Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-05-03

renew the glorious association of free States
of the North and South by joining with its
armed deliverers in the reelection of the
man who first organized free government
over our whole country, and has thus earned
the high privilege of inaugurating the re-
newed and most auspicious career of the
Union.
Now, sir, since l had the honor to speak
to the House on that occasion when my
committee was refused, have received
some letters, and here is one which is ex-
ceedingly interesting, dated Vicksburg,
March 8, 1864. l vouch for the integrity
and respectability of the writer:
"VIcKsBURG, March 8, 1864.
"DEAR GENERAL From appearances it
seems not unlikely that discussion may
arise during the session respecting the COM
merce of the Mississippi valley and its re-
lations to the Treasury Department. Ihope
may stand excused for Offering the result
of my observations between Memphis and
New Orleans. .....
''As l wrote you before, the ostensible
reasons given for the present interference
with trade are two, namely: first, to pre-
vent contraband of war reaching the enc
my, and second, to raise revenue from the
insurrectionary districts. No one can see
more clearly than yourself the actual ten
dencies of the system. 1t does not prevent
the smuggling of contrabands-as | am
prepared to show-and this method of rails
ing revenue is both costly and cumbrous-
Further, the system, however well meant
in design, is proving disastrous in practice.
''By an unwise provision in the Treasury
regulations, based on the conliscation act,
the informant who libels any product be-
longing to the public enemy, is entitled to
half the proceeds of the sale, by filing bonds
for the amount in case the owner should
claim his property through oath or pardon.
The consequence is that the agents of the
Treasury Department have abandoned the
more legitimate duties of their office for
the more profitable one of libeling cotton,
which, if honestly carried out, would in
clude nineteen-twentieths of all now in
in these districts. 1t must be apparent to
you that these agents can, instead of taking
half by fiction with the aid of friendly
perjury, take nearly the whole, which, ac-
cording to my belief and information, is ac-
tually the practice.
81 do but give expression to common re-
port when | say that the Treasury officials
by means of outsiders are now engaged in
the most gigantic robberies of modern times,
exceeding the famous operations of Give
in India. SO tar has this gone that some of
them atleast are quarreling about the spoils.
Judge Hart, of Natchez, and Mcdowell, of
about six hundred bales. ] grieve to say
that the Government is not likely to get its
own between them. Indeed, it is reported
officially that less than one hundred bales
have been turned over to Government since
July last. 1t would be well to call for re-
turn of all cotton, &C., seized and turned
over in this valley. The folly of the pres
ent system is seen also in the TACT that about
eight hundred horses and mules and ami
mails brought in by the late raid have been
transferred to the Treasury Department,
and are now dying for lack of attention.
"The chief evil is corruption, and it takes
various forms. Among others it is known
that thirty and fifty thousand dollars worth
of goods have passed beyond the lines in
one day, duly 'permitted." Nothing is more
simple and easy than to get 'permit" to
ship barrel of flour, which, when beyond
the lines, proves to be barrel of percus-
sion caps as was actually the case with five
barrels permitted at Memphis.
1.-The influence of the present Treasury
system is evil and evil only, and the only
sure, proper, and safe remedy is total abo-
lition. The vast swarm of officials, like To-
GUSTS are eating up the revenue. The grow
ing power and patronage of the Secretary
are, as you are aware, being used to influ-
ence the next Presidential election, and the
power sought to be placed in his hands in
Congress is full of danger.
II desire especially to call your attention
to the transfer of all the abandoned prop
erty, including plantations, to that Depart
ment. Under that system the Treasury has
overturned the wholesome regime adopted
by Adjutant General Thomas, and is now
farming out its privileges without reference
to law or economy. A tax has been i'm
posed on all cotton raised by free labor
without authority from Congress. The con-
dition of the vast number of colored people
is rapidly becoming worse under this rule.
l cannot but regard it as an anomaly to
place the leasing and working of abandon
ed plantations in the revenue department.
1t is essentially martial affair, with po-
litical, civil and philanthropic side; and
would, therefore, have been more properly
assigned to the Department of the Interior;
or if 1t is contemplated to establish Bu-
reau of Agriculture, the freedmen's affairs
would legitimately belong to it. You can
determine the tendencies of this latter
measure lately under consideration.
81 need noturge upon you the expediency
of watching every attempt of the enemies
of the Administration to extend their un-
paralleled patronage. The struggle has
fairly commenced here, and the enormous
gains of the placemen and their favorites are
used laViShly."
The reading of this letter was interrupted.
Mr.. Blair of Missouri, (resuming.) Now,
propose to show that the Secretary of the
Treasury, with all the commerce of the
country in his hands, with the collection of
our foreign revenues and of the vast inter-
nal revenues in his hands, is nsing these
abandoned plantations and grasping at all
power and patronage for the purpose of
providing fund to carry on the operations
of the Pomeroy committee to carry on his
war against the Administration which gave
him place.
Now will read other letters ON the same
subject. This letter is from man who
bears as high a character for honor and in
tegrity as any other man in America:
"NEw ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
4.e ra, March 10, 1864. 1
"DEAR SIR: see that the fight has COM
menced in earnest between President Lin
coins friends and the Chase clique. Things
have turned out just as expected when
Chase went into the Cabinet. He has been
getting ready to sting to death the Admin
istration that has given him his Importance.
Gas you are on the smell of Treasury
permits and contraband trade, | can put you
on the track of a case, the testimony of
which is in Washington, 1 presume in the
War Office, which am advised will furnish
rich developments. The investigation took
place before Brigadier General Mason, at
Columbus, Ohio, in April and May, 1863
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