Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1870-07-22
The Charges 1gainst Gen. HOW-
ard.

ara.
In April last, Hon. Fernando Wood
chal ged that Gen. o. 0. Howard, COM
missioner of the Bureau of Refugees.
Freedmen aud Abandoned Lands, had
been guilty Of maaJyersion, and derelic
ton of duty in thirteen specifically
stated particulars. After Il long investl'
CATION by the Committee on Education
and Labor, eight Of the members made a
MAJORITY REPORT
which sets forth, in substance, in regard
to the fist charge against General How
ard, OF the improper use of the receipts
Of the Bureau. that. from evidence, GER
tain property in the northern part of the
CITY. called the ..Smiih Farm" to which
was applied the Eckett and Miller appro-
pliation, was purchased for the Universe
IL bv the trustees, and paid for in part by
bonds transferred to them 10y Gen How
ard. The buildings were erected en-
uipIv bv him AMI turned over To the trus'
tees, and that all WAS done under m en-
larged discretion conferred by the act OF
March. 1868, June. 1866. July, 1866, and
June. 1865, which direction, the majority
think. is beyond cavil, and think General
Howard has unlimited authority under
them They hold tnat his IIIoward'sl
gifts 10 various schools and institutions of
Kindred nature with the University, was
carving out the very purposes for which
the bureau was established
They reply to the charge that the lands
alleged To have been sold for the benefit
of the University were disposed of i'm
properly 10 members of his family, and
officers of his staff by giving the history
OF the purchase and disposal of the Smith
farm. and by quoting from the records of
the boards OF trustees, To show that the
financial agent was instructed To select =
lot. OF not less than one acre. from the
University ground. to be donated to Gen.
Howard for the purpose of erecting a
private residence. This WAS done on the
condition that he would build house
thereon for his own occupation, but that
Gen. Howard would no, occupy it and
he Afterwards purchased an acre, paying
$1,000 for it, and built house thereon
from the proceeds of The sale Of 4 resi-
dcrcc in the city.
That no member of his famil y or taft
ol,aincd any lands except atthe schedule
prices fixed by the Board OF Trustees for
all purchases. The majority find that no
bonds of the Congregations! Churchwere
taken in payment for 4 portion of the
Smith farm, rs charged in the third spcci
fcaliou They quote from the act OF July
lS66. in this connection, u show that Gen.
Howard was clothed with unlimited
authority to co operate with private be-
nrvo.cat associations for the education Of
freedmen and refugees, which involved
also discretionary use of ;hc funds al
his disposal in all of ,hi, object, That
he Is therefore only responsible for the
exercise Of some discretion in this wolk.
He transferred The Charity Fund to Gen,
BGloch, in accordance with special order
No Is. which fund was invested by
Gen. Baloch. rs Treasurer of the How
ard University. in Congregational Church
bonds, ana The majority say that it was 4
good Investment
senator Pomcroy and other witnesses
testified to the value Of the church prop
cry on which the money WAS loaned -
The majority do not deny that the Uni
versity and hospital were tuilt Of patent
brick. but saw that there i no proof that
General Howard was stakeholder OF
connected with the brick company nj the
time the materials were furnished He
Withdrew from the company to avoid an
appearance Of evil upon the decision 10
adopt IT, Notwithstanding the falling oil
those buildings the majority find that
they really COS. -, GOO les than if bull,
81 ordinary pressed brick with stone trim.
mingS.
They find no testimony to >ub>tautiate
the charge that Gen Howard permitted
ID. L. Eaton * Co. or any one else to use
the !umbc, belonging 70 the government.
They find tina: cen. Howard pays to the
Howard University for the headquarters
of The freedmen, Bureau les, rent than
he paid when that headquarters was in
Washington. They characterize as wholly
untrue the charge that Gen Howard re-
c,ivcs more than one salary. The charge
that he caused lands in the city of Wash.
ington owned by an officer OF the Bureau
% he transferred 90 a ircCdmcu'S school
in North Carolina, the Officer takin" the
money appropriated for that school and
the school lands in that city. whereby
fraud was pcrpe,rated, is utterly denied.
They find no evidence 10 sustain the
charges that Gen. Howard allowed the
buildings to he erected on Barry Farm OF
government lumber. TO be let or sold to
freedmen ut eXorbitant prices, and that
he and his brother Charles were pei sonal-
Is interested in this transaction as Il pr-
waite speculation. They find that his
transactions in this regard were proper,
and they reflect glory and credit on Gen.
Howard. In regard to the sand contract
they find the charge without foundation,