Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1880-08-28
REPUBLICAN RING RULE.
From the n. 7. SUM-


u may be prudent for Gen. Grant
to keep silent under the charge of
McDonald- connecting him with COM
PliEty in the Whisky Ring, because
he Shefebys avoids controversy, and
sPe$iey additional exposure. Blu,
ssf@e,if il does net signify consent,
at least leaves him in a sad predica-
ment. The general facts stated by
Mcdonald are we'll known, and the
details now givenLar only 80 many
links by which they are bound to-
gether.
Il there were nothing but the tes-
I tiSony of Mcdonald % sustain these
gpave accusations, they might per-
Dh5Ss be whistled down the wind as
kveDgeance of a disappointed man.
But the cerrObOratlve proofs are con-
tanned in the acts of Gen. Grant him.
self, in his personal %endeavors to
protect the whisky ring aud to save
Babcock from conviction when on
tfi6lakSt Louis.
sG6nsGralt directed Mr.. Pierrepont
- att0rney-general to issue a circular
st(stSe distlict attorneys who were
then prosecuting the whisky rings,
virtually forbidding them from
taking the testimony of accomplices,
who might be willing to testify for
immunity from punishment. Acopy
of that circular was furnished to
Emory Storrs, counsel for Babcock,
aud present champion Of Garfield,
and published in order to defer wit
ifesses from going upon the stand
against Babcock and others.
Alijthe evidence of Babcock's guilt
procured by. the treasury department
l1tAsi1 furnished to the president
On his demand, and was then COM
mupicated to- Storrs by him to aid in
Babcock's defense. That was his way
of letting ono guilty man escape.'
Ex-senator Henderson, who had been
employed to assist the prosecution OF
the Wlsky cases, was removed at the
most critical moment for an honest
1 effort. to discharge bis duty, and
upon the false prctext thai he had
reflected upon the president.
Mr.. Bristow, 'Biuford Wilson, and
ex-senator Pratt, commissioners u1
internal revenue, were all driven oul
of office for nc other reason than thai
they were honest in their e%ndeavors
I to break up the corrupt combina
tons, whereby the treasury Was rob
bed OF millions every year, and The
public service was debauched by
officials intrusted with the collection
Of .the revenues. The pardons o
Joyce and Mcdonald, though defer
red by necessity, were Ill the samt
line of collision. All these acts
emaRated from the white house, anc
were done by the express order o
President Grant.
About the guilt of Babcock Their,
eve was the least moral doubt
and though acquitted at st. Louis
the verdict may be said to have beel
procured by the exertions of tn,
president, and by the perversion o
testimony that should have beer
used for his conviction. The letters
now published by Mcdonald onl,
serve to strengthen the belief Of Bah
cocks direct, full and profitable con
nection with the ring from tie yer,
start OF that thieving conspiracy. l
is . disgrace to the service that thu
venal and ~dishonored officer, VIII,
never dared to ask for a court of in
quiry except when it was INTENDED
to Interfere with his criminal prose
cution in the civil courts, should still
pc employed on regular public duty
allowed to mingle OIL an equalit,
with honorable men, and to draw
large pay when he should be crack
lug stone i'll the p%enitentiary.
The whisky ring was Originally
organized to provide funds for car
ryiDg on republican campaigns, an
to aid i'll the election of Grant. ]
expanded into large proportions, all
millions were stolen and divide
amsng the subsidized officials, new:
papers aud politicians. The arm
ring. the navy ring, the Office ring
the patent ring, the land ring, til
Washington ring, the custom rim:
the Indian ring, the pension rug, an
other fings were all conducted ON ii
same footing. 1t was an organize
system OF robbery in all the depar
ments, applied in the name of tt