The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1876-08-03

Tho President Disgraced. Implicated
with Whiskey Thieves, and Defeat
ing Justice. a Sad and Startling
Story.
WASHINGTON, July %.
Bluiord Wilson, Solicitor of the Irea-
sury under Bristow's administration, has
spoken at last and the President stands
proven guilty of having actively inter-
lered to protect the whishey thieves and
save his tavorite. Babcock. The story as
told by Major Wilson to the Committee
to-day sounded more like a chapter from
Dumas than the unfolding of actual
events A tale OF low intrigue by the
highest III the land Of plots and counter
plots; Of the secret enlistment Of the
whole power of the Administration on
the side Of revenue thieves and breakers
OF the law. 1t was the story of a Presi-
dent who believed the tales of his corrupt
party associates and friends before the
sworn declarations of his faithful officers,
and who lent himself to the work of de-
stroying the latter because they had Of
Tended the former.
The telling of the story in the Commit
tee room to-day, though heard but by a
few, was exceedingly dramatic. Wilson,
pale and nervous from sickness, passing
often to catch his breath, was yet charged
SO full with facts. sustained fully by the
documentary evidence IL the letter book
before him, that he frequently outran him.
self, and was forced to stop, go back and
detail a little more here or relate some
thing there that he had forgotten yet all
the while the thread of his narrative
moved straight on from point to point,
conversation to conversation, letter to let
ter, act to act, until the whole was woven
into a fabric of proof, startling in what it
proved, anf nvulnerable by the docn
mentary evidence that sustained it in
every particular.
BY the testimony the President is first
seen, shortly after it became certain that
Babcock would be indicted. trying to
subordinate the civil to the military court
and save his tayOrite, by having his case
taken out OF the hands of the civil au
thorites at st. Louis and tried before a
military tribunal at Chicago, the Judge
Advocate of which, Major Asa Bird Card
ncr Gas it afterwards appeared), had in his
possession the deed of Babcock's proper
ty, which he was holding for Babcock's
pCNullltIN A'lN -NtAI tilt lCSItiC1t
expressed to the Solicitor of the Treasury
great bitterness toward Henderson, and
then had him removed against the protest
Of the Secretary of the Treasury and the
Solicitor, and against the judgment even
of the Judge who was presiding over the
case. Then the President charges the So
lictor with trying to indict Orville Grant
and Col. Fred, and repeatedly expressed
his confidence in Ba5cock's innocence.
The fact of his opposition then became
evident and its cause apparent. Next fol-
lowed the true history Of the famous cir
lar letter to the District Attorneys and
the question of its authorship is forever
set ut rest. The Attorney General sent for
Wilson, said he wanted to talk over the
whskey trials; said he had been a good
deal troubled by Il request the President
had made OF him to write a circular letter
to the District Attorneys; read the letter.
and when Wilson objected to it declared
that the letter had been read to the Presi-
dent and it was not strong enough for
him, for he wanted the Acknowledgement
to say in plain English that the District
Attorneys were not to promise pardon to
any under condition that they would turn
States evidence. Having proven by the
Attorney General that the circular letter
was instigated by the President, Wilson
ctinched the nail by detailing a conyersa-
ton with the President in which Grant
declared explicitly that he did not desire
to have any accomplices let off for the
sake Of their testimony. Incontestable
proof is furnished that Babcock was kept
constantly informed Of The movements of
the prosecution by the President; that the
circular letter got into print through Bah
cock counsel, and that the President and
the Secretary finally came to an open rup-
turc. Not the least strange part OF the
tale is that Bristow and Wilson were to
be kicked out OF the Cabinet. and would
have been had not the President at that
time learned that Babcock was mixed up
in the Black Friday business and lost 340.-
600 to JAY Cooke. the revelation of this
treachery. according to Wilson, turned the
Presidents heart again toward his Secre-
tarV. In this connection it is noticeable,
however. that the hostility dill not cease
until Babcock was acquitted; and If the
whole truth of the Black Friday business
Is ever known ii may appear that Babcock
was not the only inmate Of the White
House who was mixed up in it. Wilson's
belief is that Grants whole conduct was
through too great confidence in those who
deceived him, but the comments here to-
night on this are that that dilemma is avery
bad one, for it forces the choice between
voting Grant fool or an acc0mplice, and
leaves the significant fact that these same
men still have his ear, and are running
and managing the campaign for Hayes