The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-03-25
the PRESIDENT OF The UNI
TED STATES.
What the Office Has Degener-
ated to Under Repub-
lican Rule.
A SJCcINCT AND AUTHENTIC
STATEMENT.
History----Save 1t.
History----Save 1t.
rs IT A PERSONAL GOVERNMENT



who wins may rightly regard and use as t
piece OF personal property? Il
These questions, asked at any time In
our history before the accession OF General
Grant, would have been absurd; but they
are so no longer, for it is demonstraDle
that not even the third Napoleon was more
possessed than he of the idea that the gov
eminent is for his personal use and pleas
ure. Let us see -
l. One of hia very first acts president ,howed
singular contempe for law and regard for his own
will or desire alone He nominated Mr.. A. 7. Stew
art to be secretary of the treasury Mr. Stewart
undoubtedly capable man, could not disengage
himself from his vast commercial interests, and
law which had stood for almost three quarters OF
was unuuestioned forbade his taking the office un-
der the circumstances. What happened? General
Grant coolly asked congress TO repeal the act. 1t
refused as was its duty and the president sulked
3 Next Grant drove General Cox out OF the cab
met because he refused to appoint corrupt ana IN
efficient friends of the president to office in the In
dian bureau and elsewhere, IN violation OF civil ser
vice rules and honest government.
3. He drove Joseph Wilson, the land commis-
sioner, into retiI ement because he decided Mis- |
souri, land claim of the Dent family adversely to
their interest
a He appointed a pokcr.player congressman as |
Minister TO England, and kept him there until he |
was threatened with arrest, public disgrace ana
scandal, in spite of his notorious connection with
the Emma mine fraud.
3 He attempted against the will of congress and
the country, TO annex st. Domingo, ana sent out
his own private agent, General BabcOck, to nego-
"A violation
he was contemptuous toward the laws that ne
actually sent To the senate secret agreement
made and signed with Baez by his authorized pri-
yate agent under pretence that II was treaty and
only withdrew il when the senate privately lnfugm-
ed him that the constitution required treaties TO be
made and signed by agents publicly nominated ana
confirmed by the senate
g. To consuinmate the annexation, in which he
had involved himself with number OF mon no
toriously engaged in d land speculation, he kept
vessels Of on the coast of the island at great
expense 70 support the usurpcl Baez, and levied
m ne Haytien Republic,
constitution, which reserves the power OF declaring
and making war to congress
from the craftsmanship Of the seuate foreign rea-
tons committee, post which he mad held Tor
try were of peculiar Importance, because he would
not support the St. Domingo scheme.
g. He afterward tried to bride sumner to &C
uuiescence in the St. Domingo plot by the offer OF
the mission to England. This was when he saw
that against Summers opposition the ST. Domingo
o. He appointed his brother-in-law, Cramer, to a
high diplomatic position although this person had
aready shown himself VIGOROUSLY unfit while mold
ing IN obscure cOnsulship,
10 He appointed another brothcr-in-l
Casey, to be collector of New Orleans, and there
maintains him, in spite of his proved tncapacty ana
corruption and his open violations OF law.
Il When public opinion, outraged beyond endur-
auce ut Casey's misconduct, demanded his removal
he apparently submitted by requiring and ostens-
bly, accepting Caseys resignation to take eheci
on the appointment of his successor:' but he has
never appointed Il successor, and thus Casey re
mains collector in spite OF the public demand fol
his removal.
i2 He removed a collector of internal revenue a
CHICAGO because this officer refused to Join Orvi
Grant. the presidents brOtheri in awhiskey fraud.
a. alter, IL violation of law, he gave TO TIM
same brother OryiI the MONOPOLY OF trading will
certain tribes of Indians, and Causd the exclusion
of other traders, certified to be responsible men,
THIS is the first time in our history when prGs1
dents brother has become an Indian trader CT ha
received monopoly, contrary to an express Ia"
from his brother.
