Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1870-07-22
The Result % the Howard Inves.
tigatiOn.

whom was referred the charges made some
time since, by Fernando Wood, against
Gen. o. o. Howard, regarding his admin.
istration of the affairs of the Freedmen's
Bureau. The report is signed by eight of
the nine members of the committee, and
bears upon its face the evidence of candid,
honest investigation. AS every unpreiu.
diced mind was sure it would, tie report
completely aud triumphantly vindicates
Gen. Homard from every charge of dishcn-
esty or unfaithfulness in his responsible po-
si,on and throws new light upon his index-
IDLE integrity, his patriotism and his Chris
tian philanthropy. OF the position occu-
pied by Gen. Howard, the Committee says,
in the opening of the report:
A trust more important and sacred, a
confidence more entire, had scarcely ever
been reposed ny the American people in
any public officer since the foundation of
the government. II it had been successful
ly and honestly discharged, the Commits
sioner was not only entitled to public graft.
tude, but had placed a crown on the brow
of the American people as glorious as the
highest achievements of war. But if, on
the other hand, be had betrayed this gener-
GUS and sacred confidence If be had de-
voted the power placed by the nation at bis
disposal to low, partisan or personal ends +;
if he had stolen from the poor, the ignorant,
the defenseless, the funds intrusted to him
for their benefit, no language of condemna-
ton could adequately describe the infamy
of his crime. This the committee felt in it's
full force and power, and determined, in the
investigation OF these charges, to do their
full duty to Congress and the country.
The specifications against Gen. Howard
we're fifteen in number, and embraced
charges Of wi!lful and corrupt misappropria
ton of moneys; improper disposition of U nj
versity lands, for the benefit of himself, his
family and officers of bis staff; corrupt and
worthless contracts for building material
with companies in which he was himself a
stakeholder; the unauthorized diversion of
the funds of the Freedman's Bureau to the
erection of churches in Washington the
purchase of lands with public funds upon
which buildings we're erected of lumber be.
longing to government and sold or let to
freedmen at exorbitant prices. in which
transaction Gen. Howard and brother were
personally interested, as private pecuniary
speculation F; the general charge of extrava-
vance and negligence, and last, the vague
charge that he is one of a ring known as
The "Freedmeu's Bureau Ring" whose posi-
ton has been to devote the official authority
and power Of the Bureau to personal and
political profit. During the examination OF
these charges Mr.. Wood and Gen. Howard
We're present with counsel. Ffty-nine wit.
nesses, from all parts Of the country, were
summoned by Mr.. Wood, and seven, from
the District of Columbia, by Gen. Howard.
The time spent in the examination of the
former was over sixty days, and of the lat
ter, three days.
The report of the committee takes up the
charges of Mr.. Wood in their order and
show conclusively that they are, with one
exception, utterly and entirely without foun-
dation, not a particle OF evidence having
been adduced to sustain them. The ex-
ception is the charge that Gen. Howard
pays rent for headquarters at Howard Uni.
versity, and in this the committee sustain
him, as something like $4,000 per anuum
rent is saved thereby. The recklessness
with which the charges were preferred is es
pecially pointed OFT and rebuked by the
committee. On this subject they say:
AS the investigation proceeded, it became
quite evident that whoever had supplied Mr..
Wood with information had, certainly in re-
gard to some of the charges, been guilty of
the most culpable Indifference to truth, and
had suffered himself to make grave accusa-
tons, which were not only without the
slightest foundation in fact, but which the
least pains would have shown to be false
For instance, charge ninth, that General
Howard draws three salaries. If General
Howard had drawn his salary as brigadier
general in the United States Army, and an.
other as Commissioner Of the Freedmen's
Bureau, the fact could easily have been as.
veriailta ~ inquiry at the Treasury. If be
had drawn salary as head of Howard
University, the fact could have been imme-
diately verified be examining the records Of
that institution. A charge, the truth or
falsity of which could SO readily have been
ascerlained from easily accessible sources
of information, would never have been pre-
lerredby any person who desired rather to
adhere to truth than to poison the public
mind by reckless and unfounded ISLANDERS.
So with the charge that General Howard
and lis brother were interested in the pur-
chase and sale of Barry farm as private
speculation for their own pecuniary benefit.
The transaction took place in the face of
day. Its details were we'll known to men
high in office, and high in character. The
Chief Justice of the United States was an
adviser to it. The prices paid by the freed
men for their homes we're known to every
one of the three hundred and fifty families
for whose benefit the farm was acquired and
divided. And so, in fact, with nearly all
the charges,
The report concludes as follows:
In conclusion, the committee find on the
whole case, that the charges are utterly
groundless and causeless that the Commits
sioner has been devoted, honest, and able
public servant. The committee find that
his great trust has been performed wisely,
disnterestedly, economically, and most sue
cessfully. 1t there be anything in the con-
duct of the affairs of the bureau which could
excite suspicion, even in the breast of
partisan or political hate, it is owing to the
fact that General Howard, conscious of his
own purity, intent on his great work, has
never stopped to think of the appearances
which men Of less conscious integrity much
more carefully regard.
Who is the inventor or instigator of these
charges, it is not the purpose of the COM
mt,ee to inquire. Mr.. Wood, as has al.
ready been stated, disclams all personal re.
sponsiblify fer them. The evidence which
he adduced was rot evidence tending to es-
tablish the accusi. ton, but was, nearly all
of it. merely experimentation inquiry by
the person calling the witness into the de-
tails of transactions of which he seemed to
have neither accurate knowledge or inform
alton. While the examination was going
on, with closed doors, under pledge of Sc.
crecy imposed on The committee, counsel
and parties, incorrect statements, purPort
ing to be reports of the testimony, were
spread extensively through the country,