The daily Argus., 1876-03-06
THE GREELEY cAnrPAIaN---THE
THE CORRUPT REPUB-
LICAN PARTY.

In this paper will be found extracts from
The ~ ?. Tribune, of 1872, showing up
the very same rotteness in regard to the
sale OF post traderships which Demo-
cratic com mittee has now efectually |
brought before the country. 1t was for
this and other rascalities of the Republi-
can party that Greeley Schurz, Brown.
Trumbull, and hosts of other Republicans
left the party. The administration re
fused to investigate the corruptions within
its own household-probably because the
leaders of the party were as deep in the
mud as Belknap, Babcock & Co. were in
the mlre. It has now been exposed
The Liberal Republicans stand justified
before the world, though Greeley was
beaten. Grant, Babcock, Belknap, Nc.
Kee, Joyce, Avery, Mcdonald & Co.
carried the election of 1872 by the ex-
penditure of millions of money stolen from
the United States revenue. That fact
won't be disputed now.
IF the case of Secretary Belknap were a
solitary instance of criminal malversation a
generous and magnanimous country would
hold the president guiltless and regard
him as merely unfortunate in the choice of
one OF his confidential advisers But so
indulgent and forebearing judgement is
impossible when General Belknap is mere
y sample of the men by whom President
Grant has been surrounded. The country
has not forgotten that other members of
the cabinet have been forced into retire
ment by charges against their honesty,
although the evidence against them has not
been so conclusive as to extort confessions
of guilt like that which has been made by
Gen. Belknap. Attorney General Will
Jams was compelled to resign by unrefuted
charges of spending the public money for
laundaulets for the private use of his wife
and missapplying the funds of his depart
ment for eleetioneering uses in the
southern states. Secretary DeIano was
driven out of the cabinet by unrefuted
charges of corruption in connection with
the Indian supplies Secretary Richard
son was kept in the treasury department
until public Indignation forced him out,
and the country WAS then scandalized by
his appointment as one of the judges of the
court of claims, in spite of grave and un-
refuted charges against his integrity
Postmaster General Creswell resigned
with a reputation which was far from
clear, and Secretary Robson remains,
although the honesty of his administra-
tion has been assailed on grounds which
had as great color of probability as any
which have been heretofore alleged
against the secretary of war. Even Mr..
Fish, whose integrity no candid man
doubts, has stood by General Schenck,
who has been the occasion of the most un-
fortunate diplomatic scandal which has
ever tainted the reputation of the country
| We need not refer to the minor cases Of
Babcock. of Leet and Stocking, of the
presidents brother Orville, his brothers
in-law, Casey and Dent, and the othcl
brother-in-iaw, Corbin, who wa
mixed up with the Black Friday
speculations. and other minor cases which
have brought doubt and discredit on th,
purity Of the administration. Some o
these attacks have been attributed to reck
less partisan violence, and their force ha
to1 nv, ko
of their origin; but in the case of Belkna
the evidence is so decisive and unanswel
able that the culprit could make no denia
and Lis confession of guilt strengthens th
e presumption that other offenders were nc
!, upjustiy accused. In the cases of Delan
! and Williams the facts have never bee
successfully impugned, and the presuml
ton Of guilt is very strong in several of tt
others. The fact that Belknap eluded th
vigilance of the president proves that b
supervision of the departments has bee
inexcusably slack, and makes it credib
that he has been equally blind to the di
honest transactions of other officers
One of the worst features of these mul,
tudinous scandals is the infexible ur
formity with which the president has
Tended and protected the officers who
+ regulations have been assailed. He b
turned deaf ear to charges and proof
and has done his utmost to stife and d
feat every searching investigation. E
e. stood by Williams and Richardson al
Delano until an outraged and indigna
ID public sentiment forced them out of Il
D. cabinet, and then gave them certificates
,n le character, either in writing as in the ca
10 of Delano, or by appointment to Office
he in the case of Richardson, or by publ
ID acts of friendship as in the case of W
= ~ liams. His efforts to shield and save Ba
n cock were not more indefensible than Il
re attempt he made to rescue Belknap fro
r the disgrace of a deserved impeachmer
:. Belknap confessed his crime by offeril
his resignation, and the president not on
lie accepted but took pains to convey prom
" information of the fact to the commit
y of the house with view to forestal the
a action. There can be no excuse for ii
interference with the regular course
to justice. 1t shows the rottenness of Il
10 Republican organization, and that there
Il no safety for the country, except in
change of administration and repudiati
of the Republican party.