Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-05-12
LESSONS OF THE LATE FAILURE

From The Baltimore Day.
The more that is told of the failure Of
Grant 4 Ward in New York the stronger
must become the conviction in the mind Of
every intelligent person that the transac-
tons in which it was engaged were Of the
most fraudulent character. TO those mem
bers Of the republican party who are at
tempting to start a Presidential boom in
favor of Robert Lincoln, on the ground that
he is the son of his father the story Of the
failure cannot be without lesson that
ought to be needed. The only capital which
the young men in question appear TO have
had was an unlimited amount Of selfassur-
ance and the knowledge that one Of them
was the son of an xPreSideut of the United
States, and the other the son-n- law Of the
cashier of the Marine Bank. With these
things they began to blow their bubble
Through The bright colors which it showed
shone the rubicund countenance of General
Grant, and those who stood around and
watched it,, thinking Of nothing but the
false halo that surrounded hi, name, We're
drawn into the trap which was 80 skilfully
prepared for them, aud TO day ianien; in
sackclotn and ashes. Some journals in
commenting on the failure, argue that the
question as 10 whether or not Genera! Grant
knew the real character Of The firm ) trans
actions need not be discussed. 10 our ID ind
this is the very question which demands an
| answer. 1t is all very well to say that Gen.
Grant simply put his money into the con-
| Germ as any other silent partner would have
done anu left The control Of the business to
. those who were to lie actively engaged in
| it. But IT, Il incredible TO suppose for one
moment that he did NOT know on what la
| sis tho business had been started that his
| SONS had no qualifications which would en-
able them 10 cope successfully with old and
experienced spectators in Wall street and
| that the very transactions in which they
were engaged were neither legitimate nor
honorable. Is it not rather to be supposed
that he saw in his connection with the firm
an easy road to wealth, believing that his
name was one to con ure by ana that the
insuIerabe toadyism Of hundreds Of people
and the hero worship in which they indulge
would lead them to bring their savings to
him, ia the belief that his political influence
might open up new and unexpected chan
nels for high interest and large dividends :?
Aud if Grant did not really think all this, if
he too with SO many Others was victim, it
argues little for the financial ability Of "A
man who for eight years was called upon
to preside over the affairs of the republic,
at time, too, in its commercial history
when the position demanded the possession
on the part Of him who filed it Of shrewd
business Judgment, powers of analysis and
the ability to distinguish between the true
and the false.
If any one believes that there is special
Providence in politics AS well as in The fall
of sparrow, il may be looked upon as for.
tunate that this failure happened when it
did. We are on The eve OF presidential
election the whole machinery at the com-
mand of the republican party is being set in
motion so that it may contribute to the con-
tinuance Of rule which has been built up
on dreams of power and conquest, on prod
igality and arrogance and OH everything
which debases instead Of exating, people.
And what ofthe very men who are being
put forward as candidates by this same
party, or who have ruled over Us? Are
they not, one and all, soldiers Of fortune, the
brand of fraud on the brow Of some, the in
delble stains of association with swindling
railroad corporations, with thieving subsi-
dies, with corrupt Credit NIobilers on Others?
Rich mems tools all of them financial
wreckers when they have an opportunity,
snappersup ofeverything from bull .dog to
Seyres vase. aud careless as to who or what
goes down in the general ruin SO long as
they are left unscathed and harmless. And
vet when we look on the methods by which
such men flourish and the honors that have
been awarded to them, it seems to be as true
to day as it undoubtedly was in the days of
Shakespeare that
Through tatterd clothes small vices do appear
Robe. and furrd gowns hide all. Plate sin with gold
And the strong lance of justice hurtless breaks:
Arm 1t in rags n pgmy's straw doth pierce it