The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-07-29
WASHINGTON.
Bluford wilson ON the whisky
Triola:

llcltor OIL the treasury, was continued.
In connection with the statement In his
previous testimony Of General Porter's
explanation Of the term "sylph, }" Wilson
having refreshed his memory BY refer
ence 10 q letter from . friend in New
York, testified that the annoyance which
It was SAID the woman Sylph gave the
President was by her eftorts'to blackmail
him in ST. Louis.
The examination was continued as
follows: 49,. .'.,II.
q. (by Cochrane, Chairman of sub.
committee.) You said in your examina-
tion yesterday that from the time Of the
discovery of the SyIph dispatch impli.
eating General .Babcock in those whisky
frauds, or tending so to implicate him, ,the
President Of the United States did not
show the game sympathy with the secre-
tary q the Treasury or yourself that he
had previously shown. Please state any
act or acts Of the Presidents from that
time forward indicating to you that he
was not in sympathy with those whisky
prosecutions, .t,,, rg =.
A. Before I proceed to. answer that
question I wish TO make an addition to
my testimony Of yesterday in reference to
the Contents Of the Barnard letter, on,
which the President made the well known
enforcement, "Let no guilty man escape
II It can be avoided" Either in the body
OF that letter; or. in the accompanying
document, there was statement from
Emory S. Foster, Of 81. Louis, 10 the
effect that the President was himself
charged with being a party to the up:
lawful combination in that city TO defraud
the government Of It's revenues. / want
that fact 10 be noted because I have no
doubt the President made his endorse
ment as much with reference to that fact
and that allegation, as with reference to
the allegations that Babcock was party,
and that Jim. Casey, the Presidents
brother.in.law was openly asserting that
the Secretary OF the Treasury would not
hold his office for thirty days. Another
point that I was asked yesterday, was
whether the President had consented
willingly to the publication Of the
endorsement on the Barnard letter which
has been 90 often referred to. By reference
to a letter addressed to mo by Gen. Bris.
tow and dated August 7th, written in the
Treasury Department, I find that the Sec
retary OF the Treasury had addressed an
official communication to the President
asking him for permission to publish that
endorsement, and that at that date, Aug
ust Hh, be had received no response. For
the purpose Of fixing the date when the
Sylph telegram was discovered ] refer 10
a letter Of Gen. Bristow's to me, written
from New York August 9th, 1875, and
which, have no objection to make part
Of the record. II Is as follows: -
b SECRETARY BRlsrow's LETTER. +.
New YORK, August s, 1875.
My Dtdr Wilson : -" :
Your letter OF yesterday with enclosure
isreceiyed. The time is near at hand
when must make a square issue with
the thieves and scoundrels who have COM
bined to destroy me.
must BE SUPPORTED
earnestly and thoroughly, or l must and
will break, l fear the complications are
such that the former cannot be done and
the latter must. You cannot be too careful
about talking to any one. l have heard
here that the matter about the Sylph dis
patch and our having seen il in connec-
ton with Pierrepont, is fully known to
P. and B., meaning Porter and Babcock,
and they are greatly disturbed. Don't
suIler yourself 10 talk with anybody
about it. OF course this is not meantfor
'censure but cautiom. / suppose l must
make up my mind to bear the abuse Of the
ring papers, hard as 1t is to do. They
are fighting to- keep their friends
out Of prison, and TO save themselves
from exposure, and Of course will seek 10
destroy any body who stands in their
way. Well, as for myself, ! cannot turn
back, nor will Istop m
10 PARhEY WITH THIEVES.
l have no ambition to serve, and no pur.
pose but the enforcement Of the law and
honest collection Of revenue. | will
compromise on nothing short OF this, but
on this issue am ready to be sacrificed
any day. :t., ,.u,
r. S. Ask Webster to write 10 the
President fully his views about the Chi
cago Custom House and the whlskey
ring. He has great confidence in Web.
ster and 1t is going to require the utmost
watchfulness Of his friends to prevent his
being misled by men who profess friend
ship for him but 80
WHO ARE ACTING TREAcHERousLY.
Tell Webster to write strongly and
give him the plain truth and mark his
letter confidential.
(Signed) B, q. D.
Mr.. Wilson in response TO questions by
Cochrane, said that there had been differ
ences between the President, the Sec.
retary and himself in relation to Califor.
mia matters, There were reports from
agents sent thither that some Of the off,
cials were inefficient and these facts were
made known TO the President by Com,
missioner Pratt, Mr.. Yaryan and Mr..
Wilson. After this there was no further
open rupture and renewal Of war on
Yaryan and himself.
Mr.. Cochrane-If I understand yon, It
was not till the jury acquitted BabcOck
that friendly relations between the Presi-
dent, Secretary Bristow and yourself
were re.established?. pr 30.
Mr.. Wilson, resigned on the goth of.
June, having accepted advantageous OF.
iers for professional employment In my
own State, and as an insignificant part Of
my resignation 1t was to. relieve the
President from any further. embarrass.
ment in his administration. secy. Bris-
tow resigned on the 2lst. IL state
frankly, we had. decided early in
June or late in May, to resign as soon as
We could do SO without having our mo-
tiyea questioned. 1t was thought best
both by the President and Seoretarythat
the resignation should not take place till
after the Cincinnati Convention. Inever
received a.reply TO my letter Of resigna-
ton from the President. l didn't know
that It had been accepted, except in seeing
the announcement Of the name Of my
successor. The conversation between
tho President and myself was brief one.
The President received me coldly.
I said to him, II have called to inform
you that I have received such offers for
professional business as to induce me to