The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1876-03-30
From the Enterprise & Ifountaineer.
Belknap and Bribery.

Gently dlSCOVereu DrlDery OF tue OeC
retary of War. They seem to raise
Z their hands in holy horror at the
corruption of q member of their cab
met. 1t would seem from their feign
ed indignation and hypocrtical pro
! fessioDs and lamentations, that moth
ing of the kind had ever before sul>
lied the immaculate purity of their
party. Even the Democrats think
they have found mares nest and
will make capital out of it in the
next Presidential election. Now let
us see what all this fuss is about, and
inquire if it lie the discovery of some,
thing new under the sun of Radical
rule.
When Grant was elected President
of the United States, Stewart, mil
lionaire merchant OF New York, who
had never engaged in politics, and
knew nothing more of the duties OF
the Secretary Of the Treasury than
one of his clerks, made the President
elect II present of fifty thousand dol
lars. In return for this handsome
present, to a poor and avarioious man
whose moral pc! ceptions have ever
been very blunt, he Was appointed to
preside over the Treasury Depart
inemt. Robe,on, another millionaire
of Philadelphia out Of gratitude for
military services rendered, gave this
President elect thirty thousand do.-
lara, and he was rewarded for his
charity and benevolencc with the ap
poin'ment OF secretary of the Navy.
Not one man in ten thousand had ev-
or heard of Mr.. Robson. The pub.
lie were % ignorant of him as he
was of the Navy department. Nj
Fish, who enjoys an income Of tvs"
hundred thousand dollars a year
made q donation to President Grant
OF fifty thousand dollars, and he was
rewarded with the Office of Secretary
OF State. These wealthy men want
cd political honors, aid perhaps had
heard Of the Imperial Purple Of r. ,me
being set mp at public auction by a
corrupt soIdicry.
Now what is the difference between
the conduct of President Grant and
his Secretary Belknap2 The one
was paid iii advance !o" high Office
and the other sold an insignificant
post-tradersaip on a credit. The
one did lis great shame publicly,
and the other privately. The one
seemed to have no m pral sense and
was defiant Of public opinion. The
other did have some scruples OF con-
science, and tried to conceal his tur
pitude, In plain language, it wa
the difference between demi monde
and an intriquantee. The one sells
her favors publicly, and the other
tries to conceal them. The one has
no shame, and is defiant of public
opinion, whilst the other has still some
sense of propriety and regard for pub
lie opinion. Morally, socially and
politically, the chief is worse than
his subordinate in the course he has
pursued. The post trader only sells
bis goods at an enormous profit and
fieeces some five or six hundred sol
diers. The ignorance of a cabine
minister is an injury to the whole re-
public. His corruption is national
disgrace.
No President ever before, was sur
rounded with such a corrupt set
Schenck, minister to England, had
to run away from tho conrt of ST.
James, to escape being sent to New
gate prison. Robson, Secretary of
Navy, PiOrrepont, Attorney General
are thrcatend with impoachment.-
Babcock, private secretary OF tho
President was guilty, though acquit>
ted, OF whiskey frauds, and actually
stole lotter from tho President
whilst his trial woa <,o;no. - mi