Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1864-05-12

DEAH OENERAB;
From appearances it
seems not unlikely that discussion may
arise during the session respecting the com
merce of the Mississippi Valley and It's rela-
tions to the Treasury Department. / hope
I may stand excused for offering the result
of my observations between Memphis and
New Orleans.
Gas | wrote you before, the ostensibe
reasons given for the present interference
are two, namely: first, to prevent contra
band of war reaching the enemy, and sec
ond, to raise revenue from the insurrec-
tionary districts. No one can see more
clearly than yourself the actual tendencies
of the system. 1t does not prevent the
smuggling of fcontrabands--as am prepared
to show--and this method Of raising reve-
nue. 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 confiscation 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 include
ninetecn-twentieths of all now in these dis
tricts. 1t must be apparent to you that
these agents can, instead of taking half.
by fiction, with the aid of friendly PERU
ry, take nearly the whole, which, according
to my belief and information, is actually the
practice.
Il 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 robberics oimodern times,
exceeding the famous operations of Give,
IN India. So far has this gone that some
OF them at least are quarreling about the
spoils: Judge Hart, of Natchez, and Nc
Dowcll, Of Nicksburg, are at this moment
disputing about six hundred bales. L grieve
to'sly that the Government is not likely to
get its own between them. Indeed, it is
reported officially that less than one hun
dred bales have been turned over to Gov
ernment since July last. 1t would be well
to call for a return of all cotton &C., seized
and turned over in this Valley The folly
Of the present system is seen also in the
fact that about eight hundred horses, mules
and animals brought in by the late raid have
been transferred to the Treasury Depart
ment, and are now dying for want Of at
tention.
" 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 one day. duly permitted" Moth
ing is more simple and easy than to get @
when beyond the lines, proves to be bar.
rel OF lprcnSSlpn a aptnnIly thf
case with five barrels ''permittcd" ut Mem
phis.
The influence of the present Treasur,
system is evil and evil only and the onl,
sure, proper, and safe remedy is total abo
ltion. The vast swarm of officials, like 10
Gusts, are eating up the revenue. Th
growing power and patronage Of the Sec
retary are, rs you are aware, being used t,
influence the next Presidential election, ant
the power sought to be placed in his hand
in Congress is full of danger.
IL desire especially to call your attention
to the transfer of all abandoned property
including plantations, to that Department
Under that system the Treasury has over.
turned the wholesome regime adopted by
: Adjutant General Thomas, and is now far
ming out its privileges without reference to
law or economy. A tax has been imposed
on all cotton raised by free labor, without
authority from Congress. The condition OF
the vast number of coiored people is rapidly
becoming worse under this rule. / cannot
leasing and working of abandoned planta-
tons in the revenue department 1t is es-
sentially a martial affair, with a political,
civil and philanthropic side and would,
therefore, have been assigned to the De
partment of the Interior; or if it is con-
templated to establish Bureau of Agricul-
ture, the freedman affairs would legiti-
mately belong to it. You can determine
the tendencies of this latter measure lately
under consideration.
81 need not urge upon you the expedi-
ency OF watching every attempt OF the enc
mics of the Administration to extend their
unparalleled patronage. The struggle has
fairly commenced here, and the enormous
: gains of the placemcn and their favorites
are used lavishly."
The reading of this letter was here in
terrupted.
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 lOTtISu TGNcIuCS ullu Vi tllc NuSU lDLtr-
nal revenues in his hands, is using these
abandoned plantations and grasping at al
power and patronage for the purpose O
providing fund to carry on the operation,
Of the Pomeroy committee to carry on hi
war against the Administration which CAV,
him place.
Now | will read other letters on the SAM
subject. This letter is from man who bear
as high character for honor and integrit
as any other man in America:
New ORLEANS, La,
March 10, 1864.
? ''DEAR SIR:
| see that the fight ha
| commenced in earnest between Presiden
: Lincoln's friends and the Chase clique
Things have turned out just as | expecte,
= when Chase went into the Cabinet. III
: has been getting ready to sting to death tn
r Administration that has given him impor
tonce.
"Asyou are on g the SMELL of Treasur
permits and contraband trade, can put yo
on the trail of case, the testimonyof whicl
c is in Washington, l presume in the Wa
s Office, which | am advised will furnisl
t rich developments The investigation tool
e place before Brgadier General Mason, a
g Columbus, Ohio, in April and May, 1863
{, from which it appears that a lawyer, name
: Cobb came to Columbus in the winter c
? that year and showed a pass from jeff Da
e Wis Government to trade cotton in Iexa
n II l l. L