New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-04-03
TIE CASE OF GEN. B4BCOCR.

We are not disposed to place implicit conf
dence in the story of Detective Bell. 1t has
been cOrrobOrated in some respects by MI.
Dyer in the main it is plausible enough; and
the Safe Burglary case satisfies us that con-
spiracy is q device which the set to which Gen.
Babcocb belongs has no rooted antlpathy to
employing. But it is one of the disadvantages
of being III MIR. Bells line of business that
professional spy can never be taken on trust;
and a detective who has served the prosecu-
ton, the defense, and the newspapers besides,
labors with multiplicity of drawbacks when
he finally proposes to take the public into his
confidence We do not intend therefore to be-
lieve Mr.. Bell until we are Obliged to.
Nevertheless the case of Gen. BabcOck, bad
enough before, becomes so aggravated by the
recent testimony before Mr.. Clymer's Com
mittee that immediate action by the military
authorities is indispensable. Babc0ck is an
officer of the regular army of the United
States, and the memorable rule of his profess
sion, an unwritten rule more stringent than
any statute, Oblges him to keep his honor
above suspicion or to leave the service. He has
been acquitted in court of law of completely
in a conspiracy to dcfraud the revenue but he
is openly accused, /. of lying in respect to the
Henderson charges, complaining in public that
he was not allowed to be heard in court, while
he was telegraphng in cipher to Mr.. Luckey
to prevent his being called as n witness 2. OF
suppressing testimony at the trial 3. of stealing
Mr.. Pierrepont's letter and making it pub
lie in order to discourage Witnesses; 4. OF
hiring Bell to "look into the District
" Attorneys handr and pilfer and de-
stroy documents. These are not mere vague
and reckless ISLANDERS, but they are charges
made upon such authority or with such
precision that they carry weight with the
public One seems to be established by Gen.
Babcock's published correspondence, and
another is brought forward by no less an
authority than the Acknowledgement OF the
United States. 1t may not be irrelevant to
add that public opinion is far from acquescing
in the verdict of the 81. Louis jury, and that
the proofs of Gen. Babcock's improprieties
were strong enough to induce the President to
relieve him from duty at the White House.
1t is monstrous that an officer OF the army
should sit quiet under such lead Of discredit,
or trust his honor to the discussion of
political committee of Congress, organized for
very different purposes; or that. If he Is
willing to sit quiet, his commanding officers
should be willing to let him.
The Court of Inquiry which met ut Chicago
under the presidency of Gen. Hancock ad-
iourned i'm consequence of Gen. BabcOck's in
dictment, to meet again at the call of the
President. II has been generally understood
since the close Of the st. Louis trial that there
was no intention ever to call it together again.
Later developments however may lead the
President to convene it, and direct 1t Gas he
has n right to do) to examine not merely the
matters originally submitted to it, but the Bell
charges, the cipher dispatches to Luckey, and
the case of the PicrrepOnt letter II the President
negects to issue the order of his own notion
Gen. Babcock may ask for il; and if he has
n proper sense of the obligations Of man
who wears the uniform Of an honorable ser
vice that is what he will do. But un-
less the accused asks for court of
inquiry, nobody except the President has
authority to order one-uncss indeed the Sec
rctary of War should take the responsibility
of doing it. In contemplation of law his orders
are the orders of the President Of tho United
states; whether he will issue them will per-
baps depend upon what he knows of the
Presidents wishes.
If a court of inquiry however should not be
called, the matter may still be investigated by
General Court Martial, which may be ordered
by the General of the Army. The credit Of
the service il so closely involved in this affair
that no mistaken delicacy toward Gen. Grant
ought to be allowed to interfere with what is
obviously the proper course of action.