The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1878-05-05
THE FAD BRADLEY.

MI d. W. hcallng, lnc aDIc washington
correspondent of the Memphis Appeal, an
ticipatcs the New York Sun, and exposes
some Of the inside history Of the reversal of
the legal-tcndcr decisions Of the Supreme
Court of the United States in the spring of
1870. 1t will be remembered that it was
widely charged at the time that the court
had been packed for the purpose, the adj
ministration Of Grant having been used by
the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and
other great corporations, to protect vast in
tereSts depending upon the results. The
Suns history will show that, previous to his
appointment, Judge Strong was sounded by
an agent direct from Grant as to his
views on this question. He referred to
hi. opinions delivcrcdtrom the supreme court
Of Pennsylvania for answer. This being
satisfactory. his name was sent to the SEN
ate. 1t also appears that Judge Strong was.
at u'at nme' i large ho.oer OF the capital
stock OF the pennsylvania railroad compa-
ny. The legal-tendcr act was passed on the
t"eh'y'hi'h OIL FeOFuaty' 4eo'' lhe Penn
sylvania railroad company had, at the time
Of Judge strong appointment twelve
milIi"n collars worm oi uohds outstanding
"fich had been issued pTloT % the date Of
the passage OF the !eaL-'ender act the !nteg-
es'-c"oions on which "ouIa De made paE-
Ao-e In COIN Il ''ie "eCls''h Of 'he supreme
court rendered IN The case oi HephuF2c
-. GFlsWo.l, IL mat time should stand .
the INA. 4djldic1clon o. the question. Af:cr
tins decision n hegb--nc -. GTiswdd.
and about the time OF the appointment
Of B-at.er anil strong % the bench. .he
PENIS? railroad company entered ilto
a memorandum Of agreement with the
holders Of the above coupons. by which It
was agreed 70 pay the face Of the coupon,
in greenbacs', and if the supreme court
should. within the year decide that the SINE
were payable II gold, to make Up the
difference On tn first Of the ensuing Apr.
in gold or rs equivalent. " this same
time the united railroad and canal com
panics Of New jersey had outstanding
twcnty-!Our millions Of bonds, issued prior
to the date of the lc@al.tcndcr act, the cou-
pons Of which We're also payable in gold
coin, unless the then recent decision Of the
supreme court should be reversed. At q
meeting Of the united boards Of these CON-
panics Il resolution was adopted offering to
the coupon holders precisely the same con-
tract as that entered into by the Pennsy.va-
MIA Railroad Company with It's bondho!ders
This resolution was drawn 10y Joseph +,
Bradley, VINO was then, and had long
time been, the attorney Of the Camden and
Amboy Railroad Company at an annual
salary OF twenty thousand dollars. lie was
also very large stakeholder. He had al
ready, at that time been nominated for
Judge Of the Supreme Court, and his name
was then pending before the Senate Judge
Strong took his seat on the bench a shor,
time before Judge Bradley, but no sooner
had the latter assumed his ofc, than the
attorney general moved for rchcaring o.
the legal-tcndcr question. 1t was proposed
TO use for this purpose the cases Of the
Lathoms vs., the United States, and of DcN.
ming vs.. the United States-cascs which, il