Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1862-03-15

E=9 lhh AN w I'm ON''''''
TEE That great frauds have been pcrpetra'
ted on the Government, by unprincipled men
as contractors and spectators these inves.i
cations prove, unfortunately, 20 be too true.
We should be glad TO see every mothers con
Of them severely punished, as we look upon
them as no better than semi secessionists, who
are endeavorng to clog the wheels Of Govern.
ment by peace propositions, false inuendos'
party prrjudices and other underground ef.
forts to favor the South. But these commit.
tees of Investigation are generally looked |
Upon with suspicion, and Mr.. Van Wyck Ger.
tsiuly has been greatly damaged by Mr.. Cum
mings' expose Of their conduct read 10 Con
gress. They not only refused TO hear Mr.. |
Cummings testimony. but altered and per. |
verted bis language to suit their purpose.
After Offering to furnish the vouchers and
the evidence Of the proper expenditure Of the
Sl40,0o0, MIR. Cummings proceeds to say:
at is thus made evident, by authentic and
! we'll. attested vouchers, that the money drawn
! from the two million fund wos honorably ex.
pended for What was thought to be, ond really
/ wac, the necessity OF the Government.
alt is made equally evident that the state.
meLt Of the report-still more plainly oud
Extensively repeated in Congressional speech.
es by members OF the Committee--that q
large balance of $4,000 wns retained in my
possession, ia destitute Of the slightest sem.
hlance or shadow Of TRUTH only ground
for which, at any time, seems TO have been
singular misapprebension or an ingenious
and wlful alteration Of the language Of my
note TO the Committee. and appended to my
testimony. The note, ss written to the Com.
mttee. and which is now in their possession.
is literally and legibly rs follows. Mark the
words:
"'There retained authority Of the
Secretary OF the Treasury-by Messrs. DIX,
Blatchford and Opdyke one hundred and for
" thousand dollars, besides what have sta.
tod IL my testimony, which is accounted for
by the vouchers.
The original draft OF the note, still in my
possession, is as follows:
4 "'There was retaineG-under suthority Of
the Secretary Of the Treasury-by Mess. Dix,
Blatchford and Opkykc. one hundred an6 for.
ty thousand dollars, besides what have sta.
ted in any testimony, which is accounted for
, by the vouchers
"ln copying it very hastily for the Commit
tee, seem to have omitted the word was !;
but the least intelligent reader would in an
instant have supplied it, and, indeed without
1t the meaning is entirely plain.
The Committee, in their report, printed it
, as follows, and founded upon their version an
argument that had possession Of Sl40,0e0
Their whole line Of argument and injurious
deductions is thus based upon an alteration
Of my language:
al have retained, under authority of the
, Secretary of the Treasury, by Messrs Dix,
| Rlaf fNrl md D1, b1p fpr
. ty thousand dollars, besides what have sta
ted in my testimony, which is accounted for
by the vouchers
0 at viii thus be seen that in changing the
e word "there" to the words II have" the report
n not only reduced the language of The note to an
absurdity, hut, so far as it leitsny meaning in il
at all, 1t changed the depositary Of the $l40, 900
9 from Mossrs. Dix, Blatchford and Opdike (by
r whom 1t was held BY proper authority to myself,
a Who according TO their insinuations, retained ii,
without vouchers of any character whatever.
u But aside from. and independently of, this
7, critical exposition OF the alteration Of my Ian.
i guage by the author of the report, from which |
q have been suffering, have happily at my COM
V mand official papers sustaining, in whole and in
o detail, my statement on this pomt-all of which
)f MIR. Blatchford would have exhibited 10 The
if Committee il he had been allowed to appear he
: fore them.
. at was TO this sum, and to the action in rela
ton TO it, that referred to my note so strangely
garblcd and misused | referred to it because II
was in addition to what had been al frs, expended
discovered on examining my papers, having en-
. deavored in vain TO induce the Committee to
. allow me 10 furnish them ths vouchers and papers
J. instead Of relying my recollection; and wrote
- the note that there might not he the appearance
Of an omission. But the note stated, in relation
10 10 it. that this sum ais accounted for by the
% vouchers" which seemed 10 render it impossible
10 Tor any misapprehension; and think now thai
, no fair mind could have inexperienced it, and
= certainly no honest mind would have altered it.
z "All these facts, so perspcuous. So undeniablt
Z and SO conclusive, as 10 He rghtfu retention aut
s. appropriation olth $40 oO0--wi,h the knowl
edge aud sanction of the authorities cf the Go
yernment-could have been had b, the Commit
ie tee il they lsd been willing even to hear the
o testimony Of Mr. Dlatchford who had all ths
a papers necessary TO full understanding Of tn,
- case, as previously stated
a at should I've remembered that during all my
ID interviews with the members of the Committee
II had not the Temotest idea Of what they wer,
about to complain of. was never once asket
to explain a syllable about the 900, no
was it limited to me that that was question il
y their minds and, indeed, | had been assured
G that they had serious complaint TO make agans
:, me-
o. "Tbe simple statement of these facts convict
j. the Committee Of such gross aid reckless injustice
il that ! GO not feel called upon to stamp it q
"hsracteTize it with the deserved and appropriat
epfhc,s."