The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-07-27
VOL. XLllL-N0. 3lS.
A PRODUCT OF GRANTISM.
yuDor BLACK,s DEFENCE OF EA-
sECRETARY BELKNIP.

aha concluding portion OF Judge Blacks re- |
markabIs argument In the Belknap impeaoh-
mept case, which will be printed In the Record
to-morrow. 1t Is the severest arraignment OF
orantism that has appeared since Summers
great speech on the same su bject. Judge Black
said:
Now, aver that II is not wrong In any criminal
sense for an oficer to receive a present. There
"A no law wnioh forbids II. More than that,
there Is no custom, or habit. or sentiment among
The public oficers OF this day which condemns
II, or makes 1t disreputable. The state Of the
public conscience In this country does not call
for the enactment Of any law to prohibit II. 1
was q member OF the Pennsvlvanis Con.
yeution to reform the Constitution OF tsst t,t
sSsS oshsr. OF greater influence. and more
ability than mine, to get inserted in,o tno ,i5 o
Include presents OF any kind given under any
pretence whatever, so that no omceI comu p,oI'
self to the danger OF a prosecution which would
send him 70 the pep,tentiary, receive aSa0 money
the stars. was told that was irving 10 make
the ofncers Of the commonwesltn righteous
oyermuch; that the mere receipt OF money was
Of itself an innocent thing unless there was a
corrupt contrast Q, SPrr.pt intent, 3a' wnsa sa
proved like AM other fact which is necessary to
make out the guilt OF the party. By this and
smila ar arguments measure which tnought
very important one was thrown out
l do not myself believe that presents are
proper, when taken by public oficer from
have an Interest In the officers performance OF
his duties. think SO because, In the nrst place,
gift bllndeth the eye ana perverteth the juug-
ment OF the righteous, and also because, In the
next place, these Rifts may be used to cover es-
genital bribery. i do not believe that the insti-
buttons OF this country are perfectly safe In the
hands OF men who babitually receive presents
from their fIieuds anu constituents or from
which makes It a crime or misdemeanor, ana
that is not all; there is no code OF morals known
u.e M an n ana an N "A m n -
now hold once. when condemns It. II our
fathers could have foreseen the fatal deeen-
made some provision to prevent It, but they
Inserted nothing to prohibit Il, either in their
not In your judicial capacity, supply tue cdsts
omissus give you an ONCE, and YOU give me
~. s'ass money VIA, % of sssi @ 0 II tae % Exchange
was preceded by contract which made one the
son i ol ps tnss no cost9ae9 OK that
KIND, the case Is Otherwise; and so 1t has Dee
held In the case OF tue greatest. aud wisest, ant
There was a ume in 1925 when Mr. Clay held
an his hand the Presidency Of the United States
handed it over to John Quincy Adams, against
whom there was large majority Of the States
ana the people. He did IL IN opposition to in
structions almost unanimous from his constitu-
ents, and In the face of his own recorded opin-
Ion that Mr.. Adams was not q proper person to
be Chief Maxistrate Of tue couotry. The nrst
thing that Ar. Adams did after ne went into
once was to sppoint Mr. CLAY Secretary of State.
Did these two men bribe one another? They
were charged with making merchandise OF the
siSsss, 9Se' n under shs nss Tss ens ds
charge of bribery was precisely the same that
We make here. namely, tnst no proof could be
produced TO show the previous existence OF q
porrupt contract or understanding ~hicn could
have Influenced their conduct, and the general
public acquitted them on that ground alone.
Rsmembsr do not hold up this transaction
~ an ex mole OF public virtue. admire much
!.sn,I. .ny. year. earlier; he d,d no. vote for
Mr.. Jefferson. but ne had q 10 hts power 10 p,e
siyes 90 that Ar J JEFFERSON and Col. BUR would
both Of them have been defeassd. For gooa
that hs would not use tina. power, % put TGald would
retire from the contest aud allow Mr. Jener-
son: friend, TO elect h,m; Ai.e5 " ,bs prss,'
denlial cnair, offered him the mission TO France.
