Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1837-04-18
STARTLING FACTS.


The following is an extract from the Rcpot
Of Mr. Wise's Committee 10 examine into tn
\ Executive Departments.
4" Not" outstanding the committee refused b
inquire into the appointment and of the RENT
val oi officers, yet several instances Of retail
ing corrupt and fraudulent officers who's
mulfrnsance was made known TO the Preeiden
and Heads of Departments, have been provd
beyond cavil or dispute.
I The clearest case OF this kind, and Their
could be mono clearer, is the case of JOSEPH
! w. Reckless, a collector at Perth Amboy. N
Jersey. He was charged on The third OF Jan
uaiy, 1885, with the grossest official miscon-
duct as a collector. The charges were orcm.
bezzement and fraud and the specifications
were made. His excuses and apologies for
his misconduct were proved 10 be knowingly
and wilfully false, before q commissioner ap.
pointed by the department TO take dispositions
in the case and 10 report thereon. He actual.
ly confessed himself 10 be guilty Of the most
serious charge of fraud, and offered no testi-
mony or excuse which could, in any respect.
be considered as exculpatory or in pal,a
The evidence was fully reported to the de-
p0rtmont; n most false and expare abstract
of that testimony was laid before the Prcsi-
dent by the Secretary of the Treasury, con.
tanning scarcely any Of the evidence on one
OF the main charges and only the exculpatory
testimony on another the President, howcv-
err, as proved by The Secretary, and by Mr..
pearce read all the evidence il the case and
ye, he made decision in fragrant coniradic-
ton 10 the testimony Of one OF the witnesses
(Bdney,) making him acknowledge what he
expressly testified TO the contrary of, found
that 10 be merely irregular which was proved
and confessed to have been corrupt; and what
was more shocking sll to all moral sense, he
acquitted the officer, and yet ordered him 10
pay back the money which he had embezzled
and deiraudcd the Government of, according
10 an account thereof by the comptroller The
amount involved in this case was small, being
only some three or four hundred dollars. But
though it was but petty larceny in the inferior
officer, it was the grandest dereliction of duty
and injustice to the Government on the part OF
his superlors, the President and Secreiary.-
(Sce the entire testimony of the Honorable
James Parker and VIM. Hook, Esq. contain
ed in the printed journal hereto appended, pa
ges 1919 to 1873 inclusiyc--See also the testi-
mony of The Hon. G. d. Wall and Hon. D.
]. Pcarcc.) This officer, thus detained in place.
1t rs hurdly necessary 10 add, is and was as
stated by Mr.. Parker, verbally, warm and
active partisan OF the present and coming Adj
mInistraton, taking Jealous part in political
meetings and arrangements in New Jersey
Another case Of precisely similar character
was proved in the instance Of retaining la nd
receiver, Spencer, at Fort Wayne, Indiana.
after he had been proved guilty ofoffical neg
lect in not making his deposites, of retaining
balances due to the Government for unreason-
able periods of time, of receiving prohibited
Bank notes of the denomination of five dol
lars, and Of shaving the money brought to his
office TO purchase the public lands. (See
urin Mt cd ia cd fba
OF the Hon. Bale Peyton, and his statement
in relation thereto, hereto appendcd.)
Another instance is the case of Samuel
Gwnn, register of the Land Office in Mis-
sissipp, who has been repeatedly charged
with the grossest official misconduct aud vio-
lauon OF the law in purchasing land at sales
Of the public lands under his superintendent
of which the President has been informed. by
a responsible person, and yet no inquiry even
into his conduct has been instituted. (See the
testimony of tie Hon. B. Peyton, hereto ap-
ponded.)
A most fragrant instance Of retaining an in p,
competent officer is proved in the case
of Herring, who was at the head OF the In
dian bureau. He was considered so incompc-
tent by the Secretary Of War, that the Secre-
tary sought at the session of 1892 to Gre
ate a new officer, that OF Commits sioner of In.
ring, or take the superintendcnce Of those af.
fairs from his care. He, Herring, was then
receiving salary OF fourteen or sixteen hun
drcd dollars the Commissioner of indian AZ
fairs was to receive $4,000 per annum. The
Secretary applied 10 lie respective Chairnen
OF the twp Committees on Indian affairs of
the Senate and House TO have The law, which
he drafted, passed, creating the new Office
Tho Chairman OF the Senae's Committee OBJ
jected, among other reasons, that if created il
might be filed with an incapable person.
Pledge was given that it should be well filled. |
The office was created, and the same Mr..
Herring was promoted to fill it by The Presi-
dent (See The testimony OF the Hon. II. L. |
White and John BcIl.)
And it will be found on n strict examination |
Of all the testimony, that not only have pros.
tltutcd political parrisans, as in the case of
Rocker, been appointed TO ofiice--that faithful |
and efficient officers, as in the ease Of Mel |
vile, have been removed from office for opin.
IONS sake or the want of political influence
that tathless and fraudulent and corrupt Off
GERS, as Reckless, Spencer and Gwnn, and
incompetent officers, as Herring, have oeen
retained in Office after n full knowledge
their corruption and incompetency Of
President and Heads OF Depar Dy the
hat an officer has been Po' ,mcrts; but
nrvtr rendered, has bee ii for seIvices he
before he entered o =, apl einied Tor mon1h'
served durlnr =, the duties of his 81
Leeislarr mort of tina, time in II s ,,o.
md &c Of Vermont, thus he ,oinG a SIM,
.. Federal Office al the 50 me lime in yio
alton Of The State conS' lotion, (sec the con
stitution Of the SI"' of Vermont y that al
these facts wer' known 10 the head Of The De
par'nenl y. nen he allowed the account, an
that TIE account itself was permitted 10 be Fl
Cd in such form as to conceal aud sdppre;
these facts, and to suggest on its f. SO reason
ror allowing it which could not oo proved l
! the person 10 whom it was p flowed.
.1Ieranaria Gazette.