Year: 1876

81. while a Congressional committee was In New Or


leans investigating the condition Of Louisiana he vio-


ently took matters in his hands and in their pres
ence dispersed the legitimate Assembly OF the State by
means OF the army.


81 He ordered his Secretary OF War send the ap-
prova orthe whole Cabinet Sheridan for dispcr
sion OF the Le dslature and his banditti dosraich
though is known that he did take the trouble to
consult any member OF the Cabinet in the matter and
that several members did strongly dsapprovo Of these
measures.


33. He refused to see or hear the committee which
Congress had sent New Orleans and sent message
to Congress founded which the report Of
that committee Of Congress showed to be false and
groundlesS


"a Thus he first insultcd bis Cabinet and then Con-
gress in order TO carry out his personal aims, and
sought by artful misrepresentation and false state
ments made when the truth was at his call and un-
onlciny known him, 10 Justify dangerous usurpa
ton OF power by the military and the prostration OF
civil rule.


35. lie endeavored to intimidate q Congressional
committee into making report the condition OF Ar
kansas, to subserve his own views; summoned them
before him. told them what they ought to report and
did not even tako the trouble ask them what facts
they had found in their investigation Fortunately,
they too independent to submit to his dIctation.


So One member of that committee, who made
minority report in accordance with hts Wishes he
warded with the post of District Attorney at Chicago,
an once from which he was lately dismissed for in
capacity


81 He used the powerful influence OF the administra-
tion TO the passage Of the Haoeas Corpus and
Force bill measure nagranty unconstitutional and,
as subsequent have shown, without the excuse
OF necessity OF cxpediency


49, Ho insultcd the public sense OF honor and de-
ccncy by retaining Mr. Delano in ONCE long after the
grossest scandals had been proved against him and his
subordinatcs in the management OF Indian affairs and
when at last compelled by the dread OF losing i'm
portant election to dismiss him he gave him strong
testimonial of character and expressed his regret at
parting with him


80. In the prosecution of the whiskey thieves he
gave his countenance TO the honest officials doing
their duty but to the political gamblers and personal
adherents whose crimes were threatened with dis
covery.


40 When honest but ovcrzealous prosecuting
officer uttered words in the neat OF argument at which
the President chose TO take oonce instead OF pardon
ing his words the of his honest zeal for the
public interest he ordered his dismissal


A. He kept near him the most intimate Official re-
latons two men, Babcock and Luckey, when both were
under grave suspicion OF completely in revenue frauds


AZ He restored Babcock TO bis place alter trial
which did not in the general opinion clear his character
tho gravcst suspicious of ndelity public trusts
and when tho President in his examination
compelled to admi, that important papers had been
cealed from him by his secretary


43. In his testimony in defence OF General
Babcock he had the insoencc say that he revoked
the order OF Mr. Bristow changing the supervisors at
his own WILL without consulting the Secretary and
though he was dictator.


a. Unawed by public indignation, regardless ofpubic
dccency unmoved by the fact that State aer State has
lost by the party which elected him. because of
his misconduct, he only few days ago flung new de-
nanco at the people by accepting the moment it
rendered, and 'wth regret" tho resignation OF Mr.
Bclknap, whose crime had been already made known
to him.


Is it extravagant, in view Of the acts we
have recited above, to say that General Grant
has aimed, from the time he took the Presi-
Dental Office to the present day, to establish
a personal government? Other Presidents
have rewarded political services, but he has
reserved his favors exclusively for his per-
sonal adherents. Other Presidents have
made mistakes; but he alone has, in con-
tempt of public opinion, adhered to wrong
policy after its disapproval by his party and
the public became known. Other Presi-
dents have quoted the constitution to excuse
their performance of acts distasteful to them;
be alone has violated the constitution and
set aside the laws at his own will. Other
Presidents before him have been charged
with partisan use of public interests; but
he alone has coolly robbed the Treasury by
moiety frauds and by the displacement of
trust funds abroad to reward his personal
adherents. From the very beginning of his
Presidential career he has displayed on every
possible occasion and in every possible way
his insolent contempt for law, for Congress
and for his constitutional advisers; his reck-
less misuse of the public service to further
the private fortunes Of his relatives and per-
sonal adherents, regardless of their fitness
and honesty; his unscrupulous and indecent
greed for money; his inability to understand
constitutional limitations; his disregard Of
the civil power and propensity to act with
the military power and in the arbitrary
methods of a dictator


Our aim has been to show by the principal
acts of his administration, recited above, not
that General Grant is the worst President the
country has ever had, but that he is animated
by spirit different from that of any of his
predecessors that his acts have purpose
different from theirs that they are not the
blunders of weak or ignorant man, but that
they disclose, during a long period, de-
liberate and conscious purpose to use the
powers of government for his own personal
aggrandizement, regardless of the will of the
people or the sacredness of the constitution
and laws. And it is q remarkable corrobora-
ton of this view that, like all men of des-
potic tendencies and designs he surrounds
himself only with fatterers and with those
whose corrupt designs make them his ready
tools. He grows constantly more impatient
of contradiction. In his messages he scolds