Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-08-23

has two purposes fixed and set: He Will
tell the President, and he will insist on
Williams stepping down and out; to
which | see no objection except the
mode of doing it is all-impOrtant 1t is
ir to suppose that they will fight, and
so 10 many respects it is one OF the most
difficult cases to handle that l can in1-
agine. Sac vii Try to drag down all,
and will, of course, stop at nothing.
Her husband can alone deal with her,
and am sure that he ought to be told.
1t is not, however, for me to suggest. l
/ have every confidence in your ability
to deal with the subject, but have less
in Bslknap's. And now, finally, par
don me for writing this. Ii it had been
possible / would have called upon you
in person to report progress, but have
the best reason for not leaving the city
tonight, and think the matter too i'm
pOrtant to await your return. Very
respectfully, BLUFoRD WILSON.
A WOMAN AT THE B JTToSI OF ALL.
In obedience to the request in that
note and the request sent also by Cen
eral Babcock, General Porter came to
Washington 10 aid in the further inves-
tig6t ton, and to advise in regard to the
course to be pursued. The day after the
above letter had been written another
interview took place at the Office Of the
secre tary of war, at which there were
prese Mt Belknap, Robson, Babcock and
Wilson. General Babcock brought a
letter which had been written to Mrs.
Grant, and that was also carefully COM
pared with the rest by all present, and
the conclusion previously reached in re-
gard to the first letters was only deep.
ened by comparison with the last one
obtained. These same gentleman fey
days later had further and prolonged
consultation with General Porter, and
the whole field was looked over. Near
ly all the gentlemen present were con-
WINGED that no one except Mrs. Will
hams was cOgnizsnt of q certain fact
stated in one OF these letters, and the
conclusion Of all present at the close CT
this interview was that no doubt what
evsr existed that MIS- Williams had
written these letters. Various plans
were suggested to detect her in mailing
them. Among Others it was sug-
gested that the postmsster-genersl
or the city postmaster should be con-
suited in regard to having all the mail
matter deposited in the street boxes
nearest her residence collected ny itself
any further anonymous letters of the
same sort had been deposited there. 1t
was also determined that Colonel Whit
ley should be watched for the purpose Of
determining whether his Visits to the
city were at the times when these letters
made their appearance, and the dates of
his previous visits were also ascertained,
and it was found that the dates OF the
letters correspondent nearly with the
dates Of his visits.
FIXING DATES.
The time Of G sneral Porter's visit here
and of this consultation is fixed by the
following notes which passed on the oc-
casion:
DEAR GENERAL-Yes; will be- glad
to see you at twelve. W. w. B.
March "a, 1875.
(Ou the same sheet, in Babcock's
writing)
DEAR WILsoN-Will you happen in
at the secretary Of wars Office at twelve?
Your New York friend P. will be there.
Bling all you have. / have little more
help In the search. Yours, o. E.B.
March "a, 1875.
DEAR WILsoN-Did you get my little
note? DEB.
AN ANXIOUS HOUSEHOLD DISCUSSION.
At the end OF this consultation the
majority OF those present were in favor
of saying nothing to the Pres ident in re-
gard to the special facts which had been
ascel tanned. Some present were in favor
Of saying to the President that they had
satisfied themselves that the attorney
generals Office and some of his sffairs
could not stand an legation, which
was threatened, and that il it took place
such facts would be disclosed as would
cause his presence in the cabinet to be a
load which it was not eXpedient for the
President to carry. There was some CD.
position to this, however, and it was iu-
sisted by nearly all present that the
President should be informed of the
whc1e matter. General BristoW, who
was absent, was written to in re-
gard to the matter, and advised to
come to Washington, and the final re.
suit was that ell the facts and the con-
clusions based upon them were laid be.
fore the President, who himself exam
ined the letters, and conceded with the
rest in the conclusion that they had
reached as to the authorship OF the let
tiers. At this time the President and mis-
cabinet were about leaving for the Lex
ington centennial, and the retirement Of
Attorney-Genersl Williams was at
once decided upon, and the agree
ment reached that he should at
once Withdraw from the cabinet
SOON after the return from New Ems.
land; and, as final result, the attor-
ney. general left the cabinet before the
first OF May without having been in
formed of the reasons for it, and without
any intimation whatever Of the above
having been begun, SO
that he testified correctly before the
whisky committee thai neither the Pres.
ident nor any member of his cabinet had
ever mentioned this matter to him, and
that, 50 far as he knew, or had resson to
believe, the letters in question never
in his household.
A THEORY ABOUT JEALOUSY AND
REVENGE.
Another theory, by which it is at
to explain the belief that Mrs.
Williams wrote these letters, is that it
was in return for the bitter and persist
ent intrigucs Of many of the leading wo-
men in Washington to secure the defeat
Of Attorney. q aneral Williams as chief.
Justice, on account Of their jssleusy of
Mrs. Williams, and their determination
that, if any efforts of their own, could
prevent it, she shoul not occupy the
position OF second lady in social rank in
Washington.