Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-02-09
rHr WHITE ROUSE Oh TRIAL.

THE WHITE HOUSE ON TRIAL.
The most contemplate and pitiablt
confession Of fear and weakness is dis
covered in Babcock's dread Of trial be
fore q jury under rebel influences.
Babeock no doubt fears any jury not
packed in bis own interest. The very
Jury that convicted his friend Joyce was
so excessively loyal as to pass compll'
mentary resolutions and send them to
Grant. There is a trite old saying that
no rough Ger felt the halter draw with
good opinion Of. the law" Babcock was
wiling to trust himself in the hands Of q
military commission at Chicago, which
had no power to try, but only to investi-
gate and report, but when his acts COM
mitted carelessly, when he wal secure
beside his master are to be laid be-
fore a jury, he fears and trembles.
His plea in behalf of those good men,
Avery and Mcdonald, comes too late, and
his plea in his own behalf entirely too
soon. II looks as If he expects convic-
ton and is preparing to fall gently iRto
the arms of Executive clemency. That
Grant has not interfered and pardoned
out the other thieves is because he
is a candidate for the third term
and dare not defy public decency
But if Babcock is convicted, which
seems far more likely than it did in Nc
KEGS case, the probabilities are that the
President will come to the rescue before
he ever gets on a striped suit. Grant
generally sticks to his friends through
thick and thin. he invited Harrington
one Of the ssfe.bnrglsr conspirators, to q
grand select reception at the White
House while Harrington was VIGOROUSLY
under indictment and ouEhtto have been
IN the ~penitentisry. That he escaped
aitervard through the co~nnivancelof the
District Of Columbia ring did not relieve
the President Of the odium Of inviting
such q scamp to the White House, where
respectable people were almost forced.tc
treat him on terms of equality. The
President rode around in his carriage
with Mcdonald long after he had heard
Of his shortcomings. BE has sent in
names to the Senate Of men then undel
charges or indictment. No wonder, then
that Babcock felt secure when he sent
those funny dispatches over the
wires. The jokes were so funny
that they had to be sent in cypher les
the operators should shake their anatomy
to pieces in laughing. He calls it {
Joke nov, but it has become o very
serious one. That appears to be al
afterthought suggested by some shrewC
lawyer, who realizes the desperate nature
Of the case. Babeock might As vel
plead guilty, almost so far as the public
is concerned, as TO commence whining
in advance that he cannot get q fair tria
in St. Louis, a city where Grant.And hi
friends baye had their strongest hold
Babcock says that be has retained ten o
the ablest lawyers in the country, ant
vet he is afraid Of the results. That ad
mission does not help his case. Thel
he has the exceeding bad taste to 20 Il
ST. Louis attended by w. 0. Avery, Wit
was convicted at St. Louis only q few
weeks ago OF c%onspiring to defraud th,
government. They put up at the SAM
hotel together, aud flourish around il
grand style. There is another oil
saying quite apropoS, that birds
Of a feather aock together. Ther
Babcock, as if bent on damaging his Owl
cause as far as possible, has the misers
BE bad taste and judgment to TAX
along with him from Washington as on
Of his counsel ex-Attorney General Viii
liams, of Landaulet fame, who scanda!
lied the country, degraded thu
public service and had to re
sign for the good Of his party
BE is truly a fit man to defend any @
the Administration pets. Williams n
doubt thinks like Babcock expresses him
self, that the conviction Of Avery was I"
damned shame" and that his is likely +
prove another OF Tie SAME sort. Th
best thing the Presidents private secrt
tary and boon companion can do is +
follow the example Of Colonel Mcclure
plead guilty and throw himself on tn
mercy Of the court. The whole case i
suggestive Of White House collusiont
The very day that Babcock was indicted
Grant removed Henderson for words u
tered in q speech at the Joyce trial
week BEFORE and is nov holding himse
in readiness to go to St. Louis to testii
in behalf Of his confidential friend. 3
seems TO think that his presence ma
overawe and influence the jury, but if
is composed Of such solid material as Il
others, he will not help the White Houl
cause.
SoNT Of the ~rottenness Of the RepuI
lican party is coming to light under Il