Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-05-24
Why Don't They7

The work of investigating the charges
against leading Republicans has not met
with that brilliant success which every
Democrat fondly anticipated So far, Mr..
Blaine, Mr.. Morton, Secretary Robson,
and Secretary Bristow have wickedly per-
sisted in proving their innocence of the
various crimes and misdemeanors with
which patriotic Democrats have charged
them, while President Grant, with the
malignant obstinacy characteristic of him,
has refused to acknowledge the deeds done
by him in the spirit and testified to by the
excellent mailman in whom Mr.. Mulch
Ter seems to have suddenly lost all inte-
rest. 1t is true that the World recently
discovered that the President had
drained the Treasury by ordering the
payment OF $32 900 to Mr.. Davenport; but
although the World celebrated its dis
covery by braying in stentorian tones
while standing on its head in an ecstasy
of JOY, it succeeded in drawing upon il.
self the ridicule of the whole country.
And yet there is one charge which the
Democrats might make against President
Grant which he could neither palliate nor
deny. The proof of this charge is con-
elusive, unanswerable, and absolutely
crushing; and, in view of the inexplicable
failure of the Democrats to investigate the
matter, it is our melancholy duty to lay
the facts before the public.
From the middle of October, 1862, to
the Fourth of July, 1868, Gen. Grant
the same man who was subsequently
guilty on two different occasions of will
fully causing the defeat of Democratic
candidates for the Presidency--was en-
gagged in the prolonged outrage known as
the siege OF Vicksburg. In spite of all
efforts to conceal by smooth phrases the
real nature OF this outrage, it is notorious
that it was deliberate plan to carry out
the political scheme of taking Vicksburg
from the control of Southern Democrats.
To Gen. Grant, as the avowed manager of
the affair, the whole responsibility clearly
belongs. 1t is matter of historical record
that this man deliberately brought about
breaches of the peace, not only at Vicks-
burg itself, but a, Port Gibson, Champion
Hills and other places in the neighbor-
hood of Nicksburg, by which thousands
OF his political opponents lost their lives.
The destruction OF property was enor-
nous, and the Federal Treasury was lit
orally drained to supply the funds which
he and his associates used to carry out
their high handed outrages on the lib.
erty of the Vicksburg people. The few
scores of illegal Democratic voters ar
rested by Mr.. Davenport in New York,
and the 1872 600 spent by him in three
years in the atrocious effort to deprive
Democrats OF the privilege Of voting more
than three or four times each, are as moth
ing in comparison with the official acts Of
this man Grant at Vicksburg. On the 4th
of July, 1868, he actually accomplished
the arrest OF 81 900 men in the city of
Nicksburg, and the total amount Of
money paid out by the Administration IN
detraying the expenses of his operations
during the previous eight months must
have amounted to millions Even the
charge against Gov. Morton, OF having
spent $3.50, 900 in sending Indiana troops
to the front, sinks into insigniticance be-
side the enormous cost of Grants pro-
ceedings as an agent of the United States
before Vicksburg, and yet the World,
which went into Mysteries over the Daven-
port affair, and the Democrats generally,
who were lost in amaZement at Morton's
depravIty, have not shown the slightest
intention to investigate the Vicksburg out
rage.
There are other and similar charges
which might be brought against this
bold, bad man, who did not shrink from
becoming the tool of the United States
whenever his services were sought. 1t
is pretty well ascertained that after his
career at Vicksburg he created disturb
ances at Chattanooga, and he is strongly
suspected of having been, at still later
period. the chief agent in stirring up
strife in Virginia, and in driving out Of
Office the men who had been elected to
serve as the Executive and Legislative
officers Of the Southern Confederacy
These, however, are matters which need
not be Immediately investigated. The