New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-03-23

MR, MccULLocEsS CIRCULAR.


The operations of the Treasury agents in the
Soath have been of so little profit 10 the govern
ment, and SO prejudioal to the planter and the
merchant, that Mr.. McGuloch, the Secretary OF
the Treasury, has issued circular to his agents,
directing them to discontinue the seizure Of all
nroperty on che ground that il was captured or
abandoned, unless by special instruction from
beadouarters. We have no doubt of the purity of
Mr.. McCulloch's motives in taking this step; he
has received proof that in many cases the cupidty
of his agents has induced them to act improperly
that in some instances they shave seized cotton
which was the bona .fde property of private
individuals, and in others have released cotton
which in reality was subject to coniseationas hay
ing belonged to the Confederate government.
We are delighted to find that the Federal gov
eminent is awaking to the fact that some incompe
tent and dishonest men have been selected to per
form duties which no particular branch of officials
have ever been assigned to before: that even the
Supreme Court of the United States has never
usurped the comprehensive and decisive power
which has been delegated to certain treasury
agents and freedmen's bureau agents and that il
is necessary to exercise some check upon the
reckless and unprncipled conduct Of large por-
ton of these officials.
1t is probable that this prompt action on the
part of the honorable Secretary is due to the dis
closures made on the trial Of distinguished cotton
agent in Mobile, against whom the most conclusive
evidence was adduced before military commits
sion. If other cases of a similar character were
brought to light in louisiana Texas and Missls
sppi. we shrewdly suspect that some OF the agents
| would be convicted by record as black and
damning as that of their Alabama confrere.
The truth is, that men of no character at all
| have been sent to the South clothed with powers
and privileges which were never delegated by the
| Roman Senate to the pfoconsul OF a conquered
province. Endowed with no special ability for
administration, but simply the protege or the
relative of Senator Sumner or Henry Ward
Beecher, many one Of these distinguished gen
tlemen never opened a law book before he came
South. In his own opinion he was selected for
the mission in order to see Justice done to the
negro race and to reduce the rebellious Southern
chivalry to humility and subsection. At the same
time, he received no particular Instructions with
regard to his own personal interest; there was no
limit set to the amount of spoil which he was to
put into his own pocket, and in every circum
stance where he could present a signal example
of negro superiority, he felt that his name would
be mentioned with enconiums in Congress and in
the Republican newspapers.
Thank God, the considerate and statesman
like policy of President johnson is making itself
felt throughout all the ramieations Of the govern
ment, and the saturnalia of the cotton thieves is
about to cease e&a
We append the circular of Secretary McCul-
loch:
TREASURY DEPARTMENT, Feb. %, 1866
Sa'-After the receipt of this letter, you will
neither make, nor cause, nor authorize any seiz-
ures OF detentions of cotton or other property as
captured or abandoned, unless by special written
direction in each case from the general agent or
direct from the department. In any case which
may come to your knowledge of property belong
ing to the late socalled Confederate government
where the property is of such amount and so stu
ated, with such clear proofs as in your Judgment
to make it important for the government that it
should be secured, you will at once report all the
facts Including the evidence and statement as
to the locality Of the property or the direction in
which it is moving) to the general agent or to
the department, and await Instructions on the sub
ject.
Immediately upon the receipt hereof, you will
make "a special report to the department of all
lots of cotton or other property under seizure
or detention within your agency, by your author
ity or direction, or that Of any assistant or sub
agent or contractor together with all the evidence
in relation thereto, retaining such cotton in its
then locality aud condition, protecting the same
from loss or damage but notrebaling any cotton or
placing in pickery, nor mourning any unreasonable
expense on its account. And no shipment, release
or division of the same, will be made in any case
except by direction Of the general agent or the
department. WE
You will also Immediately terminate all con.
tracts, Of whatever nature, for collecting cap
tured or abandoned property, now outstanding
within your agency by yonr authority or the au-
thority Of any assistant or sub-agent, and also ter
inmate at once all further operations under any
such contracts; and you will also Immediately fur
nish to the department full statement of ali such
contracts, and of the condition of operations IN
der the same.
You will, as soon as possible, discontinue the
services of all assistant and sub-agents within |
FOUR agency not absolutely required in the imme-
late closing up Of your business and no compen-
'ation will be paid to any agent or employe in
7onr agency longer than ten days after the receipt
# this letter; unless upon special report to the
department., stating the reasons therefor their fur
her continuance in Office shall be authorized.
You will make your arrangements to finally |
close the business Of your office as soon as posi-
PIC, settling or approving the accounts of your
subordinates, and promptly forwarding your own
accounts for final settlement.
The receipt of this letter will be acknowledged |
by telegraph Respectfully
csigne6 H MccuLLocH,
Secretary Of the Treasury. |