National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-04-26
A CycIOne of CaIumny.

| The records of General Brady'S office
are said to be scrupulously clear and
exact, and judged by them alone nothing
could be alleged or sustained against him
or his associates" These are the words
| of the Washington correspondent of the
New York Tribune in its issue OF
yesterday. The same writer says: "The
material now in process of collection
comes, therefore, chiefly from outside
sources" The Tribune man says that Mr..
Woodward, the special agent-who was
dismissed the service by General Grant
-" is himself surprised at the rapidity ocith
acIich THIS matter has dereloped itself,
and the success which has at
tended his efforts. The fact is
thought to be due to the feeling
on the part Of outside members of the ring
that the official member or members
were too much inclined to demand the
whole profits for their own pockets"
So, here is a semi-official confession by
especial agent" unless he is belied
by the Tribune correspondent to
the effect that his efforts to fill
his bucket with mud have been crowned
with success far beyond his expectations,
and he acknowledges his obligations
therefor to creatures who declare them
selves to be "outside members" of a
thieving "ring," the other members
of which pocket all the stealings
Either the President or the Postmaster
General allows detective to take the
unsupported &c parte statements of admit
ted thieves, who say they have partners
who do not divide with them, and upon
those statements somebody procures the
sending of a mass of filthy, lying trash to
the newspapers of the country to iniure
the reputation of a man concerning
whom there is not one iota of evidence
showing wrong doing or illegal conduct
on his part. Somebody is able to give all
this calumny to the press by making it
seem official. Who is it? General Brady
increased the trips and shortened the time
on various mail-routes, as the law re-
quired him to do when in his judgment
such action was necessary. He made al
lowance for extra compensation for so
doing, as the law authorized him to do.
The papers TEEN with figures on this
subject, furnished by himself to committees
of Congress, and then triumphantly point
to them as evidences of improper
conduct by him. But Congress approved
those very acts by appropriating the
money for carrying them into effect.
Congress again, at its next session
appropriated money to continue this
very service. Every fact obtained at
the Department has been laid
before Congress by General Brady him
self, and twice by Congress approved.
President Hayes approved them.
Postmaster-Generals Key and Maynard
approved them. They were all lawful
and authorized acts. All charges of col
fusion with contractors, or of expediting
of service on star routes for in
sufficient or improper reasons, rest
upon the unsupported statements of
men claiming to be thieves, and com
planning that they had not had fair
share of the plumber stolen by gang of
which they claim to be members If this
is not Mr.. Detective Woodward's state
ment the New York Tribune correspond
ent has made mistake. Is it the
President or Postmaster-General James
who desires the credit of this infamous
vino enternrise?