He said No. cannot get TO my post ot ou,s snS
then he will have the power TO recall me. VIII
not hold any ofrce under him. as 1 would vir-
tually be holding this ONCE, lest II might De IN
ferrsd that nave received a reward for my ac-
tion In the Presidential election"
The most distiugu uished IN an perhaps tnat ms
country ever produced, certainly the greatest
orator, one who was sif.ed with the most st
0uisiteiy organized intellect that ever was be
slowed upon any Of the children Of men, wa
appointed Secretary of State by Gen: laylvt
He said that DC eouia n1t Nv ,,,tb MI. tnsts an
habits, and he invited his it'enus 70 M e,D Dan
eSs. g s ni & bios sbH ,n ase, and gave biz
the Interest Of It for the remainder Oh nls III III
Was .h.. 6Tiss.sd With % ss sves sdyoeacT os Of tn
- ~.
6ank-by manufacturers whose interests no hs
promoted oy supporting proteSUve p,,',oa .ar,I y :
sdmired him for the noble defence he had IN 40
OF It's principles; but there wss no evlushe
Ssiieve nat It was gwen as . consideration fo
previous services. or IN pursuance oi aaafa, Son,
& e., future ~ Ss. sefsSst bsid 70 be n innocent. ~
The Manager from hassachusetts INT hoa
ss esSttSs, too, Of Of sns 3o.S
In corruption and built with the wages OF y
lauity. That is true and y Is eauay nr.pn,,s w.
concern gave large amounts OF tben STOCK al
bonus to the wife Of senator VINO Was nis, at,o
4, wItn Inc fun consent OF the husband Thou,
be had voted for the charter OF ths corporate
and afterward voted to extend its privilege
and always viDdicated II Ly his speech
on this door, th.re was no prCoI onsidsr,,i hhs.
speeches and Votes ss Tens ths stoc.. Tns sbsen
Of tnat proof left him 10 the iuI possession
tho character which no had earned Dy n's p, M
Elous life. lie lived respected hnd nonoreu, al
hied IN tue odor 81 sanctity. Ihe menoo1s
the House Of Re. resent-tiyes who reeeiVo1
same stock and bonds from the agents ot
same comp ny clnsiSered themselves as ~
acquitted wnen the commttee failed to ~
that Inere had been any corrupt cohusct' ~
such was the view of the House when Tor u
reason II refused to pass vote OF censure;
II Mr. Lincoln had been itnpeacheu, anu
bsncs had been introduced against bim Ike I
trash you have nere TO snow that nls VIE "
or without nis knowledge, TOOK a presen' II, ii'
have listened to it with patiencef mr: LlnS'
could not have come into TINS court WIN
higher oh az acter than Gen. Belknap. Judge Da
would have sworn for him that he was all
Aifetime sGIupulousy honest. Tho Governor
his state. and any number Of EX-GOVERNOR, :
The Senators Ia Congress, would have testir
TO the same fact, but be could not nave ma
character one whit better than that whici
made out by Gen. beknap, and by the force
that haracteT tie accusation would nave oe
sUept away like ciian upnn the summer thre
ing door. Nobody would have thought g
11at tue present Chief Magistrate has tai
large gifts from his friends Is a fact as
Lnown as any other In the history OF the co
tTy He did Il openly, wtaout an httomp
ooncealnent or denial. He not only recei
money and lands and houses ana Roous' anlou
Ing In tue aggregate 10 AN enormous sum-
he coaformed the policy OF his adminlstrat
10 ths interests and wishes OF the donors. 7
ne did more tnsn that; hs appointed tpe
VINO brought him these gifts TO tue niH
ofAoea vhicb no could oestow In return. n
anybody assert that Gen. Grant was guilty o.
Imueachabie chine in taking these pIese
even though the receipt OF them was io.owo'
oilciAl favoIs extended TO the elveIst ~
not ali regard him ttill az one OF the sIea
heroes aud ssgss the world has producedt
etsAd OF being impeached, and lHhomlnl9'
removed from once, he was battered anu
siected. lhis all happens justly upon the J
principle which commands you 10 pIssumo
erything IN favor Of innocence. Gen. IRA
wealthy friends In New YORK gave hm mo-
not with any evil oeslRn upon MS lDtegnty'