The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1876-03-30
THE UGLY SORES ON THE SURFACE.


The STATEsMAN's dispatches Of YESTERDAY
announced the return of Marsh, the mair
witness against Belknap, TO the capital Ii,
has been assured, no doubt, OF his own per
soaal safety, and will now tell the whole
truth. With tins index finger designating
kDGves and witnesses the number captured
viii be limitless. 1t is only unfortunate
that the Congress cannot have Jerry Black.
instead OF committees, to browbeat and
cru,ss examine the remorseless rascals OF
high and low degree burdened with riches
stolen from the plundered, toiling millions
Of the town and country. Brknap, il
Black prosecuted, could escape by no pos
sibility; Kilbourne, who refuses to testify
aud goes to prison rather than unfold the
mysteries of Boss Shepherds and Grants
real-estate and street-paving speculations,
would be speedily victimized by Black.
Instead. we find Black defending and ad-
case when the public supposes he finds It
too black for Jerry. There is another ring.
even more abominable, which the President
is supposed to have 'bossed," involving
the collection of dead bodies Of Federal
soldiers from the battle-felds of the CONT
nent. A round price was paid for each
skeleton, and the worthy Gravediggers sub
divided the skeletons and each d. cad hero
was made to occupy two or three coffins
and to pan out two or three prices. This is
the third job undergoing investigation by
committees of the House. The fourth
involves Secor Robinson's robberies
of the Navy Department This spe-
cial favorite of the President went into
office beggar. He comes out with over
two millions, stolen from the toiling poor.
He has enough to close penitentiary doors
against him, and such villains should be
hanged. The tombstone business was the
neatest done by the genius of brutal kDavery
brilliantly developed by Grants peculiar
tastes and vulgar associations in Washing
ton. Owners of East Tennessee ouarries
proposed to mark each soldiers grave with
proper enduring stone for less than
half the sum it finally cost the blessed War
Department. The contract was given to
New England, and the stone, of course.
must come from the White Mountains.
Patriotic stone could alone subserve pur-
poses,' in case like this, of transcendental
loyalty and patriotism. The treasury was
levied on accordingly and paid more for the
loyalty of the contractors than for the head
IN,
happy, and RadicaIism wore happy, be-
nlgnant face. 1t had done Job worthy of
''case No. g." known as the robbery of
Sambo, whose pockets were SO deltly
picked by that other pious, godly, psalm
singing institution patronized by the sanity
Howard, and known as the Freedman's
National Swings Bank Poor Cut
fee was horribly plucked, but bears it
calmly and still looks forward confidently
to the time when Grant will be crowned
supreme master of the couniry's fortunes
that he may compel not only the restoration
OF CutIee's losses but the oft promised CON
cession of forty acres and a mule How
ards negro college in Washington City
that cost a million, perhaps, and is worth
less than nothing, might constitute a tenth
enormity to be ventilated The Roddy
Brooks swindle is developed by the ex-wife
of Roddy, Confederate cavalry cruiser
who sailed along the sequestered valley OF
the Tennessee. Brooks, his ''pal," was
once a lawyer of Tennessee, originally
from Cincinnati, anl known as B. Frank
Brooks. They dealt largely in bogus cot
ton claims and pocketed sixty thousand
dollars, but the vengeful woman knew the
facts and avenges her own alleged wrongs
by consigning, if she may, the adventures
to the penitentiary. A patent pump that
paid Its way to adoption in the navy and
then used Its forces of suction on the treas |
ury, the spout discharging its contents into |
Secor Robinson's and Roddy's plethorIc
pockets, is likely to become famous In the |
history of Federal honesty and purity. |
But we can't enumerate all the cases now |
undergoing investigation. The very air of
Washington is putrid and Tottenness under |
lies the surface of silk and of broadcloth, |
oHu VI HidIUic. NOmeD, men anu palaces |
are reekIng with foulness and corruption.
In view of these facts fhe speech of sum
ner becomes prophetic. He said, when
the very beginning of Grants
extraordinary civil career, now terminating
so dlsastrously for the country, "that if he
appoints relations to office and repays gifts
by official patronage, making his Pres
dency great gift enterprise may not
every otficeholder do likewise, each in his
sphere, so that nepotism and gift-taking
officially compensated will be general
II he fraternizes with ,bbers and
Hessiaus, where is the limit to the demoral,
ization that must ensue Necessarily the
public service takes its character from its
elected chief, and the whole country re-
fleets the President. His example Is
law"
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