The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-07-31

anu HeW std'ts ~ tuc y uiOu-Wnctuel ~ ue
thirty-eight or any other number-until
the constitution and the laws 30 require.
BLUFORD WILSON'S TESTIMONY.
The testimony of Bluford Wilson, late
solicitor of the treasury, will cause decid-
ed sensation for day or two; but, aside
from that, We apprehend that it will have
no other effect, save as it may confirm and
intensity the opinions long held by the
large body of republicans relative to Gen
eral Grant; and as it may, perhaps, serve
to open the eyes of the very few well
meaning republicans who have been,
hitherto, disposed to adhere to him and his
fortunes. The number of this latter class,
however, is, fortunately, very small, as
his adherents consist almost wholly of what
may be called 'the bread and butter brig
"ade," whose official heads depend entire
ly upon his beck or nod. Very little of
what is absolutely new is brought to light
by this testimony. Every one capable of
understanding intelligently current events,
of everything that Mr. Wilson testifes to.
AS it is now presented, it is simply putting
in the form of sworn testimony that which
we all knew before, or that about which
doubt.
The one addition TO our stock of knowl-
| edge is the fact that Ofville E. Babcock,
| for whom some of our Vermont editors
have so strong personal regard, was en-
" speculations; !" that he lied to the presi-
dent about his connection herewith that,
to make good his losses, he made deed of
trust 10 Asa Bird Gardner and that he
procured this same Gardner to be ap-
pointed judge advocate of that military
court of inquiry which assembled at Chi
cago, and was expected to whitewash him
OF all completely with the whisky ring.
This new disclosure explains two things.
We now understand more clearly the
| grounds of the suspicion which tended to
| implicate the president in the operations Of
that Friday, and the reason why 80 many
! refused to believe in his innocence even
after it was indisputably proven that he
had no connection Herewith. We can I'M
derstand, too, the anxiety of Babcock to
have his case inquired into by military
court, and the reasons that his friends had
for believing that he was absolutely sure of
complete vindication at the hands of
such court.
| The testimony serves TO show that the
president was thoroughly in earnest when
he said g Let no guilty man escape" but
it, also, shows that he did not, and would
not, believe that any of his "friends" were
"guilty men," No matter how strong was
the evidence, he still believed in the integ-
rty OF such men as Shepherd, Babcock,
Joyce, Mcdonald and Avery and, also,
believed that Bristow and Wilson, and
those acting with them, were conspirators
against him, his administration and his
household. We believe that Mr.. Wilson
gives the true explanation of the presi-
| dents course, not only in regard to Bah
| cock, bat that the same explanation can
be given of most Of his other disreputable
| acts, when he says that he attributed his acts
| to his belief in Babcock's innocence, and that
$50 believing he could not sympathize
with the prosecuting officers or with the
" secretary" and that whatever differences
arose were due on the presidents part to
misconception of Mr.. Bristow's and Mr..
| Wilson's motives, I" to transformation as to
facts, to wiful and deliberate perver-
sions OF facts 10 the president by scoun-
" drels whom they "were endeavoring
" to bring to punishment and their friends"
| And unfortunately these d" scoundrels
were the friends of the president, in whose
perfect innocence, integrity and public
worth he was determined to confide.
We have disclosed in this testimony
Grantism" pure and simple-and in one
| OF its worst phases, too-and we may be
pardoned for reminding our democratic
friends that the testimony of Bluford
Wilson reads very much like chapter
from the administration of their patron
saint and great military cheftan, Andrew
Jackson. He appointed defauter secre-
tary of state, knowing him to be default
er. He made Samuel Swartwout collec-
tor of the port of New York, knowing
him to have been an associate with Aaron
Burr in his so-called reasonable schemes.
OF him one of his own secretaries of the
treasury wrote; :" consider the president
Intoxicated with power and fattery.
"Are you amazed3 am not; the matter
lis easily explained. When he came into
"office lie heard aduation from
Everybody; plain truth from nobody.
He came into office to BIO the friend of
" the whole people, but he became the
"mere purveyor for the hungry expectants
"of discordant factions. In short, all the
circumstances around him were calcula-
tied to make him entertain an exalted
"opinion of himself, and contemptuous
lone of others. His own natural pas
:" sions contributed to this result. Such is
" nv eXDlaQRtion-mu annlnuv 10 800,