New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-07-18
BRISTOW.

Out of very meagre and Indifferent ma.
terials are oft times great men made. Cir.
cumstance and lucky chance do what
nature failed to do for many man who
has for brief period filed the public eye
and acclaim. Such one is the late Sec
rotary of the Treasury, the setting of
whose meteor fame is becoming very
murky as compared with its flashing rise
Snatched by the President from the OBJ
security of his Kentucky home, and given
high station, he treacherously used the
| powers and confidence reposed in him by
his benefactor to try and stab his charac-
ter to death. This is what the judgment
of the near future will be of Bristow 5
conduct. The Secretary performed a
plain official duty, ready cut out for his
action. At his accession to Office the
crimes of the whisky ring, SO wides pread
and manifold had they become, were cul-
minating in the exposure which followed,
and which would have happened had Mr..
Bristow never exchanged the insignif-
canoe Of his Louisville law Office for the
| magnifcence of the national treasury.
The gushing praise OF newspapers and the
flattery that inevitably attends upon gift
dispensing power, aroused the vanity that
is always present in little great men, and
which could only be satisfied in him with
President Grant declined to aid in
making one of his personal staff hi sue
cessor in Office, and the malignant efforts
which followed to besmirch his fair fame
IN the eyes of the American people, are
known to all readers of the American
press. For the action of every false
friend, the betrayal of trust by any acct
dental appointee, General Grant was held
responsible; until taking inspiration from
the known animosity of their chief, each
understrapper Of the treasury sought to
win favor and promotion by innuendos
and lying reports that would promote
belief in criminality at the White House.
Mr.. Bristow's ambitious schemes 1e-
ceived the crushing defeat they deserved
at the hands Of the people-who are in
tuitively right and just-and he stepped
down and out.
II the President has done augit Of
wrong himself, or shielded others in the
preparation of wrong, surely Mr.. Bris-
tow, with his unlimited powers and op-
portunities, must be cognizant of it; SO
the discarded Secretary and treacherous
friend walked out of the treasury into the
willing and waiting arms of Democratic
Investigating committee. Here was
chance to drive dagger through the
back to the vitals which vicious, crafty
nature would at once discern. Mr.. Bris-
'ow seized the opportunity. With well
appearance Of reluctance, he
tates to the ready sympathizers Of the
Democratic inquisition, that "what he
Inows-alas! that such things should
'e!-he knows by virtue of his confden-
ial relations to the President as Cabinet
ficer; that his keen susceptibilities and
ense of justice will not permit him to
make disclosures, and that he really ought
0 be excused"
Quickly is this excuse granted. The
ooint-the only point to be made-is l
chieved. The foulest suspicious, with +,
ut base or cornerstone, are erected /
round the intended victim. The howl. '
az idiots Of the press toss their hats in
ir and cry aloud, "Behold, this sweet c
God man. What an honorable man is 4
ristow," and coin from their fecund t
rains foul ISLANDERS that their hero miglN I
ave told, if he would. t
But Bristow had man to deal with: an
arrest, honest, decisive man-one who 6
i'll make him realize the truth of the !
phorism: v
-"This is the fruit of or f. h
nd finds it in his fOreht ad." Y
Speedily leaving Washington after de- h
vering his blow, Mr.. Bristow hoped to n
cape all consequences, but letter from "
70 President Immediately followed which
lthlessly tears away his veil of crocodile Il
'mpathy and false delicacy. 81 demand t,
at you tell all you know as far as the IL
resident is concerned" is the tenor of @
is peremptory, and to the recipient, D
ushing message. And Mr.. Bristow must @,
ell all he knows, and exculpate him ia
ION he hates-or by silence and mac Il
N confess an infamous conspiracy with
9 Confederate inquisitors to blacken one re
America most illustrious names. Il
Low as We are compelled to estimate m
:. Bristow's sense Of personal honor, we al