of the day is the announce.
ment that General Grant and Secre.
tary Bristow have been summoned
TO testify in the case of Babcock al
St. Louis. This was SO unexpected
and indicates so unmistakably the
extent to which the whiskey prose.
cutions have gone beyond the expec.
tation of those who originally began
them, that the partisans of the Presi.
dent are thoroughly alarmed and are
striving to throw legal impediments
in the way. So soon as the rumor
reached the streets that the President
would be summoned with Secretary
Brlstow, it was met by q counter re-
port that the law did not allow the
President to appear, nor authorize q
court to summon him as witness. A
dilligent scrutiny of the authorities,
however, reveals the fact that any
official of the government may be
summoned to testify in cases where
the government itself is concerned.
Babcock's counsel have summoned
the President to testify in his behalf,
is willing to do what he can to save
the perilous fortunes OF his secretary.
Why Mr.. Bristow should be called
upon is not known. His knowledge
of the whiskey raids is confined simply
to hearing the revelations of inculpa-
ted distillers, and the reports of de.
this city and at the scene of oper-
OF 10 hnk Dc
has been summoned by the United
States Prosecuting Attorney .and that
Grant has been subpanaed ON the
part of Babcock's counsel, although
the story, as it now stands, is to the
effect that both the President and
Secretary Bristow have been sum-
moned by tho counsel of Babcock.
A great deal of managing and in
triguing have been going on for the
past two weeks concerning the settle
ment of the Babcock business. Re-
publicans high in authority have seen
fit to counsel caution on the part of
Babcock until the case as it stands at
St. Louis can represented. Frequent
meetings have been held by Morton,
Grant and leading members of the
mo del republican committee to take
into consideration methods by which
this delicate business can be settled
without running the fortunes of the re-
publican party. To these meetings
it is said that Secretary Bristow has
not been invited. On the contrary,
it is alleged that he has not sympa-
thized with their object. One wing
of the party is outspoken in its de-
mahds for the dismissal of Bristow,
even though it should temporarily
make him a martyr, and consequently
a dangerous rival as \ candidate for |
the presidency, while the more mod
crate counsel caution, and hope to |
extract by temporary means from
Bristew what they cannot through |
bullying. Since it is plainly seen that |
the democrats don't propose to be |
made cat's-paw of for furthering |
the interests of any faction of the re-
pablicans through needless investi-
cations, another policy is to be adopt
ed, aud is. in fact, being carried out.
This is a policy of concealment. 1t
ls tor Grants interest to join the
movement eagerly and give every
aid which he personally commands to
The movement. He has therefore
held himself aloof from contending
factions of the party, some claiming
that he was above aud beyond the
reach of any and all of them, and
when the time came he could say
W hat he. chose and with authority.
Now, crippled by the imputation on
his own intimate friend and secretary,
ne is compelled to listen to the astute
of party managers with
whom he has not always sympathized.
These managers have shown that the
chances for the future are very close,
md that q series of lucky accidents
III the part of the democracy, which
ire not impossible, such as a wise
conduct of the resumption question
md skillful management of the
inances will give them the lead in
he next campaign. To Offset this,
he republicans must 60 into the con-
est united, with all the black sheep
covered as much as possible. Then
zen Grant will take the stand and
:over up all the delinquencies of his
ecretary. He has known nothing, it
s claimed, of wrong doing Oh the
'art of that gentleman, and his sworn
to this effect Will, 1t is
believed, shake the strength of the
against Babcock and draw
he trial of the. whiskey frauds away
rom the White House, where it now
oints 80 unmistakably.