, 1869-10-02

sloner of Internal Revenue, had been
sending out east. west, north and south,
/ as spies aud detectives and twas found
that there was no authority at all fol
their appointment or pay. Yet scores
if not hundreds, of these scurvy minions,
these illegitimate offshoots of Congress
men, members of the Cabinet, aud heads
of Bureaus; or broken down political
hacks, drunken, debauched, and corrupt
animals, who were willing to become
informauts, levy black. mail, swear away
the characters or the lives of officers, oil
anybody else, or do any other corrupt
or mean thing, had been appointed, and
most of them had proved equal to the
dirty jobs given them. These political
and moral debaucheess, although au,
thorized by no law, and in defiance Of
all justice, had it in their power, and
some of them had used that power, tc
hold secret investigations, altogether
er parte, and had been sustained by the
Government in blackening reputation
and levyi ng black>mail. TWAS thought
that after such exposure the infamous
system would not be allowed to prevail.
But it seems, according to Washington
reports, that Mr.. Boutwell, has rsinaug-
urated it, and that the whole country is
in consequence full of spies, whose first
business is to fasteu upon one or more
officers, or private citizens, and secretly
60 to work, by the assistance of such
thieves and liars as they can make use
of, to make the Government believe that
they have foand an immense mares nest
and are breaking the eggs. The unbung
scoundrelS in Washington City, who
hold high positions sometimes, or have
the run of the kitchen, and make and
unmake officers, are delighted. Their
appointees have done remarkable work.
If oGe Of these special Government spies
happens to be n gentleman-so cOn>
trary to the usual rule-and does not
report any one as being a rascal, be
cause be has not been able to find any,
he loses caste with the Government, as
being an incompetent, and very soon
he has to make way for some more COM
petent, because less considerations, aps
pointee. So the inhunce of the Govern,
is to spur its spies up to villa;ny. Some
of them need none of this spurring-
they do it con Gmore These fellows are
a curse to she Government and the peo,
pie. They throw more distractions in
the collection of taxes than do all the
tax payers combined F; they cos: the
Government much money, but earn
noue, and destroy the reputation of
gentlemen uuder Government encourage
ment and support. Some of the Special
Agents, and some evea of the Revenue
Inspectors sent to this coaS t, have been
unmitgated scamps; and so others
are reported elsewhere. To report some
other officers rascals, and to 90 for the
moiety as infOrmants, appear to be
their strong suits. They have been
terror and curse to many of our most
respectable tax-paying citizens. They
take advantage of any and every legal
qulbble to make the taxpayer appear
wrong, and to make him come down if
possible. We know that there are many
of our citizens who will appreciate this
statement, for they have suffered. 1t is
so easy for taxpayer to make a mis-,
take, either in rendering his return Of in
come, or 10 conducting his business as a
distilier, or brewer, or manufacturer in
other respects, so as to conform to a law
which puzzles the best lawyers to un>
derstaDd, that these harpies have a good
chance, and they generally improve il,
it matters nothing to them how limo,
cent the party may be. If be have yioN
lated any particle of the law, however
innocent, hOweyer high his reputation
for honesty, no matter to them, every
thing is right that brings grist to their
mill. These are facts which we know,
and say are shameful, outrageous, a dis,
grace to the Government that allows aad
practices and encourages the system,
and that it ought to be destroyed. These
fellows give no bonds, are not appoint
ed for their honesty, are Independent of
the local officers, Assessor and Collec,
tor, and can do pretty much as they
please for a while, at least. The whole
system it wrong. The system of taking
bonds from officers is wrong. The prop
er way is to be careful to appoint only
honest men, and then if one prove dis
honest, give him a taste of the State
Prison. The bond keeps no one honest,
and is scarce ever collected if the officer
violate his obligations The best bond
is a mans unsullied reputation.