The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-02-23

An inside View.

Ex.Atty. Gen. Williams was forced to
make humilating confession in his ad-
dress to the jury in favor Of his unfortunate
friend Gen. Babcock-a confession whose
object was to lift part of the opprobrium
ofdishonest associations from the speakers
friend to the speakers party. The prison.
er's intimacy with the two convicted
felons, Joyce and Mcdonald, required an
explanation, and the ex-attorney general
went back to the Missouri Liberal move
ment of 1870. ~ find it. 1.-THE detection
of O distinguished leader in the admins
tration party" in Missouri-which means
Schurz-strengthened the opposition that
President Grants administration was en-
countering, and made it willing to accept
the service of all sorts of friends. Under
these circumstances" says the ex-attorney
general, lift did not need, it was in a
condition to appreciate its friends "-an
acknowledgment whose frankness is
equalled only by ex-Commissioner Doug
lass's statement that internal revenue
supervisors are political machines as well
as official ones" 1t was about that time,
said the speaker, that Mcdonald and
Joyce made themselves very conspicuous
here, as the champions of the administra
ton and professedly the personal friends
of President Grant Joyce, it seems,
went so far as to attempt to work up a
San Domingo feeling in Missouri by
writing editorials for the st, Joseph Her
ald and that his brilliant services in this
behalf might not go unrewarded, he was
accustomed to cut out the editorials and
send them to Gen. Babcock with the
question: How do you like the ring of
that article?" San Domingo was tender
spot with the president and his diplomatic
private secretary about that time;
the efforts of Mcdonald and him
self these daily papers have
come out in favor Of the San Domingo
are with the president" and that ''for
the first time Sumner and Schurz are
shown up IN their true ight" tit is hardly
reasons. that Babcock should give his
heart to the embryo convicts. Its little
strange indeed that so accomplished a
gentleman should be canght by such
coarse means as this that the vanity
and vulgarity' Of Joyce and Mcdonald s
overtures should have captivated him SO
completely; but this is what MIR. Williams
tells US. They succeeded in making Bah
cock believe they were the devoted friends
of the administration and the president
and thus made him ready to do for them
such favors as he might, not inconsistent
with his official duty. Everything said
and done by Babcock in this connection
said the speaker, lis explainable on that
theory"
If this be true, what are we to think OF
the administration and the administrator
party? If two vulgar knaves were able 10
impose on the presidents private secretary
through the administration poverty Of
friends; If the administration had so es
tranged itself from the country that the
coarse batteries of brace of scoundrels
were gratefully received at the White
House, and editorials written by members
of the whisky ring and published in one
of the whisky rings organs were the easy
passport to the confidence of the president
and his private secretary. then Republi
canism is sadly deficient in honor ant
morals. The inside view of the admins
tration given us by two high ex- members o
it, shows it to be sordid, vulgar and parti
san to degree that the people were no
prepared to expect, Elk COMMISSIONS
Douglass tells us it is its habit to postpon
important duties that it might devote it
energies to the carrying OF state elections
and ex- Atty Gen. Williams attempts t
make US believe that any scamp can sc
cure its confidence and favor by declarin
himself is friend.-S. Louis RepubIicd,