Harper's Weekly

“ Those who in the investigation of frauds in administration seem much more anxious to smear the President than to punish guilty agents ought to consider whether by so clear an exhibition of personal animosity they do not harm the cause of simple, honest reform. For if once the country believes that the cry of corruption is raised not so much to purify the service as to serve a partisan and personal end, that moment the purification of the service will become more difficult than ever before. ”

“ The charge of a military ring is not new. The President upon entering the White House, naturally wished to keep near him in confidential positions men whom he had proved elsewhere, not only as soldiers, but as men of fidelity and capacity. He retained, therefore, as secretaries two gentlemen of his military family whom he knew well and trusted entirely. There is, however, a certain jealousy in the public mind of military influence and habit in civil administration, and the selection of the President was sometimes severely criticised. ”

“ It is easy to understand that skillful advocates, animated by bitter hostility, picking out certain facts from the events of three years, asserting, insinuating, suppressing, and distorting at pleasure — as is the habit of advocates both in law and politics — might raise doubt and confusion in the mind of the reader, who depends upon their statement of what the evidence is rather than upon the evidence itself. ”