The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1869-12-01
The DrnwbncIe Frands.

The discovery OF the Custom House
drawback frauds, perpetrated by
Government officers, and just made
public, have been known to have
been going on for years, and the
Democratic press has for long time
been charging the party in power
with these robberieS. But it was not
till the perpetrators had become so
bold In their frauds that further de-
lay in arresting them in their career
ofplunder could not long be tolera-
ted without impresSing the whole
people that the highest officers in the
Government were implicated, that
measures were taken for their arrest.
The Government at length, through
District Attorney PIERPoNT, cut of
shame at the noise that was made
about these open raScalities, has COM
menced Prosecution against some of
these plunderers. The parties impli'
Gated, and doubtless guilty, all held
high positions in the Custom Houses
at New York and other cities, and in
the Treasury Department at Wash
ington.
1t has long been known that the
Government has been plnndered to
the extent Of hundreds Of millions
annually by its own high officers,
aided by abettors and accomplices Of
less note. These robberies were in
augurated under the hrst dawning of
the early reign Of the LINCOLN dy.
nasty. Mere feints of mock trials,
like that Of Capt. HURT, solely to
deceive the people, were gone
through with, when the stealing was
conducted with such boldness and so
disingeRuously that every body knew
Off In nine cases out of ten, the
robberies were covered up and the
loyal culprits were whitewashed and
sent abroad to commit fresh robher'
les upon defenseless people. In many
cases, as in that of Captain HURT,
above alluded to, the witnesses were
sent of to California or elsewhere,
out Of the country, when their testi'
Econy would have been certain TO
convict the criminals and brought
other rascalS to justice. $50
The Implication Of Gen. GRANT,
(whoSe moral status was never high,
in the Wall street gold ring affair
with his brother-in. law CORBIN, has
indelibIy impressed the public mind
that honest measures and patriotic
purposes constitute little or none OF
the stock in trade of the high officers
now in charge of the government.
RogueS-smart rogueS'-are at 3 prem,
ium at Washington now, while hon.
esUy finds no market there.
Extensive rascalitieS are now re-
ported among navy paymasters-
The discovery OF frauds, peculations
aid defalcations are the order Of the
day and so boldly. and at the same
time 50 bunglfngIy are they perform
ed that concealment is out of the
question, If the authorities desire to
make the exposure. Instead Of pun
lshment, however, promotion and
patronage have largely followed the
discovery of government swindliDg.
The greatest robbers on the continent
are to be found in our Congress and
among the highest officers Of the
government. They are ready to ap.
propriate TO themselves by their
votes every franchise, all the credit
and as much OF the public property
that was left In trust with them for
our posterity, as they think they
will be able to pay taxes on. This
they have already done; and they
stand ready with scores of other new
measures to be introduced into Con-
gresS as soon as it conveneS.
The Federal General BUTTER
FIELD, Assistant Treasurer at New
LOIkB WHO WIS 1mpl1CdISU III the
CoRBIN gold ring, has been Rade
the ScGpe goat for the GRANT-CoR.
BIN thimble riggers and gold gam.
blers, and CHAs. j. FoLGER has
been appointed to his place. 1t is
thus virtually acknowledged that
BUTTERFIELD was guilty I; but no
punishment has been inflicted, noI
Is ii supposed there will be !; only 8
supercedure IN Office, preparatory
as likely as not. to some appoint
ment of a higher grade and TO q
more responsible position. .--
We learn that these recently IN
earthed Custom House frauds have
lead to Investigations and eritica
comparisons of the Treasury totals
published from time to time; anC
that they disclose some most singu
lar contradictions and discrepancies
Whenever there comes to be al
oyerhauling by honest hands, of tn
Treasury, covering. the past tel
years OF Jacobin sWindIing; tn
astounding developments that WI
be made will account for the fortune
that the beggarly politicians hay
gohbled up from q few years o
months connection with it.-Crisis.