The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1864-08-03

is impressed under his direction so that
this, which comes to him as blank paper,
contracted for by, him leaves his hands
with all the attributes of money in the
form ofperfected and perfect obligation
of the Government. The engraving of
the plates is also done under his direc-
tion." ---- -----
Nearly nine hundred millions of money
and of obligations have been thus printed
by this Clarke ! Mr.. Crittenden and Mr..
Field are very emphatic in their CRITICS ms
upon this mode of making money. Clarke
himself said to both Messrs. Crittenden
and Field, "Nothing hindered him from
taking any sum of this money, and put
ting it into circulation, and passing it as
money" though he adds, "1t would not
be forty-eight hours before, under his
system, an over issue would be detected, !"
but by this time, he might be across the
rebel lines, or be off to Europe, with large
sums converted into gold. No language
can adequately condem such irresponsi
bility-even in Superintendent of un-
limpeachable and irreproachable charac
ter. E4r r
We have labored under some difficulty
| in the procuring of witnesses in Mr.
Clarke's department, because ga very in
telligent man." Mr.. Corven, Mr.. Crit
tenden reports, was dismissed by Clarke,
because upon his (Crittenden's) request,
he (Corven) drew up a statement of fact
in writing upon Clarke's hydraulic print
ing Another expert. Charles A.sJewett,
has been sharply attacked, and deprived
of employ, because of his disbelief in
Clarke's capacity or purity. We have al
ready shown how and why two ladies
were dismissed. Such action on the part
OF Clarke seems to have struck both the
male and females under him with spe-
cies of terror, for fear they should lose
their, to them, valuable places. But while
terror is thus inspired on the one side,
reward is given on another. To Mr.. John
D. Larman, who seems to be worthy
man, having charge of the machinery in
the Bureau, valuable gold watch was
presented by Clarke, since this investiga-
ton commenced.
In conclusion, your Committee have to
say, that upon all that branch of the in
vestigation, charged upon the Committee
by the House, and involved in the re-
marks of the Hon. f. p. Blair, now in
our military service in Georgia, we have
not been permitted TO take any testimony
whatever. An effort was made in Com
mittee, June Sd, to investigate the alleged
fraudulent subscriptions for the eleven
millions excess of the 500 bonds, said by
Mr.. Blair then to have been IL per cent
above par, and to have a yielded million
and quarter dollars profit to the taker-
but the resolution to investigate was vo-
ted down, ayes 8, noes 4. We regret that,
in this respect, we have failed to dischar-
ge the duty imposed upon US by the
House, but it is not our fault, as the rec
ord shows.
To show, however, our further sense of
the high duty imposed upon us by the
House, and our desire to discharge that
duty, we, again, on the 9th June, made
another effort in the following resolu-
tions
Hhereas, Major-General Frank Blair,
in several letters read by him, on the floor
of the House of Representatives from per-
sons he vouches for as responsible, has
charged that:
Treasury officials, by means ofoutsiders,
are now engaged in the most gigantic
robberies of modern times, exceeding the
former operations of Give in India.
And whereas, specifications by name
and place are given in several of these
charges.
Therefore be it resolved, s'That it is
the duty of the Committee, and devolves
upon it, by the ample powers given in the
House Resolution creating it, to enter
upon full and complete examination OF
these charges"
The Resolution tailed to pass by the
following vote:
AYEs-Rrooks, Stuart, Dawson, Steele.
NoEs-Garfeld, Wilson, Fenton, Da-
Wis.
This painful record is aggravated by
the fact in the very sitting when gal
LIANT officer of the army was thus ignored,
the Superintendent of Money Printing,
whose character we have above described,
was permitted to file letter denying
charges against him, as if in testimony,
while to the minority of your Committee
was refused theopportunity again to bring
Clarke before US, and to e-examine him,
or others, as to the denials made, though
such re-examination was apparently de-
sired by him, and earnestly desired by
us. Your committee are, therefore, con-
strained to say that they have not been
permltteu, III oPifi' VI III iaS0, W
into but a very small portion of the alle-
cations made by the Newspaper Press, or
by Mr.. Brooks, or by General Blair, on
on the floor of the House.
Your Committee, in conclusion, beg
leave to offer the following resolutions
Resolued, That the Secretary of the
Treasury be directed, at the earliest prac-
tical day, to carry into execution, in the
Money Printing Bureau, the recon-
m dations of Mr.. b. Field, Assistent
Secretary of the Treasury, and L. E Crit
tenden, REGISTER of the Treasury, as set
forth in Report signed by them June
2, 1864, and subsequently reconsidered
and recommended by them, and the Hon.
w. Sprauge, Senator from Rhode island,
Feb. 10, 1864.
Resozved, That Spencer M Clarke, the