Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-08-31

BG- Prompt attention to Collections
Nov. "a. ls77:tf
GRANTS INFIRRIITIES.
The Old Ring Reviewed.
Washington ID. C.) Gazette.
Bristow is unfortunate in the
journals he selects to keep his name
before the public. 1t is also unfor-
tunate that these journals do not
know the true history of Bristow's 5
retirement from Grants Cabinet.
1t was little Mullett, the great
Mansard roofer, who did the bust
ness for BristoW. For the truth of
this assertion | have MuIlett's own
word, made emphatic with no end
of damns. When BristoW took Null
lett's mental and financial eleva-
ton, and kicked him out of the
Supervising Architects Office, he
did not count on that little mans
influence over Grant. Well, Null
lett took his departure from the
Treasury Department swearing to
get even with Bristow and he kept
his word.
HOW 1T WAS DONE.
/ have the same high authority,
confided to me in confidence more
than three years ago, that it was the
Hon. Alex. r. Shepherd and that
other honorable statesman, Senator
Spencer, who did the business for
that ''little clam-digging Yankee"
Jewell. The whole thing was ar
ranged on one 4th of July, at a sub
urban retreat called ttBlack House,"
where Grant and other congenial
spirits were enjoying themselves.
Jewell was both lofty and ornamen-
tal-altOgether the finest-feathered
bird in Grants Cabinet, if you ex-
cept the ferOeiously-whiskered Lady
Mary Pierrepont. But Shepherd
(Hon. Alexander and Mullett and
Spencer decided that he (JeweID
must go out of the Cabinet, and he
went. Babcock, at one time the
most potent power behind Grant,
assisted Mullett in getting Bristow
out of the Treasury; but 1 must do
him the Justice to say he had moth
ing to do with that Jewell business.
1t is idle to say Grant did not under
stand the corrupt and mischievOus
character of the men around him,
and who had combined to control
him. He did. Why he did not
shake them off and break up the
combination honest men saw was
destroying him can only be eX-
planned on the theory that he was a
sharer in their ill-gotten gains.
GRANT AS A DAMNIST.
Grants intense selfishness, his
love of money, no matter how got
ten, his weakness for speculating in
almost anything, but more particu-
larly in real estate, were traits of
character the bold bad men he had
around him were quick to encOur-
age and take advantage of. These
men saw Grant investing his money
in Seneca Sandstone rock, and they
found no difficulty in persuading
him of the safety of Mr.. Shepherds
"Great Comprehensive Scheme of
Public improvements (?(," or to in
vest his surplus salary in what was
known as unimprOVed property. |
Grant went into this real estate bus
iness like a true hero. He invested |
what surplus funds he had left over
from his Seneca Sandstone venture |
in unimproved property on Rhode |
Island avenue, junction of Thir-
teenth street in very doubtful
property in and around Rawlins
square, and again in the vicinity of /
the Observatory. The Hon. Alex
ander r. Shepherd, patriot and
statesman, made the innocent Grant
believe that all his outlying proper
ty would be improved at the peO-
pIe's expense, and that his (Grant's)
investment would be increased ten
fold in two years. Alas for hu
man expectations. That property
could not be sold to day for one
half that Grant and his bosom
friend, the Hon. Alexander r. Shep-
herd, paid for it. When Grant
found how his money had gone,
he id Shepherd, and he ID
and he id John 0. Ev-
ans. He had the best of reasons for
aamning the whole crowd of cor
Let us talk directly to the subject.
Let us look this shameful subject
square in the face and treat it calm
Iy and intelligently; because we
have in it the scandaiOus secret of
those violent appeals made by Grant
in his messages to Congresses for
liberal appropriations for carrying
1ut Shepherds grand cOmprehens-
we scheme of plunder. And, my
reader, YOU have also in this the Sc
ret of Grants anxiety to conceal
he true condition of the indebted
less brought upon Washington by
Alexander R. Shepherd and his
ing of John 0. Evans, Hallet Kill
oourn, Louis Clephane, and other
Christian statesmen.
WHISPERING JIMMY"
What I have written above, if
considered, will give us an
insight into the true inWardneSs of
Commissioner "Jack Ketcham,"
better known as tWhispering Jim
n.y." We have known ''Whisper-
ng Jimmy" these thirty years !;
never knew anything good of him,
out heap that was bad. Yes, [
aid bad. / mean it; and if Whis-
Dering Jimmy will throw down the
gauptlet, / pledge myself to take II
lp. In Winchester county, New
York, "Whispering Jimmy would
nave been forgotten had it not been
or Grants right hand man, Alex
lnder r. Shepherd. Grant made
s Whispering Jimmy" tail piece to
he Shepherds profigate admins
ration. Jimmy's first official act
vas to open Virginia avenue north
If Fourteenth street. Jimmy's idea
uaS to ShnK1, that the old Board of