The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1880-08-19

1-batG General Mcdonald Says About
Els Forthcoming Book.

ei"tontiary in the closing days ofthe Grant
p,ejhm;nistration be has said that when the
Az Saa came he would talk. That time has
tl nG;5entiv came. In a few DAYS the manu-
tsEMt Of a book to be called The Secrets of
~, Ie Great Whisky Ring" will be given to
he public. Mcdonald was supervisor of
IT az Revenue for the district compris
t i7n Territory and New Mexico when the
G D;"r was exposed, and he seventeen months
- the Missouri penitentiary for completely
To the World correspondent, General
NrDonald said L never lied to General
Grant in all my dealings with him. He had
rosirive knowledge of these operations. The
linr was formed to raise money for the cam
naicn expenses in 1872, and Grant and the
leaders of the Republican party knew it.
When | laid the plants In my district | went
- Washington and told Grant about them.
His Instructions were to see Babcock and
Give him the details, and then we would be
protected from interference aud trouble by
Inc Commissioner of Internal Revenue and
the Treasury Department. Douglass had
information of what was going on, but beg
red not to be informed of details that his
conscience might not be burdened. Rogers
knew it as well as Avery, who went to the
renitentiary. | tell you the Whisky Ring
formed for the purpose of raising a cam
paign fund haa the sanction of the Admin
i%stratiOn and was a patty measure. We
sent money to Morton to be used In carry
ing Indiana and used it In paying the ex-
renses of Republican speakers throughout
the West. Thousands of it went to keep up
Republican newspapers and to strengthen
the backbones Of editors and make them for
Grant in 1872"
And you wore the stripes before you
would make all this known
Il did. Nobody can say that John Me-
Donald ever betrayed a friend. Before my
trial, in the fall oflS75, General Grant and
Babcock were here. [ had been indicted,
and they were afraid | was going to squeal.
They came to see what could be done to
save themselves, and when they found that
| was firm they went back to Washington
leaving promises that [ should never suffer
if sentenced. Then came my conviction,
and simultaneously with it Babcock's indict
ment. | was sent to the st. Louis Jail, and
they begged me 10 hold off till Babcock
could have his trial. | furnished under pos
tive pledges that they should be returned
to me, a batch of Babcoch's letters to be
used if necessary in his trial. They were
not used. and never returned. Babcock was
acquitted. and that night he came to me in
the st. Louis jail and pledged his word that
my pardon Should come as soon as he re-
turned to Washington. Almost the day
after he got there came the Belknap ex-
posure. and | was urged to hold OFT a little
while longer. Then the Cincinnati Conven-
ton WAS at hand and there was a possibility
ofGrant being renominated, and once more
was asked to be martyr for my friends a
little longer. Then came the campaign,
and as a party measure | was asked to re
main a prisoner till the election. | waited
for the November returns, and | saw that
Iilden had tie electoral majority. Then
SAID | VIC wait no longer-they must let
me 60. | had an address drawn up III which
narrated the origin of the Whisky Ring,
and told as briefly as [ could what proofs
had of the completely of Grant and other
Republican leaders in the frauds. | sent
word that this document was to be LAID be-
fore Proctor knott's committee then lnve5-
tigating the ring unless my pardon was
forthcoming by the 10Th of January, 1877.
Ex-Governor Fletcher, of Missouri, came to
the penitentiary and read that paper. Then
and not till then it was that my pardon
cane
Referring to the loss of part Of the Bah.
cock letters, General Mcdonald said they
formed bat a very few of what he had and
for which alone $4,000 had been offered.
He exhibited letter after letter, including
many signed fctitiously and sent under GOV
er, urging him to be steadfast and assuring
him Of sympathy aud help from the White
House. These letters. he stated, would be
printed ia his forthcoming book, and with
other documents, some to be given III fac
smile, would leave the room for doubt that
the Whisky Ring had its ramiticatlonS
throughout the headquarters of the Repub-
lIc9n party.
In reply 20 a question as to the time when
the book might be looked for the General
SAID: The Republican leaders are bringing
every pressure possible on me to get the
publication postponed until after the eiec
ton. They have frightened one publishing
house, which had already made a commence
ment on the manuscript, by threatening IN
Junction proceedings. Two or three others
who stood ready to take hold OF 1t nave
been forced to refuse it by various POLITICAL
influences brought to hear. This has de
l4TaI mn md ~ nnaaSSJtatn nv p0InT &c