Year: 1872

Under this heading the Philadelphia
North Americdn of a late date, which sell
dom goes out of its way, either to attack
or defend men, discourses as follows in
reference to the unjust and malignant
personal attacks which are being made
daily on Gen. John f. Hartranft The
article is so just, so dignifed,, and so pow
erful in its statements of facts aud argu-
ments, that we adopt it as whole:


UNJUsTIFIABLE WARFARE.


The action of the enemies of General
Hartranft in the campaign that has open,
ed bellies the words with which their
hostility is prosecuted. Asserting that
he is the most Objectionable candidate
the Republicans could have nominated
and the most easy to defeat, they assail
him in way that shows how fully they
realize his strength aud the difficulty of
their attacks. The strongest of all proof
In his behalf is that these assaults are
through garbled statements in some cases,
inaccurate in others, and coored always !;
whereas if the assertions were true, the
most powerful weapon here would be, as
always, the simple truth.


The centre of attack is the Evans In
vestigation. The name has certain un
savory favor about it that it is sought to
appropriate and thereby breed enmty to
General Hartranft. So far as his con
bection with that case is concerned, his
friends have no fears and his supporters
10 unwillingness that it shall be publish
ed to the outermost limit and completely.
| They only insist that the publication shall
be truthful. There is no difficulty in
reaching the facts and stating the precise
truth. The report OF the committee is
available everywhere and this report
expressly says of the Evans case: mo
part of this money-the SIS, SIG Is paid
| by the United States Treasurer in May,
l867-ever reached the treasury, and
neither the accounting department nor
the treasury officials knew of its payment
until 1871" And further, of the disal
lowed war claims of Sl05, ,65l46, for
which warrant was given October 2S,
1868 "No part of the money ever reach
ed the State treasury, nor was its receipt
known until 1871 by any State official
save the Governor.


This official statement Of an impartial
committee, made alter long examination
into the whole case, is an all sufficient an-
swer in General Hartran(t's behalf to the
obloquy that is so unjustly sought to be
cast upon him, and that by inuendo and
garbled quotations rather than fair state
ment of the case. 1t would seem as
though the annoyance endured by an
honorable man and gallant soldier through
the fault of others with whom he associa-
ted, and his vipdication at the hands of
competent authority shonld persuade the
most envenomed hostility to seek some
| other weapon. That would be manly
and above board. This is not, aud builds
upon an ignorance that does not exist and
madness that is not found in the Com
monwealth. The disproved charge can
only lead every generous mind TO hear
tier advocacy aud a stouter support.


So much Of the man in this solitary
point of attack. On the other and all
! other sides his defences are so impregn-
able that they have not been tested. 1t
is fortunate that such is the case, aud
that be stands the most merciless trial so
well for bis election is mingled with Re-
! publican victory In Pennsylvania, and
victory in this State has a close and strong
connection with that which we hope to
win for the country. Were he in some
measure mixed with the frauds from
which he has been SO fully exonerated,
even then it would have to be borne in
mind that it is poor job to swap horses
crossing a stream ; whereas, freed from
the suspicion, houorabIy distinguished for
civil services just rendered to the Com
monwealth, aud more distinguished for
brilliant conduct in behalf of the nation,
when the peril OF that conduct rendered
the least incOmparably more valuable than
greater can be now, representing the par
ty that has administered the State so
creditably, and in his own fortunes jeo-
pardiDg the continuance of that party in
the State, and so weakening its national
assurance, General Hartranit deserves
aud must receive hearty and vigorous
support from all who properly appreciate
personal conduct, the good of the Com
monwealth and the welfare Of the coun-
| try. ...r-