Wilmington journal., 1876-02-25
h BCOf X.

Doubtless even General Grant will
eventually learn how hard it is " to
kick against the pricks"
When the great whisky ring frauds
we're first exposed to public gaz
through the public press, General
Henderson was employed by the gov
ernmept to prosecute the thieves. In
undertaking this difficult task the re-
sponsibilities of the situation led him
to investigate the frauds in ali their
bearings. He seemed determined to
expose the wickedness of the whieky
ring. regardless of persons whose
names might become involved. At
the very outset of the investigation he
found that the name of the President
of the United States was so mixed up
in this vile transaction, as to attach to
that high official the gravest suspicious
It became necessary for General Hen
derson, in the discharge of his official
trust, to bring out these suspicions in
such shape, as TO arouse the Indignation
of Gen. Grant and excite his alarm
In Gen. Grants mind the idea of one
of his own appoiRtees presuming to
mention his great name in connection
with fraud that the distinguished
lawyer was appointed to investigate
was simply preposterous and was not
for moment to be tolerated. So Gen.
- i
and Col. Brodhead was employed TO
take his place. But it seems that Col.
Broadhead is no more careful of the
Presidents reputation than was Gen.
Henderson. Henderson only intimated
that 1t was little to be regretted that
the Presidents name would OCCASION
tigat:oD. Broadhead goes further and
uot only intimates but proves that the
President has virtually sworn falsely:
Taking up the revocation order of
the President, Colonel Brodhead said
the President had declared that Bah
cock did not influence him in the revo-
cation of the order transferring super
visors, but that did not prove that
Babcock had not worked elsewhere to
that end. The testimony shows that
he went to Douglass, who had the
power to revoke the order.
1t shows that by warming that
gentleman of the disastrous effect
which his order must have on his pros
| poets for preferment, he tried to in
duce action on his part. IT shrws that
| Joyce, ON receiving information that
the order had been reduced to a ten
porary arrangement, telegraphed Bah
cock to ''push things" and they were
pushed. The explanation which the
President and Supervisor Tuition gave
for the revocation of that order were
not at all adequate to tho act
Sensation J They explained that
| because the supervisors all over the
country had learned of the order
some days before they had time
to straighten up affairs. If anything
was wrong, therefore, the whole
scheme would be defeated, but such
was not the case. The order as sug-
! gested originally. and the President
| himself claims the credit of it, was in
tended not to discover frauds already
| committed, but to secure future bene
| fits. 1t was held that the distilierr
had gotten into such ruts with the old
supervisors that newo nes would readily
catch them mapping. The Colonel re-
peated that the reasons given by the
| President and Mr.. Tuition were not at
all sufficient, as they amounted to
really no reasons at all. There were
other and more powerful influences
brought to bear, md the e1igencies OF
the case seemed to be such that the
President stepped down from his
high position to interfere with the
duties OF one of the Department. off
| cors. The order was revoked, too, by
telegraph. which of itself was a strangc
| proceeding. and questionable in law
| This suspension was made the Gay
after Joyce telegraphed Babccck to
push things against the weakening
enemy. This portion of the speech
created profound sensation.