The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-09-07

The Pay department.

-fotAiis u easier IMAM 70 make q gen
eral attack upon the Departments of
the Government when we hear OF the
mlsiortuues or pecsdillOes OF some of
their suboTdinates We know that
many officers OF the Government have
been guilty of crimes but we also
know that when those crimes were de.
tected, the perpetrators were severely
punished In managing business 80
immense as our war, where 40 rn,cb
money changed hands, and where the
natural checks Of the Auditing and
Complrollers Bureaus were suspended
by the operations of the war, MANY
mistakes were made, and the ooportu-
mites for fraud were limited only by
The conscience OF the officers in trust
Al The same time, the Government IA
al"sys earnest IN detecting crime and
prompt IN furnishing il.
A department that seems to us to
have been unusually well managed il
the Fay Department The opportuni-
ties Tor fraud are greater in this branch
OF the Government business than apv
other, for the reason that the Paymas-
tiers have immense sums Of money con-
Eianty IN their keeping, and their dis
bursements are fitful and large. The
Government hold each officer to a strict
accountability The Paymaster is con-
PEELED 10 file a bond, on entering Office.
sufficient 10 cover almost any amount
Entrusted TO him His accounts pass
through the Auditor and Comptroller
ONCE, and every penny overpaid must
come out OF his salary or his bondsmer.
las care on the part of the War De-
partmeHt together with the prudence
that Dr. slways used in selecting men for
the Paymasters CORPS, has made that
branch Of the Government unusually
Tree from fraud. The case in the Rich
mOnd Department ID exceptional What
occurred there might not occur ia any
othe- portion of the country. The law
makes u the duty Of the Paymasters 10
deposit their money in tho Nation.
Bank but whenever a Sub-Ireasu V
.ihoe is m operation they use that a.
place Of deposit Soldiers. when dis
charged, are paid in checks on this Sub
Treasury and the checks cashed In
Richmond, we find the Paymasters
using their money in what Wallst.
would call a financial operation The
crime does not appear 10 be the pay
ment Of soldiers in Seven-thirties, but
entering into collision with banks, bro
kers suffers aud others, to have those,
Seven thiriies cashed at a discount when
they were really at par Another faNlt
Yves the making a. obligatory upon the
soldier 10 take these bonds. The in-
structiOns from the head of the Depart
ment we're that the Paymasters should
assist the sale OF the loan among the
soldiers, but should not take any part
in the sale, nor receive any profit nor
refuse any soldier the option OF taking
money if he preferred il fhis WAS the
course pursued in Washington Harris
burg, Philadelphia, Elmira and New
York, and elsewhere where bonds
were sold al all Ia Richmond, the
Paymasters seem 10 have disObeyed in
structions by taking the thing INTO
their own hands, and becoming claim
agents and brokers, instead % obey
ing orders aud minding their own bust
ness
This statement will show how unjust
a. is TO blame department ofthe Gov
eminent for the faults of few greedy
subordiuates Il will be seen that dur
ing the sale Of the great loan, the Pay
Department, while aiding il in every
way, took care not TO allow its agents II
become brokers. The distribution Of
that loan among the soldiers did q great
deal OF good, and it was a kindness on
the part Of the agents of the National
Banks and the loan agents when they
gave the soldier tins means of putting
las money out of the reach of thieves
and prostitutes, where it was safely in
vested. and where It's value increases
from day % day We regret, for the
aEke Of the Pay Department. that any
oi its agents should have abused this
kindness for the purpose of personal
gaia, rs seems 10 have been the case in
Rchmoud-h T. Trbuas