The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-09-30

influence the jury, invited him from the
criminal dock to particularly select re-
ception at the White House. Gen. Bah
cock, Grants confidential secretary, is
now under indictment for being con-
cerned in the same conspiracy.
THE wHIsKEY RINGS.
Since Grant has been 10 Office various
whiskey rings. in consideration of contribu.
ting literally to Republican election
funds, and for other considerations which
Gen Babcock could best explain, have
been permitted to defraud the revenue by
selling untsxed whiskey. 1t is moder-
ate estimate to say that more than One
Hundred Million Dollars have thus been
diverted from the Treasury by
the Whiskey Rings, all of which
must be replaced BY taxing the people.
MIR. Bristow was driven out Of Grants
Cabinet for endeavoring to break up these
Rings and punish the thieves who COM
posed them.
ENORMOUS DEFALCATIoNS.
The business of the various executive
departments under Grants Adninistra-
ton has been so loosely conducted, and
the appointments to Office have been so
badly made, that the books of the Treas.
ury, on June l9, 1876, showed defalca-
tons on the part of Grants officeholders
which had accumulated since he was in
augurated President, amounting in the ag
gregate to $5,500,59 The taxpayers
must make this good.
RoBBING THE FREEDMEN.
The failure of the Freedmen's Savings
Bank, with an Indebtedness to depositors
Of over $3,000,000, has defrauded over
10000 poor freedmen of their little
earnings, which they had been induced to
intrust with the rotten concern under the
false pretence that it was a Government
institution. This wholesale robbery of
poor Legroes was mainly committed by
the most intimate personal friends of the
President, and he could have prevented
it if he had wished to, for the Irregular
ties in the management of the bank were
fully exposed in The Sun four years before
the swindling institution closed its doors.
The Seneca Sandstone Company, in
which Grant was financially interested,
participated in this robbery of the negro
depositors in the Freedman's Bank.
THE SIOUX WAR.
The hostilities conducted against the
Sioux, which have resulted in an expendi-
ture of millions Of dollars, in the Custer
massacre, and in threatened outbreak
of all the wild Indians in the northwest,
was entirely unnecessary 1t was caused
by violation, from avaricious motives, of
treaty made in 1868. This violation of a
al IL ~ L. T.
was made in order to afford some personal
friends of Grant an opportunity to seize
and speculate upon mineral tracts and
town sites in the Black Hills country, and
for no other reason. 1t was simply ma
national infamy, accomplished for private
gain. 1t is believed that young John De-
lano and Fred Grant we're two Of the most
active members of the Black Hills Ring.
INCREASED TAXATION.
The expenses OF the United States Gov
eminent under Grant have been extrava-
CANT beyond com parisoD, for time of peace.
For six years of his administration. ending
June 30. 1875, the public expenditures
amounted to more than -Four Thousand
Million Dollars all of which has been ex-
acted from an overtaxed people, and a
|
Republican thieves in Office, and their ac-
completes. The late Democratic House OF
! Representatives succeeded IN getting re.
duction of about $50 600 in the appro.
priation bills; and they were fought at ev
cry step by Grant and the Republican Sen
ate. who desired to have more money vo
ted than ever before.
running THE NAVY.
The recent Congressional investigation
of the management of the Navy Depart
ment by Secor Robson shows that unde
the present Administration THO Hundrec
Million Dollars have been expended, bu
that, according to the testimony of Admi
raj Porter, we have not single first elias
vessel, and that las whole, the navy
worth nothing" 1t was also proved tina
the most scandalous fraud, corruption, ant
larceny had characterized the administra
! ton of naval affairs from the day tina
Robson entered office. This dishones
and incompetent Secretary will, uEdoubt
} edly, be impeached when Congress meet
; again; but he is a great favorite wit
Grant, and he is sustained by all the Re
publican leaders Secor Robson is an Ell
' thusiastic supporter of Hayes.
CREATING AN oLIGARCHY OF OFFICE
HOLDERS.
When President Grant entered Office
\ 1869, the officeholders on the civil list {
! the United States numbered 54,267. /
. 1875 they aggregated "a, ll9 being an il
. caease Of about forty Thousand in six year
n only Of Grants Administration. Many {
/ these render no service to the country, DU
are merely political pensioners on tn
Treasury. who, in return for the none
/ they draw, are expected to work for th
r perpetuation in power of the corrupt r.
i publican organization. 1t is this immens
army of placemen who seek to usurp th
control of our Government, leaving th
=. people no voice in the conduct of affairs
Q 1t is the oficsholders who constitute an
manage all Republican nominatin
conventions it is the oficeholder
who dictate the policy of tn
. Concluded on next page).