Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-07-11
(From The Chicago Times.l
ru,l,a annfectiNe System.

The majority report .of the committee
charged with investigating the alleged cor
ruptions in the Treasury buildingat Wash
inGton exonerates Mr.. Chase from the charg-
es on which the inquiry was based: The
minority complain that they were ailoWeo
no facilities for investigation, and tnat they
have been permitted to examine into put
very small portion ofthe allegations made Dy
| Mr. Brooks or by General Blair on the moor
nj the House. 0fcourse the majority were
aware that. should the charges be sustained
irreparable damage would be inflicted on
the administration party, and their Droao
defence of the Secretary must be received
subject to this consideration.
We shall not here consider the guilt OF
innocence of the Secretary. We wish to
direct attention to the detective system
and the attempt by the republican press to
connect Congressman Brooks with the de-
I;tectiye Baker in an effort to traduce the
reputation of Mr.. Chase and several of the
employees in the department. Taking the
facts as stated in the majority report MI
Brooks conduct in the entire proceedings
/ has been open and honorable, and the at,
tempt to show completely between him and
Baker recoils with fearful force upon the
system OF spying and thuggery which mas s
formed such Il prominent ana uisgraceIui
Baker was employed to investigate seer
tain suspected irregularities in the Treasury
Department.' The inference is that Mr..
| Chase employed him. Without cause, he
arrested and imprisoned Doctor Gwynne
Gwynne, upon his release, sued him for
false Imprisonment, trespass and libel. Ba-
ker demanded protection from MIR. Chase,
who declined extending it further than the
fact warranted. He then made general
assault upon the Department. Was Mr.
Brooks to discredit statements made by the
.sloyal'' agent of the Secretary? This Col
L. G. Baker was high in position in the Wal
Department. His jealous patriotism In
hunting down "copperheads" and suspected
'.rebel sympathizers" was well known, ano
has secured him distinguished considera-
ton" with the President" as well as the
different Departments.
, His character may be gathered from the
subjoined extract from the majority report
"Col. Baker was very active during tnt
whole investigation in assisting MIR. Brooks
to find testimony. Nearly every witness
summoned to prove the alleged immorali'
ties in the Treasury was previously manip'
ulated by him, and in several cases writ
ten abstract was made by him of what tht
testimony would be. In one instance, VIII
a barbarity rarely surpassed, he arrested
A funeral procession, took from the coffir
the corpse of young lady, late an EN-
ployee in the Treasury Department, eharg-
ing that she had died in an attempt to pro-
cure an abortion, the result of immoralities
in the Treasury Department.. The case was
examined by a Justice of this city, and q
post mortem examination held, which re-
suited in decision that the young lady
died of pulmonary consumption. The ply
sicians reported that the post mortem ex-
animation afforded incontestible evidence
of the unsullied virtue of the deceased"
This is the Col. l.. @. Baker who has been
EMPLOYED by Messrs. Lincoln and Stanton
to furnish evidence against political oppor
nents, by which pretext might be afforded
for their arrest and imprisonment, without
form. notice or trial. AS honest and true
Union men as there are in this nation have
been thrust into filthy prisons, and .kepi
there for months and years upon suspicious
WHISPERED by this embodiment of infamy
Now when, true to his instincts, and true
to the vile occupation furnished by his. mas
ters, and which they have established as
system in this government, he turns hi
dirty trade into a channel threatening dan
GER to their own regulations and interests
they are compelled to expose his character
and practices. To shield him--the crea'
lures whom he employs, and those who EN-
ploy him-the American Congress has at
ten1pted to deny to the victims of his ant
their villainy the redress provided by in
suited laws. His infamy, whatever its ex
tent or depth, is indorsed by a nationa