Year: 1876

disgrace Administration in the history of the session.
Thus far the cutters Of politics and society have been
raked TO make against the Cabinet Bank accounts
have been ransacked the tate Of frontier camps has
been listened to- and detectives have been made oraclcs
to prove high officials of the Government guilty Of crime


The Democrats on the Committee had caused all the
Republicans to be notified that important witness
TO examined. and that all should be present No hint
given OF the nature of the expected evidence but the
fact escaped from of the less careful Democrats
that the Committee held President Grant in the hollow of
their hand The Committee had been sitting with open
DOORS but mysterious witness was produced, and the
doors barred for two hours. The witness upon
whose lips the fate of the President OF the United States
hung was an ordnary-oOking business man. The
Democratic members were on tptoe with expectation
Republicans interested but ignorant of the forth
coming result The witness almost indifferent. His
marvellous story this:


Some years ago person in high station did him great
injury 1t became important to the peace of mind of
that great parsonage that the witness should he harm
less. lie hired detective, and soon hurried him to
the Government mad-house. lie was kept there,
friendess and powerless, for months, when one
day an agent of this great parsonage ap-
preached him, giving HIM the choice between


life Imprisonment with lunatics or life OF exile In Eu-
rope He chose The latter Detectives accompanied him
to the steamer and he left for Europe. Becoming weary
Europe he returned and appeared before the Com
mittee to-day to tell his story. The Committee seemed





bolca joy Who that great parsonage that wronged
YOU asked the Chairman. The President OF the United
States" was the reply. What wrong did he do youi


There the witness paused. He would die before he
would tell IL delicate subject and should not he
mentioned For an hour the Committee pled him with
questions. They threatened him with Imprisonment;
with severe punishment; with the errors OF contumacy
The witness yielded. He said the President of the
United States had done him mortal wrong; that he had
ruined his he witnesses betrothed and since that time
the witness had been prescribed and prosecuted man
Hence these detectives hence these madhouse liars.


The President had frequently come to the house OF the
witness about it at the dead OF night and had Impor
tuned him at his bedside not TO ruin his great fame


But" intcrposed Republican member, " how did
the President get your bedside at that time of nght
did he ring the bell 1"


in their sardonc joy. and just ready to render
their verdict against the President, when the
witness quickly inteTposed 4" want you 10 under
stand gentlemen, that President Grant in the body
never did me mine harm; he has only dono me that
great wrong spirit"


The collapse came. The witness was a madman. The
Committee instantly discharged him. Immediately
ordered the stenogapher to suppress his notes. aud
begged the Republican members 10 keep the matter
silent one latter, with good deal of Indignation
said that he hoped he might be mad MS the witness
he kept still.