A Committee of the American House of Representatives is inquiring
into the judicial expenditure of the Central Govern- ment. Mr. Williams, who was attorney-general in 1874, and was charged with aiding one of the Washington Rings, but acquitted, has appeared before it, and states that President Grant in 1872 ordered $30,000 to be paid to the United States Commissioner in. New York out of the Secret Service Fund, and this was spent on. electioneering purposes. The statement has caused great excite- ment, and appears to be believed, the Daily News' correspondent, for instance, telegraphing in defence of the President that the expenditure was intended to prevent personation. The offence, if proved, seems to Englishmen a serious one, the President having used public money illegally, though not corruptly ; but that, as we have shown elsewhere, is probably not the view which will be taken in the States. There it will be regarded as sharp but ex- cusable electioneering. The truth of the story remains to be proved, but the President, though, as we have often maintained, not corrupt personally, is just the man to think he had a right to job for his party, even by using Secret Service money.
