The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-06
Hugh j. Grant.


1t is our judgment that II there was evel
an honest high-minded, incorruptible mar
In any department OF our city Government
HUGH j. GRANT Is that man.
Mr., GRANT first became conspicuous wher
n member OF tho Board OF Aldermen. He
voted against tho Broadway Railroad Job
Most OF the Board had been corrupted anc
sold their votes. GRANT showed that he
had not been touched by the brlbef
that led the others astray. He voted
against chem; and such was his character
then, and such 1t has been ever since
that we are not surprised now to be told that
on that occasion tho temptation was not even
proposed to him. The bribers knew that he
was not their kind OF subject. GRANT Is
the most honest man in the world" said
JOHN KELLY to US at that time.
There is nothing surprising in the present
ferocious attempt to destroy man 80 up
right and so spOtless rs Mr.. GRANT. lie Is
the head OF Tammany Hall In tho absence OF
MIR. CROKER. who is in Europe for his sadly
broken health and also to avoid terrible
family quarrel, in which it is understood
that his wife has turned against him to
favor such n scamp as his worthless brother
in-law, MCCAIN.
Tammany Hall tho inruriatcd Mugwump
press OF this town are bound to destroy
II possible, by any means. They hate
1t as the stronghold Of Democracy and
"a the barrier against the introduction
of the anti-Democratio novelties they
long for. To destroy Democracy they
would begin by destroying GRANT; and SO
the Times the Evening Post and the Herald
~ hn In
such company and in such an undertakingD
combine to howl. to exaggerate. TO pervert,
and to falsify for his destruction.
The story of the unblushing, incredible,
and contradictory MCCAIN, first that
CROKER had $4,000 to buy the whole Board
OF Aldermen to confirm GRANTS nomination
IS Commissioner OF Public Works, and his
subsequent story brought out in his cross
examination. that this big sum was to be
employed in buying for that purpose
the votes OF only two Aldermen.
namely, wendell and PEARSON, contradict
each other SO completely that both
are seen to be absurd inventions. and Mo-
CANN is turned out to scorn as malicious
and unavaling falsilor. He does not an
swer the purpose of the conspirators, and
they turn their backs upon him In contempt
Then nothing remains for them but Mr.
GRANTS gift of $4,000 to his god-child.
Mr.. CRoKERs little daughter, which
GRANT himself testified to. They affect
to believe that there was something
wrong about that gift. something to
Justify the destruction Of Tammany Hall,
and the substitution OF Mugwump morality
for that OF Jeffersonian Democrats. We'll,
MIR. GRANT gave the child $4,000, and what
harm was there In it? He Is bachelor, well
of, If not rich without hope OF children OF
his own, and he was devotedly attached to
his god-chiid. He had made his will, leav
ing her his property In tho event of
his death. To make her two Christ
mas gifts OF $4,000 each is nothing
surprising for generous. affectlonate man
like HUGH j. GRANT. But they insinuate
that Mr.. CROKER himself took the money
and used it to pay off the mortgage on his
house. On that point Mr.. GRANT swears
that he has no knowledge, and that he is
sure CROKER would never wrong his daugh
ter. But what if the money was used
to pay the mortgage2 Does 1t prove
that GRANT was corrupt, or that there
is anything about him which merits public |
disapprobation He is CRoKER's friend, |
and IL he had chosen to give him directly |
the $4,000 as a present to clear Off the |
mortgage, no man with decent manly
heart would say that there was anything
dshonorable in such friendship.
This attack upon GRANT himself must end,
we suppose just as the previous one ended
that about his administration OF the Sheriff's
Office. When In that place, GRANT introduced
important reforms OF much benefit to the
public; and in all other respects he
followed the usage of other Sheritfs
OF New York for the last forty years.
That fact was perfectly established by the
of the FAssETT committee;
and when, upon the resignation of Sheriff
FLAcK, new Sheriff was appointed in the
person of Gen. SICKLEs, a man against
whom no political suspicion has been sug-
gested, 1t was promptly found that this long
followed usage was not extravagant, and
that new act OF tho Legislature is indis-
pensable II the Sherid's duties are to be con-
Quoted on any other basis. The conduct Of
Mr.. GRANT as Sheriff in 1886 is abundantly
Justified by tho experience OF Gen. SICKLEs
In the same office in 1890.
The attack now made upon Mr.. GRANT Is
perhaps more substantial than that which
preceded 1t. Such mOnstrous structure Of
malice, perjury, and political persecution
,ould not bear the test OF calm examination.
rs soon as the Democratic people could
nave an opportunity to SEQ how tlnsy
t was, its Importance was bound to vanish.
But tho present onslaught may have one
which the conspirators have
lot counted on. The people love justice
md revolt at malicious conspiracles. Tho
'eaction OF public Indignation against such
scheme OF persecution and malignity may
result in making HUGH j. GRANT Mayor OF
New York for second time.
nicCann's Charges Against Mayor Grant.
At the session OF the Senate Investigating