The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-07-22

very small affair in comparison with the
greater question Of the frauds themselves, Of
the parties responsible for them, and the
remedy TO be applied. II is a ule Of mathe-
matics that the lesser is swallowed up by the
greater; but these Congressman do not think
SO; they wrangle over trifing matter OF
authority in appointing commission to inves
tigate the frauds. while these monstrous
frauds, the causes of them, and remedy
against them they leave untouched. Inc
Board is well enough, and we think the orea-
ton of il is about the best official act Mr..
McCulloch ever performed. IT IS composed OF
the right sort of men, and may render valua-
BILE service to the country. Why could not
Mr. Schenclx find something more important
and more to the point in exposing the mis-
management of the Treasury Department,
which has led to these stupendous losses to
the Government As to investigating the
frauds, Mr.. McCulloch is doing right, pro-
vided the Investigations be thorough and
honest; but the country wants to know how
far he is responsible for them, or who is re.
sponsible.
Mr.. Sohenck, however, was not the only
member who failed TO see his duty or the i'm
portant point in this matter of frauds on the
revenue. Mr.. lngersoll entered into defense
of the Secretary on the single point of the
authority to appoint the Board of Investiga-
tion. He abused New York we'll for its frauds
on the revenue, but said nothing about the six
hundred barrels of contrabaud whisky that
were hauled out of cave in his Congressional
district. We would not presume to say Mr..
Ingersoll had any'lnowledge of this fraud upon
the revenue of his district but we must say it
appears strange that members of Congress can
find any reason for defending an officer of
the Government who has, through neglect of
duty lost, to the Treasury. hundreds ofmillions
OF dollars. Mr.. Kelley could see nothing more
important in the matter than the spoils of
office. He dwelt entirely upon the mere ques-
tion of what partisans were or were not
appointed to office. ALI his anger was vented
on this question. Mr.. Allison, Mr.. Van Wyck,
Mr.. Barnes and others, who participated in the
debate, saw nothing of more consequence than
the offices the right of the Secretary to inst-
tute commission of inquiry. This imbecility
and want of comprehension of the important
question at issue on the part of Congress is la
mentable. 1t shows plainly the incapacity of
that body to comprehend and deal with mat
ters of great public interest. We hardly know
how to designate its ignorance and incompe-
tency. Had it admitted p. T. Barnum to a
seat in face of his clear defeat by the people of
Connecticut, we might call it the Barnum Con-
gress or the Humbug Congress; but, looking
at its conduct about the revenue frauds, we
may properly call it the Whisky Congress.
All this twaddle about small matters or
iA4ulhO4Ohb NtlSoblOuS dlhOuLlLS 10 uOllllg. Inc
frauds, the cause of them, and the RESPONSE
bility for them are the proper subjects of in-
quiry. Mr.. McCulloch may try to lay the
blame on Congress or mis- subordinates but
the truth is, he is the responsible party. AS
Secretary of the Treasury, it was his duty to
see that the revenue was collected and frauds
prevented. 1t is nonsense talking about the
tax being so high that it cannot be collected.
The excise tax on spirits in England is higher
than it is with us, is above two dollars and
fifty cents in gold, equal to about three dollars
and fifty cents in currency, and yet it is col
lected there. Why not here9 There is no
reason in the world why it could not if the
head of the Treasury did his duty. If the
Treasury continues to be mismanaged in this
manner, and Congress should show no more
ability to correct the evil, we may look for
national bankruptcy and a reputation of the
national debt. We shall see the extraordi-
nary anomaly of a prosperous country in
industry and commerce with an empty
Treasury, an embarrassed Government, and q
repudiated debt. Such is the prospect before
us unless a radical change be made in the
management of our national finances.