city OF New York to ward politician said TO
connected with the Tanmany ring, but who wa
Is Heappointed and long kept in the mportar
Office of attorney general of the United States ma
openly charged with frauds, known to be ignoral
OF law. unfit by character and requirements Il
the place, but VIGOROUSLY subserylent tool OF Ii
16 He tried to promote his incapable attorne.
general to the chief justiceship OF the supren
court. u p.blie scandal which was prevented on
with the utmost difficulty.
n lie took away the custody of governma
funds from the solid house of the Barings who h;
held It since the formation Of The government al
intrusted the public moneys to Clews N HabicI
a. a reward for notorious partisan services and
spite of warnings that this house not trus
worthy or of good standing. The firm has sine
become bankrupt but the public does not yet kno
how much the treasury lost by its failure.
e He gave to of his former military and
housing, and maintained him in it until the OF
ragged merchants became too clamorous at the
Justice they were compelled TO suffer
10. He has excepted costly gifts and repeat ed
rewarded the gIvefs with public places for the
selves or for their friends.
20. He permitted and defended moiety fraud
by which The revenues of the country were far III
out to low politicians, with the known design
securing the political fort mes OF some OF
21. He was and is The intimate Of Alexant
sShepherd, man openly and generally accused
corruption in Washington, and
~. When congress- compelled by rigid inve:
CATION, destroyed the District government viii
Shepherd controlled, in order TO put him out
place and power, the president had the lndeceI
to renomiBate him at once as the head OF the II
governmental nomination so scandalous that
senate Immediately and unanimously rejected II
%. In spite of this he still retains Shepherd
favor us one of his most intimate associates
"a. He shocked the public sense OF propriety
inviting 20 the White House, public occasi
Harrington, the confederate OF Shepherd a per-
then undergoing trial for felony, and never
% He oonsorls constantly with men of dor
full character, and still has among his lntimi
both Shepherd and Harrington.
20. Iii their defence he even went so far as il
annual'Message to understateby several millions
debt Of the District of columbia; gross attemp
deceive the public which was immediately expo
in congress.
81 lie was a party to an intrigue whereby
own sa airy was doubled, and caused it to be
vately understood in congress that The blli ra !
congressional salaries would not receive his
nature unless his own salary was doubled.
IS He was for months engaged in an atter
at last successful, to make one OF his intima
Rufus Ingalls,, quartermaster general 1.-THE ar
and held vacant the Russian IN scion as tempta
to General Meigs, who stood in the way OF
% lie supported Kellogg as governor of Lo
lana without authority from congress confess
that he did not know who was the rghtfulsgo
nor, and on his wi alone; and he used
this iavorte.
So He did not scrupe last year to grossly
represent to congress and the country the condi
of Louisiana and other southern states in o
that he might thereby support his corrupt pers
followers there.
81 While n congressional committee was in
Orleans investigating the condition OF Louislan
violently took matters in his own hands and in
presencs dispersed the legitimate Assembly o.
state by means of the army.
80 He ordered his secretary oil war to sent
approval of the whole Cabinet 20 Sheridan fu
dispersion of the legislature and his bandliti
patch. though il IL known that he did not tax
trouble to consult any members OF the Cabin
the matter, and that several members did stro
dsapprove of these measures.
go. He refused to hear the comm
which congress sent to New Orleans, ana 81
message to congress founded assertions W
the report of that committee Of congress SHOVE
be false and groundless.
"a nhus he first nsuted his cabinet and
congress in order to carry out his personal
and sought, by artful Misrepresentation and
statements, made when the truth was at his cal
unoficially known TO him, 10 justify DANCE
usurpation of power by the military and the
stration OF civil rule
35. He endeavored to lntimidate congress
committee into making report on the conditi
Arkansas,to sub his OWE views; SUNNI
III m bef IRE m, told them what they Gus
, report aud did not even take the trouble to asa
what facts they had found in their investig,
Fortunately, they were too independent to 81
to his dictation.
35. One member Of that committee, who m
minority report In accordance with his wish
rewarded with the post Of district attorney OF