Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-05-12
COTTON STEALING.
Letter from william Burnet, Esq, to
General Robert G. SchenCk.
M,y- A 1Qfe

General Robert G. SchenCk.
CINCINNATI, May 4, 1866.
Hon. Robert C. Schenck, Chairman Of Com
nrittee on Military Affairs, House of Repre-
SentatiUeS, WashingtoR, d. g.:
SIR-The House Congressional report, as
published of this date, states that "the
Speaker presented message from the
President, in answer to the resolution of
the 23d of April, with report from the
Secretary of War; stating it TO be incom-
patible with the public interest to COM
municate the report of General Smith and
James I. Brady, of their investigations at
New Orleans"
Unable to ascertain by whom the resolu-
ton of the 23l of April was introduced,
take the liberty Of addressing this COM
munication to you, as chairman of the com
mittee on Military Affairs.
In the evil times which have fallen upon
us, it may be considered presumption for
private Individual to question the acts or
opinions of those in official positions, or as
the thoughtless and sycophantic are apt to
call them, "Our rulers" but holding still
the sound old doctrine that this Govern
tnent belongs to the people, who are the
guardians of its interests, its honor, and its
perpetuty; that public officers are their
agents, responsible to them tor the faithful
discharge of their trust; | will venture to
question the opinion announced from the
War Department, that it is Incompatible
with the public interest to communicate
that report to the House of Representa-
tives.
Ii it is compatible with the public inter-
est, that treason and fraud of the darkest
and most revolving character should be
screened from exposure, and their per-
petrators not only shielded from punish
ment, but promoted to posts of honor for
distinguished services" then the decision
OF the War Department may be right, and
Twas mistaken when | said to General
Smith in New Orleans: Let me say to you
sir, that you can not find on the face of
the foOtstoOl, two more atrociOus villains
than Major General Dana and Brgadier
BraymaD, and every hour they wear the
badge of the War Department aud WELD
the authority of the Government, is damn
ing disgrace, from which, until they are
punished and dismissed, it can not and
ought not to recover Whether [ was also
mistaken when | said to him: This in
vestigation will amount to nothing; the
charges against them will be either lchjte-
lo0Shed or uppressed"-remlins to be seen.
But if the public honor demands the ex
pOsure and punishment of those who have
prostituted the authority of the Govern
ment, and tarnished its record wherever
their infamy is known; if the public in
terest requires that the Unsuitable plum
derers be made to disgorge, then it is not
only eminently but imDeratively proper
that the facts embodied in that report
should be communicated not only to tine
',HOuse," but to the world. t.. ....
And let me ask, is there not some con-
4 ~. =, go thal al nd OR
GERS, whose well-earned honors, bestowed
by the acclamations otagrateinl people,
are broughtinto contempt by their associa-
ton with those whose military career has
been an UNMARRIED record of cOwardice and
fraud?
As one who has been behind the curtain,
and seen the "ropes, and pulleys," and the
''tallow candles" and the paint and Sohite-
tcdSh, let me assure you, that when the re-
port of that investigation, suspended as it
was, in mid-career, "by orders from WASH
ington,n is communicated to the House."
familiar as your own professional pursuits
may have made you, with the phases of
crime, it will astonish you, and you will be
disposed to ask with me, whether it Is not
the reputation of the War Department
which has recommended these criminals
for promotion, and not the ''public interest,"
WnlCn is TO Oe JeOpdTulLeu, ny Iue puDllCa-
tion of that report. -.'' ... le'd@H.
If the '.HouSer will, as in my Judgment,
and that of many others, it ought, insist
upon the communication of that report,
and will at the same time, call for a copy of
the 'schargesn against Brayman,f fled in
the War Department, by Colonel H. ia
Burnet, late, Judge Advocate, and Of the
report of Surgeon Weldon aud DR.. Sillsbee
to General Canby, and especially, for a copy
of the report of Detective Whitley, who,
under orders from General Candy, made a
most searGhing scrutiny, into the secret
history of the commands of Dana and
Braynian, 1t will find abundant evidence,
not only that the charges brought against
them in my letters are true, but that they,
and others, have been guilty of crimes ip-
! describabIy more Infamous, and if any
other proof is needed, will cheerfully
! furnish the namesnf witnesses, whose testi-
mony will forever remove all possibility Of
doubt as to their guilt. a, a. l.,.,,.s., ~. A..
Having had the honor of forwarding to
! you COPIES of my letter to Hon. Senator
Davis, addressed to him. because he had in
tfodgced the subject TO the Senate, and had
asked for committee of Investigation iintc
| frauds against the Government, and also, q