The Portland daily press., 1876-02-26
BABCOCK'S ACQUITTAL.
An Ovation to Him i'm st. Louis,


ST. LOUIS, Feb. %. Last evening Gen. Bab-
cook received what can almost be called an
ovation, after bis acquittal. His rooms at the
Lindall Hotel were crowded with callers for
several hours. Some of the most prominent
citizens offered their congratulations on the re-
Sherman, General Harvey. Judge Treat and
Colonel Hatch of 'McKees counsel, Postmas-
ter Bailey, and most of the army officers sta
toned here.
About o'clock last evening the officers of the
Arsenal, accompanied by the Arsenal band,
called at the hotel and gave the General a sere-
made.
Col. Hatch made brief speech in response,
in which he congratulated Gen Babcock on the
result of the trial; said the verdict was another
evidence of the closing of the gap between the
North and South, and the restoration of peace
and fraternal feelings. and called on the band
to play "Dixie," which was done Gen. Bab-
cock, who was then loudly called for, respond.
ed in about the following words:
'Gentlemen of ST. Louis,-I thank you for
all your expressions of kindness towards me /;
my heart is too full for me to make speech to
you to night, even if could do SO under other
circumstances. L must thank you all. most
deeply"
He then introduced Mr.. Storrs~ who made a
few remarks to the effect that they had never
believed that Gen. Babcock could not have a
tair impartial trial in Missouri; they had never
encouraged the idea that the SO called rebel in
huence would operate against them here. In
fact, some of the most friendly and sympathet-
j; letters received by Gen. Babcock since his
indictment have come from ex Confederates,
and nearly every one expresses pleasure at the
verdict. They always believed they had a
strong case, and the result has proved that
their opinion was righ2.
Judge Chester ii. Krum was then called out,
and after saying that he was proud that Mis-
sodri jury could try an important case and give
a just verdict, he referred in few words to the
great value of pure personal character and
unblemished integrity 1t was better, he said,
than anything else man could possess in this
werld, and would serve him above all things in
time of trouble
Shortly after this another band appeared at
the hotel and serenaded the General, but no
more speeches were made. About ii o'clock
Charles H. Tandy, colored man, somewhat
noted as politician, at the head of 30 or 40
colored citizens, called and paid their respects
to Gen. Babcock and congratulated him upon
his acquittal.
There is strong and apparently sincere and
kindly feeling towards the General among
nearly all classes of citizens, irrespective of po
litical sentiment.
The question of sentencing the parties who
had been convicted in this court was broached
and Judge Dillon said the proper way seemed
to let the cases stand as they were till the mo-
tions for new trials were disposed of, to which
District Attorney Dyer acquiesced, as that
course would best subserye the interests OF the
government.
General Babcock left tonight for Washing
ton.
The New York Press ON the Verdict.
NEW YORK, Feb. 25-The Herald says the
acquittal of Babcock will be a gratifying sur
prise to the country and congratulates the
President upon it, as Babcock's conviction
would have been considered moral conviction
Of Gen. Grant.
The Times says the country will receive the
acquittal with qualification, as his conviction
would give serious shock to public virtue.
The World says it is legal acquittal at the
cost of a moral conviction.
The Tribune says the country is to be most
heartily congratulated on the acquittal of Gen.
Bsbcock. 1t would be an almost intolerable
modification to every patriotic American, if
the private secretary of the President of the
United States had been found guilty of conspir-
acy to defraud the revenue, and none will be
more sincerely glad that we have escaped this
shame than those who are politically opposed
to the present administration. The indictment
has been submitted to the severest legal tests;
no one can complain that the court was biased
in Gen Babcock's favor, that the prosecution
was inefficient, or that the jury were prepos-
seSSed.
A Military Court Martial 10 be Asked
For.
A Washington specia. says that General
Babcock will now demand a military court
rti