The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-08-20
Still Lower Depths.


No thoughtful person needs to be told
Ehat the political and pecuniary corrup-
zion, which Gen. GRANTS Administration
and the prolonged rule of the Republican
party have brought upon the country
must of necessity he attended likewise by
= degree of social corruption in ofhcial
sircles, that is equally foul, and II possible,
more disgusting.
One corner of the veil which hides this
revolving abyss Is now lifted little by the
revelations made in yesterdays Herald
concerning cerain anonymous letters writ
ten by Mrs. AttorneyNGeneral WILLIAMS,
assisted by Col. WHITLEY of tho Sc
erct Service, and sent especially to
Mrs. BELKNAP and incidentally to
Mrs. robson, Mrs. GRANT, and 9th
ers surrounding the President ut Wash
angton. 1t is already established through
testimony taken by one of the committees
Of Congress, that these anonymous letters
furnished the reason for WILLIAMss final
withdrawal from the Cabinet; but great
addition is now made to our knowledge of
their contents, purposes, and occasion.
The chief object aimed at by the author
Of these letters appears, from the testi
mony so far presented, to have been TO get
Gen. BELKNAP out of the Cabinet, aud TO
drive him, and Mrs. BELKNAP with him,
out of Washington. Mrs. WILLIAMS, 1t
would appear had enjoyed TO an unusual
degree the friendship and confidence OF
the President. This friendship and conf
dence furnished the sure means of retain
ting Mr.. WILLIAMS in the post of Attorney
Beneral-in fact, II had just suiliced to Sc
uure his nomination to the very important
Office Of Chief Justice of the Supreme
Court-and thus 1t indirectly opened to
his beautiful, ambitious, and INSCRIPTIONS
wife the opportunity Of making money
and the means of that shoddy os-
tentation which under Gen. GRANT
had come to be regarded as the one
great object Of existence. In the course
Of time and circumstances, however, Mrs.
WILLIAMS had become very jealous of Mrs.
BELKSAP, fearing that she was supplant-
ing her in the confidence Of the President,
and gaining over his mind a degree of
Influence by which the position of the
WILLIAMsEs was, in her judgment, becoIn-
ing liable to serious danger.
Whether there was any sense or reason
IN this Jealousy is a question ON which
She evidence, so far, is silent, and very
possibly there was none whatever; but the
mot that II was cherished and that il
formed motive for these anonymous let
sers, appears quite plainly from the case
~ 1t stands. To crafty this jealousy and
% drive a formidable antagonist from the
neld, as well as to attain minor ends that
are now less distinctly apparent, these let
Anx- xx.ts
house of the Attorney General. They pro-
duced great commotion in that limited
hut exalted circle. BELKNAP and ROBE
eoN set TO work to discover their
authorship. Suspicion fell upon Mrs.
WILLIAMS, and II was finally demon
Btrated in the detective Office OF the Treas
ury Department that the letters, though
uisguised, were in her handwriting. The
result Of ii all was that the combination
between BELKSAP, robson, PORTER, and
BABCocK was too much for Mrs. Will
aIAMs. Her husband was obliged TO leave
his office, and she had TO step down from
abe social eminence which had afforded
her such enjoyment and such chances.
We will not enlarge upon this subject;
II speaks sufficiently for itself. One fact.
however, needs TO be remembered. 1t had
been proved by Congressional inves,iga-
zion that WILLIAMS had taken money from
the Treasury and applied it TO his per-
sonal uses, and the fact was public and
notorious. That proof, however, did not
In the slightest degree affect his standing
In the Cabinet or his relations with the
President. Had he been only n thief, he
might have been Attorney General to this
DAY; but a few anonymous letters said,
whether truly or falsely, to have been
Indecent and venomous. written by his
wife, sufficed to throw him down from
his great elevation, and to deprive him for
sver of the distinction and the advantage
of being one Of President GRANTS conf
Genital ofiiolal advisers