New-York tribune., 1876-02-28
AFTER THE CERUICT.

There ia a curious state of things III the Adj
ministration family now that the BabcOck trial
is over. Gen. BabcOck is getting kilograms OF
congratulation from his personal friends
which OF course is only natural AID becoming
and, having called upon Mcdonald III j.i, Is
about to report for military duty. The President,
who believes in Gen. BaDcOck's innocence OF
he main charge is dsQleased at his indio-
cretions, and relieves both him and Mr.. Luckey
from any further duty at the White House, which
is also natural and becoming. But here, strange
to say, are a number of prominent Admins
tration politicians, big and little, trying iii the
face of the President to make Gen. Babcock IA
martyr to Republican principles. Mr.. Hugh j.
Hastings, who stands high in the councils OF
his party in this city, declares that tho indict-
ment of Babcock was the result of a conspiracy
to ruin the President, and sends this dlsc,im'
mating dispatch 10 Judge Porter: Glory to
"God. Regards to Babcock.' Mr. George
Bliss who made such a remarkable rcapDear-
ance during the trial in his old character
of "DecOy." becomes perfectly reckless
in abuse OF the District Attorney of
st. Louis aud of his superl0rs in the
Department Of Justice at Washington,
md congratuates Gen. Babcocl, on the tri-
"umph OF Justice and decent administration
'tof law over political and personal persecu-
" ton, a malignant press. and popular clamor"
But the most extraordinary figure is presented
by Boss Shepherd in the attitude Of Chad
band, improving the occasion and spreading a
pair of unctuous hands in benedictiOn over
his favorite measurer. % For right is right, as
" God is good so runs the dispatch" and
"r right the day has won. Thank StOrrs, POr-
ter. Williams and Krum for me. Bless
them
These persons are doing no service 80 zen.
Babcock. The case against him was not only
Dri,na fdcic q strong one, bnt it was 80 strong
that District Attorney who had neglected to
ask for an Indictment on it would have been
guilty of a gross breach Of duty. Opinion de-
clared itself pretty freely during the trial, as
it always does in cases of exceptional noto-
rety but the better class of opposition news
papers. the only opposition newspapers worth
considering. treated Gen. Babcock with great
fairness and many of them with kindly con
sideration. There was 10 such thing as pop
"ular clamorr for his conviction, and Mr..
GEORGE Bliss lbels ms fellowctizcns when he
implies that they were so unpatIlOtic a. to wish
that frauds upon the revenue might be brought
home to the Presidents family. Since the ac-
duital the heartiest expressions of satisfaction
have como from opposition journals, and the
sfcrnest censlIres of Gen. BabcOCks conduct
from leading Republican organs. The prosecu-
ton is at an end, and the wisest friends of
the defendant will Try t) let it rest and be
forgotten. Every man of common sense In the
United States knows that Babcock has
been acquitted but not indicated, and while
there are so many letters, dispatches and sus-
picious circumstances which were not allowed
to 90 to the jury, with such IN array OF
doubtful documents unexplained, it will be
highly imprudent for Gen. Babcock's sup
porters to stimulate q newspaper discus sion OF
his behavior
Gen. Grant has made il clear that he thinks
these exuberant friends are doing no service
20 him either. He is shrewd enough 10 see
that the country is by no means satisfied with
the actions of his eX-Secretary, and not at all
disposed to make martyr of him. and if a
BabcOck party is to be organized by Mr. Bliss
and other statesmen of that school he wishes
to be counted out Of it. No doubt there is Il
little Republican faction which hopes to see
the Whisky prosecutions brought to a stop,
and public sympathy created for
the members of the Ring who have been
convicted and for those who have not
There are some small politicians who imagine
that Bristow's reforms are "hurting the Ad-
ministration,n and there are some larger ones
who are afraid, IL this thing goes on, of being
hurt themselves. But we hardly think the
real Republican leaders will allow the great
party to become identified with any such