The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-01-20
BABCOCK'S TRIAL.
No Cessation of Activity 10 the
Work of Preparation.
shc Important Results that are sup.
posed so Depend tpss, its
Decision.

Washington special to the New York Herald.
January lt.l
The apparent lull in the Babcock case
must not bc construed ~ indicating Il
lack oi activity on the part ct either the
prosecution or defense. II i bat the calm
before the storm. the preliminary iispo.-
ing and all snmcu, of battallions prrpI-
rAtory 10 the charge of battle. Zach
party i. busily engaged in hunting
up aud arranging the evidence
upon which the guilt or inno-
cence of the presidents private secre-
tarv and confidential friend is to be es-
tablshed. The array OF counsel retained
by Babcock embraces some OF the most
eminent OF the legal fraternity. called
from various portions OF the United
States The full li.t j. not positively
known. bu; In addition 10 the krums OF
~. Lnui-. father aui SON. j. n Porter of
New York city. well known a. one o.
the counsel in the Beecher scandal, anl
Emory Siorrs. one OF the legal lumina-
ries OF Chicago. and distinguished a. a
criminal lawyer Of unusual ability. have
been retained. II /; not generally known.
but i nevertheless, true. that when Bah-
cock first saw the crooked whisky trou-
blcs ahead. Ben Butler was engaged rs
leading counsel ia the ease. md il was en-
tirely owing 70 the delicate condition Of
Buffers health at that time. and
the iniunctions OF his physician forbid
ding the step. that the Es.rN statesman
did not proceed 10 -. Loui. when Bah
cocks name was first mentioned IN con-
nectiun with an Indictment. Butler Is
reported 10 have said. after examining
the case from Babcock's standpoint. that
he felt confident that ii he could have
been permitted by his physician TO 20
to It. Louis at the commencement of
Babcock's difficulty. he "could"-imi-
Eating the language of sam. NilLcson
when tesiifying In the Bcccher cl>e-
have Knocked the indictment higher
than a kite" Ii Is unfortunate. perhaps, |
for Babeock that he is not 10 have the J
benefit Of Butler a. his senior counsel
The prosecution, no doubt, congratulate |,
themselves Oh their escape. and can re-
peat without TESTING the wcll-worn play
on the bottled hero's name
90 all sad words Of tongue aud PEN
The ssddest are, We might have feh
The result OF Babcock :; trial will carry |
with il far more Importance than the |
mere question OF his guilt or innocence, |
his consignment to a .elOn'S cell. or his |
before Il jury oi his peers. |
u
supremacy between TWO different cliqup- !
two branches OF the Administration
family. Babcock. with the personal inill-
euce OF the President and that Of tie third
term adhcrcnts. represents one faction.
Bri.tow. with BluiOrd Wilson aud the
Official, OF the Treasury Department., /
backed by the anii-ring sentiment, repre-
.ents the other. Either Babcock or Bris.
tow must 20 down n tEc result of the
formers trial. Ii Babcock j. convicted
he will be sent 10 the pcutcutiary. aud |
nothing but the pardon of the President
AN save him from exchanging his
shoulder straps ~ colonel ot engineers
Tor the sOmDrc striped uniform of
felOn. With his conviction
Is conspirator OF uic whisky ring, !
whose object ii was TO delIaud the
government OF its revenue. Bristow.
whatever may DC the president, idea OF
he righteousness. or justice OF Bahcock's
tate. will not only stand Justified in the
public esteem, bu, will be laudud a. Gn
earnest, incOrruptiblc rcformcr, and his
position will be safe even from prc.idcn.
tial interference. But should Babcock
secure an acquittal, the president. who
rom the first has had mistaken conf
lcnce III his .ecrctary's innocence, and
who believes to this date that BabcOck j.
he victim of "A conspiracy formed in the
Treasury Department TO defeat the third
erm, will Immediately follow up the ac-
luittal OF Babcock by the summary cX-
lnision from his cabinet of Brstow and
lie dismissal from the Treasury Depart
mont OF every official who has been
prominent IN the prosecution. Nor
I !, probable that the action OF the prcsi-
lent would stop there. II j. believed
hat ut least one other member OF the
'abinet, whose sympathies have been
With Bristow Ia the lattcr's war against
lac whisky ring and who owes his ap-
continent largely TO the influence of Bah
,ock and Horace Porter, would De iuyi-
ed 10 surrender his portfolio. In other
words, the acquittal OF BabcOck will IT,
nit in reorganization of the cabinet by
which those who have been opponents |
n luke-warrn advocates OF the third-tcrn
movement will be forced out. and their
places filled 10y men of pronounced third
ERIN proclivitle and cxpeni-
need political workers, Of type OF
which Chandler, the head of the Interior
j. iair representative, and
Who recently expressed his willingness
% vote tor President Grant not only for
ihrd-term, but for a fourth and fifth
.erm, provided the Republican conyen-
Ion would nominate him