Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1861-01-11

Stop Thief Stop Thief
Such a hue and cry,--so earnest, s.
universal--was never heard before. o.
Saturday and Sunday last it was known
that high officials we're in great distress
and the public quickly guessed that som,
startling news was about TO come out
II might be war in South Carol.aa,-o
AZ least a reinforcement of the forts; i
might be a quarre in the Cabinet bu
it was neither. Monday brought tn,
revelation Of . moHshous robbery in thi
Department Of the Interior, by an Officer
of it, and with high priests Of the Dem
ocratic order as a1compljces. a big rob
bery-S83000Q at first; then $4,000
SO much officially declared. Then
unoiIicially, the sum was announced at a
million, or a million and three quarters
and rumor added petty larceny Of
S80,O00 in the Interior Department, and
a bigger defalcation in the Treasury De-
partmont, Stop thief" shout all the
people. "The ID take the hindmost.'
pray the guilty. But do not put too
much reliance on madam Rumor. She
may tell too big story she may not tell
one big enough for the truth. Wait !
As to what is known to be true it is a
theft Of $4,000 in bonds in the Inte-
rior Department. The government
holds, in trust for sundry Ind an tribes,
about three and half millions Of dol
lars this money was invested by the
government in bonds of various states,
and the interest thereon goes to the In
dians. The bonds were entrusted by
the Secretary to a clerk for safe keeping
"A South Carolinian named Bailey,
who hailed last from Alabama, and who
was known to be somewhat careless at
least in his associations-not quite clear
Of run-holes and gambling-saloons---yet
highly, yes very highly, commended to
the confidence of the Secretary Of the
Interior; none were commended more
strongly, for he was cousin T. T. V, and
son +. r. South Carolina-the son Of an
Attorney General of South Carolina
and nephew of the Secretary Of Wal
Floyd of Virginia. Bailey revealed
the robbery, was committed to jail, an(
was released on giving bonds in $4,000
Odd, is It not? But it is said he is tc
'Furn states evidence = and doubtless he
will--if he does not choose to forfeit
three thousand dollars by running away
to that new foreign empire Of South
Carolina. Stop thief! But perhaps he
will not run away. think he may stay
and eudeavor to shield his uncle, the
Secretary Of War. He endeavors TO do
that now, aud AYERS that he committed
the robbery solely for that purpose.
Thus: the Secretary Of War had gwen
and endorsed acceptances to large
amount to Majors, Russell, q Waddell
Of ST. Louis, for transportation Of army
supplies these acceptances had been
used to raise money, and were like to
come back on Floyd protested. Russell
knows that Bailey has charge of the
bonds, and he goes to him at once and
says, Give me bonds TO protect these
acccptances or your uncle Floyd will be
dsgraced forever. I'll take care Of the
acceptances first, and then I'll take care
of the bonds II will come round all
right" This, learn, is Bailey's story.
But it did not come round all right, and
the transaction stands as 4 bold, big rob
berry. Russell has been arrested and
committed to Jail. A banking house
here and millionaire in New York are
implicated, and it is said that the Presi-
dent has required the Secretary of War
to resign. 1t is certain that there is lit
tie confidence here in respect to him, in
the minds of very many, as is indicated
by pretty free rumors Of wrong on his
part in the acceptances. Indeed, a
Washington Democrat said to me,-"Our
party is thoroughly corrupt; high and
low. and it is time VIC were broken up"
All! high time. Are the people sorry
fo, breaking them up2 Suppose they
could try it over again; would they elect
honest Old Abe, or would they take a
maa frorn the old line heroes in intrigue
and corruption But to descend toI
smaller things A few days ago | was
summoned, together with another mem
Der Of the House, by an officer Of one Of
the Departments, to consult on an i'm
portant question in the execution Of
law Of Congress" 1t turns out that
George Fisher had made, in 1926, claim
on Congress for property destroyed by
the U. S. troops and Indians in Florida
in 1913. In 1S4S an act was passed to
pay for property destroyed by the troops,