It became essential to the success of Mr. Gould's plans that the Grant administration should either become a party to the speculation or else an honest believer in his crop theory. Failing in both of these, the public must at least be impressed with the idea that the administration was in the deal whether it was or not. So Gould began to lay systematic siege around the administration. He seems to have entered alone into this speculation. It was only when he was unable to carry the burden alone that he took in others, and it was not until late in the game that Fisk entered, Gould found a brother-in-law of President Grant a convenient tool in his operations. The name of this brother-in-law was A. R. Corbin, who had been something of an adventurer all his life, and whose chief hold on respectability was his relationship to the President. Gould unfolded enough of his plans to Corbin to enlist him in his service and to bind him by interest to the speculation. Gould bought for Corbin $1,500,000 of gold, and promised him that all the profits should be turned over to him. Every rise of one per cent. in the price of gold made Corbin $15,000 richer. Corbin claimed to have great influence with the President, and Gould evidently placed much reliance in him. "I am right behind the throne," said Corbin to Gould at one stage of the proceedings. "Give yourself no uneasiness. All is right."
Mr. Henry Adams, in his celebrated chapter, "The New York Gold Conspiracy," makes the following interesting explanation of circumstances preliminary
