New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-02-25

THE ACQJiTTfL or GHA. B6b'"ch'
The country is to be most heartily c0ngratu-
lated on the acQmttal of Gen. Babcock. 1t
would have been an almost intOlerahlo mortl-
fication to every patriotic American if tho pri-
vate secretary of the President OF the United
States had been found guilty Of conspiracy to
defraud the revenue, and none will be more
sincerely glad that we have escaped this shame
Cham those who are politically opposed to
the present Administration. The indictment
has been submitted to the seyeIest legal
tests No one can complain that
the court was biased in Gen. BabcOCks favor, or
that the prosecution WAS inefficient, or that the
inry were prepOssessed. There are some points
anon which the evidence ought to have been
fuller. but il has been an eminenty fair trial,
ending in a satisfactory result, The guilt of
the great Whisky Conspiracy has blasted
hundreds of homes, ruined fair regulations,
and day 10y day fresh evidence of It's enormous
extent has come to light until men have been
tempted to believe that no officer of the Gov
eminent came within its reach without being
corrupted. Dut at the entrance of the White
House the scandal has been met and turned
back. Thank heaven the faint does not go
that far.
The evidence before the jury in 81. Louis
ought TO have prepared the public ior the
verdict which has been rendered; and yet 1t
must he confessed that Il disagreement or
conviction WAS what most people looked FOR.
For this uncharitable expectation Gen. EabcoCk
may blame himself His behavior has been
miracle of imprudcnce. He publicly protested
his desire to be examined as witness, and
privately implored his friends to keep him
from being called. He proclaimed lis In
slant readiness to explain the suspicious tcle-
grams, bat strained every nerve to avoid any
explanation. and used every legal technically
to keep these kilograms from being brought
into the trial at all. The convicted chiefs
of the 81. LOuis Ring were his intimate friends.
He was in secret correspondence with one OF
them after the disclosures were made. His
correspondence with another during the time
when the frauds were at their hight
and investigations were beginning, was of
the most compromising character. 1t does
not seem TO have occurred to him that the
Driyato secretary of the President of the United
States cannot afford to associate with suspicious
characters His friendships have always laid
him open 20 censure. He stood by when the
District Ring was robbing the Government, and
their frauds The chief spirits of that band Of
vulgar and pretentious rogues were his init
mates. and he called them very good fellows.
He was a good officer in the army; he is well
spoken OF by his military comrades; Lc
Is certainly not lacking in shrcwdncss;
and vet he is the friend Of Joyce, Mcdonald
aud Shepherd. The ties that bOund him to
the Whisky Ring were so close that when lac
was brought to trial as their accomplish he
felt obliged TO keep back a. puch of his cor
respondence with them as The law would al
low him to conceal, and to risk his reputation
for the sake of his liberty. Ii Is not surpris-
ING that under these circumstances there has
been a general disposition, outside the court
to cxaggclatc The strength of the testimony
against him. Ii is a great piece Of good for
tune that thc jury have been able TO take a
more reasonable view of the case than the
public.
Gen. Babcock however may plead in exton-
uation of his imprudenCe that he has been no
more reckless than the President. Keeping
bad company is the bcscttng sin of Gen.
Grants administration The most disIcputablc
peope are privileged guests mt the White
House and fayoiites in official circles. The
whole civil service naturally adjusted itself
long ago to the low tone established at the
capital, and 80 we have had during the past
six or seven years prevalence OF rascaliy or
dubious practices, in high places and
in low, which makes an American blush
for his countIys fame and burn with indigna-
ton at her pilleIing servants. We have had
an unbroken series of scandal, scandal, scandal,
besmearine almost every department OF the
Government, and ii has long seemed incvta-
bic that the White House itself should be in
yolved in the disgrace. If Gen. Grant shall
lie aroused by this bitter lesson to the need OF
a nicer sense OF propricty, stricter regard
for the character OF his app0intees and ass0ci-
ates and realization OF tho responsibilities
which rest so lightly on his shoulders, he may
save himself and bis country from much
greater shame in future. We shall he better
able 10 judge whether nc has learned the true
lesson Of tho Babc0ck trial when We Sc
| whether he is embroidered by it TO the mad
ness OF trying 10 drive Secretary BIistOw from
Office The Secretary has honestly and ably
protected the revenue, has prosecuted and
convicted number Of the Whisky thieves, and
has certainly had ample reason for the suspi
cions which led to the prosecution OF Gen.
Babcock. Let us see whether tho country is
to be nsulted by an attempt to punish him
for doing his duty.
------"-----------------