PRESIDENT GRANT'S BROTHER.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 163, 1 July 1876, Page 4

PRESIDENT GRANT'S BROTHER.

The brother of the present President : of America. Mr. Orvill M. Grant, was recently examined before two Committees of the House of Representatives;— > the Committees on Expenditure in the War Bud' Navy departments. He made a pitiful spectacle of himself before both Committees. He testified unwillingly, and with prevarication ; but the truth, was dragged out of his reluctant lips : 'at lasr. And the truth was that: the President, his brother, had enabled bim to plunder the Treasury and to swindle the Indians. This is the plain English • 'of the matter. Mr. Grant, -alien examined before ihe Navy Committee, admitted that be was the paid servant of Messrs. Basshor & Co., engineers and contractors, in Baltimore. His. pay was not large— only 200 dollars, or £40 a month ! But what did he do fortheflrm? Well, he got contracts for/them from, the .Government. His brother, tbe President, kept him in--7 formed of what was going on, and perhaps "a littie iufluence" bad been occasionally used. On being further pressed, he admitted that his salary of £40 a month did not represent hie Whole income from tbis source. He had obtained for Basshor & Co., far example, a contract for supplying oak , ship knees for the Navy Department, : and he received one-half the profits resulting* from this job. Further inquiries elicited tbe fact, thas by tbis contract " knees," which were worth 3 dols. in the market, were soid to the Government at 5 dols. 30 cents., and other "knees," worth and purchased - at 6 dols., Were sold to the Government at 27 -dols. 80 cents. This wasa'profitable business, but Mr. Grant had - other strings to his bow. .When he was examined before the [':. Committee of the War Department, he was asked whether be had ever obtained ; -post-traderships ? Well, the fact was that his brother, tbe President, had informed bim in 1874, in reply to a question from himself, that these posts might be vacant, and that he could get them for himselfif he applied for them. „ He did apply, and be got them. Being -.■- closely questioned as to the means by which be bad obtained so many appointments and contracts, be replied that he , "had influence with the President to manage such matters to some extent ;" 1 — and he " had always fait grateful to bis brother, the President, for his influence." He confessed that besides these appointments for himself he had obtained some for other people, and had been paid for doiog so ; but be did not think that the President was aware of that fault. It is certainly hoped that . he was not.