CHAPTER XXIV

GRANT'S ADMINISTRATION

General Grant's habits and training were not well adapted to civil and political duties--He was nominated for President on account of his military success--Rottenness in the New York Custom-House--Trumbull moves a general investigation of the waste of public money--The Senate decides in favor of a committee to investigate only matters specifically referred to it--The Leet and Stocking scandal--Colonel Leet found to be receiving $50,000 per year from the "General Order" business of the New York Custom-House--A Senate committee reports the facts to Secretary of the Treasury, Boutwell--The Secretary makes a new investigation and recommends that Collector Murphy discontinue the "General Order" system--Murphy allows it to continue indefinitely--A second Senate investigation ordered--The Leet and Stocking mystery explained--President Grant not a participant in the profits--The "General Order" system broken up--Indignation among Republicans resulting from the exposure 361