The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-22
GRANTS CIVIL HISTORY.


1t is announced that General Grant, on the
completion of his war history. will write
history OF the men with whom he was asso-
ciated during his civil administration. The
people of this country have taken much in
terest In Ora tie military history and have
locked forward with pleasure to the result OF
his labors in writing it. His participation
in the great war of the Nations history::as
the central figure OF it has made his remin.
iscenccs thereof matter of deep interest.
But as to the history OF his civil regime and
the men connected Herewith, i. is hoped
that may never be written. The people of
the United States desire that the chronicles
OF that period be, as nearly as may be, left
altogether out of the history OF the
country. Walking up Pennsylvania
avenue in Washington City one sees the
bread street covered with a costly pavement
which extends in great profusion up the
alleys and side streets This paving was
done by Boss Sheppard, and is constant re-
minder OF the extravaganza OF that era. 1t
was to be hoped that by the time these
pavements had disappeared the memory of
Boss Sheppard and the rings connected with
him and the administration had persisted
There never has been in this country, and
probably in no other, such utter demoraliza-
ton in the public service as then prevailed.
There was among the public servants con-
tagion of peculation, bribery, extravaganza,
and all other kinds OF corruption. The
Wall street sharks moved around the
the portals OF the National Treasury con-
cocting and executing schemes to defraud
the people. The spirits who governed the
Nations finances were hand in glove with
these vampires. The whisky ring grasped
hands all around the country, and extended
their circle up to the very doors of the White
House. Babcock not only. farmed out and
sold post traderships to the highest bidder,
but united with the swindlers in cheating
the poor shiftless Indians Robson was busy
unlawfully disposing of our piece of a navy.
These are but q few of the acts OF official
perfidy which were developed and laid bare.
The amount OF roguery which then -four
ished, which was never exposed, may well
be supposed to have been exceedingly
great, for there were syndicates, cor
porations, partnerships and indivldu-
ais, all devising rascally schemes
to defraud the Government. They grew by
what they fed on, waxed fat with success,
through the assistance and connivance OF
those in high places. However great the
much-complainedo of malaria arising from
the Potomac flats, it wa, by n means as great
as the malaria OF dishonesty which then
hung around the Executive Mansion, and
which has continued to infect that locality
until the people planted that Democratic
Eucalyptus tree there, Grover Cleveland, who
has dispelled it and cleared up the atmos-
phere. The silent General was q great SIC.
cess as a military leader. and the people are
proud OF that record; but as civil leader he
was a failure and those around him
made his administration a reproach.
1t was period when the official stencil that
arose was so great that it was said the man
in the moon held his nose as he sailed over
Washington. General Grant may write his
military history, and the people will honor
il as they honor him for those achievements.
But for his own sake they want none of his
civil history. veracious history OF it will
cast a shadow over an otherwise glorious
name. thine hath, my lord, wallet at
his back wherein he puts aims for oblivion"
The history of the men who were associated
with him in his civil administration should
be cast into that wallet.