The story of the Sun, New York, 1833-1918 / by Frank M. O'Brien.

"THE SUN" AND GRANT SCANDALS 309

state's evidence at the trial, but the powerful politicians
of the ring were able to bring about a disagreement of
the jury.
These were the greatest of the scandals which the Sun
exposed in its news columns and denounced on its editorial page. It was the cry of the ringsters, and even
of some honest men, that the Sun's assaults on the evils
that marred Grant's administration were the result of
Dana's personal dislike of the President. More specifically it was declared that Dana was a disappointed
office-seeker, and that the place of collector of customs
at the port of New York was the office he sought.
We have it on the unimpeachable testimony of General James Harrison Wilson, the biographer of Dana,
and, with Dana, a biographer of Grant, that General
Rawlins, Grant's most intimate friend, told Dana's associates, and particularly General Wilson, that Dana
was to be appointed collector. There is no evidence
that Dana ever asked Grant, or any other man, for
public office. One place, that of appraiser of merchandise at the port of New York, was offered him, and
he refused it. The Sun said editorially, replying to an
insinuation made by the Commercial Advertiser that if
Dana had been made collector his paper would not denounce the administration:
The idea that the editor of the Sun, which shines for
all, could consent to become collector of the port of
New York is extravagant and inadmissible. It would
be stepping down and out with a vengeance.
And yet we do not mean that the collector of New
York need be other than an upright man. Moses H.
Grinnell was such, and Tom Murphy, though a politician, a crony of Boss Grant, and one of the donors of
Boss Grant's cottage, certainly never took a dollar of
money from the Federal Treasury to which he was not