The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-02-22

Advertisements for THr WEEKLY StN is
med tomorrow morning, must be hdld,d IN THIS
TeninD before sr oclock.
Grants Part IN the Whiskey Frauds.
One fact stands out clear and positive in
BADcoCK's trial. The President not only
intcrfered with the proper duties and re-
probabilities OF the Secretary of the Treas
ury, but he wilfully Distracted the faith
ful execution of the laws intended to pre-
vent frauds on the revenue. This inter-
ference was always on the side of the
Whiskey Ring, and uniformly against the
public interest. His own deposition fur
nishes the proof, without calling in other
testimony.
The first practical and really vigorous
step for breaking up the Whiskey Ring.
was The order for the sudden change Of
Supervisors issued in January. 1875. That
movement was concerted between Mr.
BRIsTow and Mr.. DOUGLASS then Commits
sloner Of Internal Revenue. Strangely
enough, the President claims for himself
the credit Of having originated this idea,
and even goes so far as to say he "sug-
gested il to Mr.. BRIsTow."
The object of that order was to sunder
the ties between the Ring in the West and
their confcdcrates at Washington, s, that
tt would be impracticablc TO run IN the old
ruts Of corruption. II was policy de-
signed to cut the connections between or
ganized thievery, and never was proposed
On any way until Mr.. BRIsrow put the ma
chinery in motion in the beginning of
1875, though Mr.. DoUoLAss swore on the
stand that the Ring had been operating
successfully from ls72 with the knowledge
OF the department..
Less than week after this important
order was adopted. 1t was revoked, as Bah
COCK told DOUGLASS il would be, when he
was secretly striving to prevent its being
made at all. How was II done2 Let the
President answer in the words of his de-
position:
gave 'he directions fr the suspension Of the order
making the transfers My rccoieotlon Is that wrote
the directions On card with pencil certainly before
leaving the oce that afternoon, and On ne oraer
vent 70 nc Treasury signed " one Of my secretaries"
Here ii is distinctly admitted that in an
Administrative matter affecting the collec-
ton of the internal revenue, which by
law devolves on the Secretary OF the
Treasury and the Commissioner, the Presl-
dent arbitrarily interposed TO recall the
very order the merit Of which he bad
before complacently assumed. He did
this too, without n word Of conference
with Mr.. BRIsrow, and IN direct opposition
90 his well known wishes.
Instead of consulting with the Secretary
OF the Treasury, us to the expedlency of
undoing al act intended TO arrest frauds,
Or in anv wav considering him, he sat
down as he would in camp TO direct the
change Of regiment, and "wrote the
directions on card with n pencil" and
sent it off by one Of his secretaries TO the
department That was the first notice
MI. DRIsTow received Of the revocation,
and to make the interference moro
marked. ii was telogTaphed abroad instead
of going through the accepted official
course.
How this change in GRANTS mind was
brought about is no secret. The Ring
chiefs, BABcoCK and the corrupt officials
IN their interest. were all working zeal
ously. But il was necessary TO call III the
political influences that shared in the
for aid in legislation and for support NJ
the White House when there was any sign
of serious trouble. Upon his cross-C Xani-
nation the President testified as follows:
"Q.-You have SAID u.at you resisted ne pressnr,
regard 10 tie suspension Or revocation OF me oraei
MHpserrlps suhsrv,g. 10Y 9f se n5 nT I @
Mo b. neh, tuat pressure 90 bear upon Y9uy A.
name a .e,riu SeAul.i, ana tlojqh'V laen'icrs d
Go1 9gi m9gs9 .hosg esye ~ 70 , Isisr 10 papers
}a %m sm nd mn ts an" 5r s Istes
10 not teAetc Mai . Heces53ry'
This suppression of names was by M
means accidental. It wa; most material
that the country should know from hin
what Senators aud Representatives ha6
Interested themselves so actively il
defeating the new policy to detec
frauds, and who were powerful enough
10 have the Secretary OF the Treas
ury ignored, by appealing over his head t.
the President. GRANT is familiar with al
the names, and knows perfectly the con
siderations that operated upon their en-
deavors 10 have the order recalled. IL
has only partially concealed these Re
publican Ring Senators and Representa-
tves from public view, because they ar
well known, and he may yet have an or
portunity to Identify them before an in
vestigatng committee.
Itcannot be pretended that GRANT aote
without knoWle ledge when he thus ovel
ruled the Treasury Department, an
usurped the functions OF the Secretary fo
the protection Of the whiskey thieves. ii
had his eyes well open, understood a
the ramihcations, ana measured every ma
who came near him at his exact polite,
value Nor was he moro ignorant whe
he insultingly disIegarded public opinio
In 81. Louis and the protest Of the Rcpul
lean delegation in Congress from Nj
tonsi, by the appointment Of the potoriol