The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-08-04
WASHINGTON NOTES.


Hon. Allen T. Caperton, United States Sena-
or from West Virginia, died in Washington,
last week, of angina pectoris, brought on by
the recent hot weather. He was 66 years Of
age.
The President has appointed Green b. Raum,
Of Illinois, to succeed Mr.. Pratt, as Commits
sioner of Internal Revenue.
Bluford Wilson, late Solicitor of the Treas
ury, appeared before the House committee on
whisky trials in st. Louis last week, and gave
in detail his knowledge in regard to the late
whisky prosecutions in the West, and pariicu-
larry in regard to the connection Of Gen. Bah
cock with them. He related with great
minuteness various conversations which he had
with Gen. Horace Porter, Mr.. Bristow, Attorney
General Pierrepont, and finally with President
Grant himself, on the subject. Wilson said
that there was no lack Of cooperation Oh
the part OF the President on the whisky
cases generally until Babcock became involved,
when a GOODNESS between the White House and
the Treasury Department arose. Wilson gave
an explanation of the manner in which the
famous "Sylph" signature arose There Was
a certain woman who had given the President
much trouble. Bsbcock and Mcdonald, being
together in Washington one day, saw her,
and Mcdonald recognizing her, exclaimed,
There is Sylph !" Babcock said, "Do you
know that woman 2" Mcdonald replied -
know her very WE'LL" Then" said Babcock,
81 wish you would get her away from here.
She is annoying the President" Certainly"
said Mcdonald "that is easy. / can manage
her." and he did so. The term 'Sylph" be-
came sort of joke between Babcock and
Mcdonald, and they often addressed each
other and signed their communications in that
way.
While in Washington last week, whittier he
had been summoned to testify before the
House committee in whisky trials, Bluford
Wilson was sent for by President Grant, and
requested to surrender up the original copy of
the latter's famous "Let-no-guilty- es-
cape" letter. Wilson declined to do 3d. by
evadng a knowledge Of its whereabouts.
What followed is related in dispatch to a
Western newspaper: 1.-THE President WAS
made very angry, and he directed that close
watch be placed upon Wilson to see what he
intended to take out of the department. Will
son made copies of several documents there that
had played important parts in the prosecution
of the whisky ring, as much for his own protec-
ton as anything. He did this in a very quiet
manner but not in so unobserved fashion
but what the President soon knew of it. Three
candle-boxes were filed up and sealed with
direction to his home at Springfield. They re-
posed quietly in the Solicitors Office awaiting
an expressman, when an order came from the
President, through Secretary Morrill,, that
these boxes should be opened and examined
before they should be allowed to depart. Will
sen was then summoned from his hotel near
by. He has been quite i'll during the last few
days, and was much excited by this raid upon
his property. He stood by, however, while the
treasury officials went through his boxes. 81
most the first thing seized upon was the let
no-guilty- letter.
The Secretary OF the Treasury has stopped
the coinage of trade dollars at Philadelphia and
Carson City, and ordered the San Francisco
Mint to coin only sufficient to meet the actual
export demand. The mints will be run to full
capacity on subsidiary coin and the necessary
gold coinage.
The Democratic Congressional caucus, held
on the night of July ~, after long debate,
adopted, by vote of 46 to "a, resolution re-
pealing the date Of the Specie Resumption act.
The President has appointed H. F. Finley
United States District Attorney for Kentucky
vice G.. @. Wharton, removed.
Bluford Wilson, late Solicitor of the Treasury
Department, has been undergoing an examina-
ton before the House committee on the whisky
trials. AS his evidence has produced some
thing OF sensation at the national cap tal,
and is attracting a good deal of attention in
political circles throughout the country we
give in condensed form the salient points Of
the ex-Solicitors story:
Regarding the Barnard letter with the in
dorsement LET no guilty man escape If it
can be avoided"), Wilson stated that, in the
body of the letter, or in the accompanying pa
per, it was made to appear that Emory Foster.
of st. Louis, had stated that President G ant
himself was charged with being party to the
whisky ring in st. Louis. Wilson had no doubt
that the President made this famous indorse-
ment as much on account of this Charge
dSdulsJ uliIlseli rs lOr Inc iacJ Jiat DaDcOck
and Casey had been accused of completely
with the whisky ring. The President willingly
consented to the publication Of the Barnard
letter. Wilson proved this by letter from
the Secretary Of the Treasury to himself dated
August z.
The first important letter from Bristow to
Wilson is dated New York, Aug. 0, 1875. The
> - - =. t..
this:
The time is near at hand when must make a
square issue with the thieves and scoundrels who
have combined to destroy me. You cannot be too
careful abou. talking with anybody. The matter |
about the "sylph" dispatch, and the fact of the |
alk with PierrepoDt is known to p. and ID. Por-
Ter and Babcock), and has greatly disturbed them, I