Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1876-04-28
11lilmington yournal.
TEsE PEESIDENT,s GUILT.

lesses and by documentary evidences.
And how well it dovetails into the
3ther disgracef1l transactions which |
nave brought the Administration into
shame and cast reproach upon the
country. We have the testimony that
Colonel Whitley paid some thirty-five
thousand dollars to Davenport out of
this secret service fund, to be used by
him to influence the New York cleo
tions. This money was paid by
Whitley under protest, because he
was himself responsible for the fund,
and he did not pay it until he was
ordered to do SO expressly by the
President, the latter knowing full well
for what 1t was to be used.
This fund was sac,ed one,
to be expended under the direc-
ton Of the Attorney General
for the detection and prevention
of crime" and the fact that ordinary
vouchers for its expenditure were not
required, caused it to be subject to the
honorable calls of the President
and Attorney General, whenever the
ends of justice demanded it. If the
President had used this money to pur-
chase household goods or to pay his
expenses at Long Branch or to meet
any of his private wants, the world
would have denounced the act as one
OF theft. The evidence proves beyond
doubt that he did worse. He used
this money as corruption fund to de-
bauch the ballot box and to re-elect
himself. There could possibly be no
moro illegal and criminal use of this
fund, and shows how utterly depraved
the President has become in the exer-
else of his official functions.
The people of the South in their
very helplessness under the operations
of the Infamous force bill, bewailed
their terrible fate when the President
and his subserYient Attorney General
was furnishing them. Ku~Klux and
Southern outrages were the CONVEX :
lent excuses for an unlimited expendi-
ture Of the secret service fund, and
Bond and Morrill, and Kirk and Hester
were the too willing tools to do their
dirty and cruel work. Their object
attained, and the Southern vote Sc
cured, the President called off his
blood bounds and pardoned their I'M
fortunate victims. Williams and Bond
and Kirk aud Hester have been sent
away Ill disgrace, Merrill is about to be
made to answer for his manifold crimes
Bond remains Judge, but none sc
poor as to do HIM honor, and Grant il
yet President Of the United States
praying for the advent of the fourth O.
March. 1877, that he may escape from
the tender Mercies Of investigating
committees, and enjoy his doubtful,
acquired wealth without the fear O
impeachment courts.
Looking at these more recent deyel
opemerts aud exposures We are vel
prepared TO believe that Presiden
Grant was not without method in sur
rounding himself with the corrup
men who have brought dishonor upo1
his administration, and that he had 1
guilty knowledge of their crimes, i
he did not actually share in thei
plumber. Could it have been blinl
chance which recommended to hi
official aud personal confidence sucl
men as Belknap, Delano. Orvil Grant
Babcock, Schanck, Shepherd, Har.
'ringtoD, Mcdonald, Avery an6
Joyce? Gould it have been for
getfuIness which caused him tt
disregard the warnings he received
of BeIknao's crimes and caused him to
punish the informer? Gould it have
been through ignorance merely that
the orders assisting and protecting the
st. Louis whiskey frauds We're issued?
And is it the conventional neuralgia
which still continues Babcock and
Shepherd and Harrington in the friend
ship and confidence OF the President
Has the regular receipt of his official
salary transformed the poor army off
Ger into the millionaire President, or
has be ''put money in his purse"
from the secret service fund, post
traderships, navy contra Its, Indian
supplies, District rings, croaked whis-
key and real estate poolsJ
Who can contemplate the fall of
this man without modification Yes
terday he was the hero of the might TEST
war which history records, the idol of
the greatest nation on earth and the
head OF the freest and best government
in the world. To>day he has been
brought into public scorn and con-
tempt by an association with crimi-
nails and by a completely in their
crimes. Those he defeated upon the
battle fields of the late civil war look
on with mingled feelings of pity and
regret. His utter disregard of their
rights as citizens which he has dis
played as President, in such striking
contrast with his regard for theil
rights as soldiers, which marked his
career as a General, had long since
destroyed their admiration for the
successful and magnanimous soldier.
Yet, in common with their fellow
North and South, they
feel that mortifie alton which a ma
tional disgrace brings home to every
citizen. If we could we would oblit-
crate forever the damning record, and
infamous transactions.
THE WHOLE STORY.
4 World Washington specil says
stories are circulating about