Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1870-07-22

liiC HNol'iV. f'~>s'''>'NA 49,
Arncll, John Beatty, George +. Hoar,
Washington Townsend, Charles Nj Ham
iton, Samuel Burdctt. James y. Tyner.
Legrand w. Pierce.
MINORITY REPORT.
The minority OF the committee also
made report in which ii recapitulateS
the various trusts and authority reposcd in
General Howard and the Frccdmcn's
Bureau. aud differs essentially from the
views OF the majority. The minority
think that General Howard used more
than half million of dollars OF funds OF
the Freedmen's Bureau for tho Howard
University. hospital. and lands, and claim
that the object of the erection of the
university had reference 10 political
preierment, and was n step taken by
Gen, rll How ard to procure popularity rs
candidate for the Vice Presidency of the
United States. The second charge is tina,
land Of the university was disposed OF
improperly to members of General
Towards family and staff The minority
state that some evidence isuncontradictcd
to the effect that these purchases were
made at minimum price, and that the
General got his own land for nothing.
Other charges have reference 10 the
alleged interest al the General in brick
company, aud the defective
structure of the university buildings con-
scqu,ntly upon the use ol this brick. The
are OF the opinion thai ii has not
bccu proved that Cen Towards interest
ia tie company had been disposed Of be.
fore the contract Tor the building was
made. and states that he his offered no
evidence to prove his good faith in the
matter, and belief in the ScrviccablencSs
of the brick. The charge that he drew
"thrce salaries" this report admits was
not fully sustained. The minority object
that the committee declined (o hear evil
dcnce on this point concerning salaries or
sources OF income not mentioned in The
charge. There was charge that Ian
officer" had received a sum OF money for
certain landed pro; erty in Washington,
the land thus purchased was given 10 a
ireelmcn's school III North Carolina, in
stead of sum of money appropriated 10
it. The minority say that this officer
was General Howard, and consider the
proof of the transaction, and that the title
was in his name, sufficient to show that
the affair was a palpaLIc fraud on the
public treasury"
The Barry farm transactions, aside from
what has already been rcicrsed 10, are
by the minority as being in
deicnsblc in law.
The final charge was that "he was one
of ring known aS the 'Freedmcn's
Bureau Ring that the whole undertake
iugS OF savings banks and schools for
freedmen were political machinery, and
that he used the Bureau Tor his personal
and political profit. appropriately closes
by an unsparing attack upon the Freed
mems Savings Bank, aud especially the
National Freedmcn'S Savings and trust
Company ofWashington. The statement
OF the latter institution, with its balance
Of Il, $50. 900 due dcr0sitorS, is embodied
in the report, which hazards the assertion
that the little earnings" OF negro ''uncc
~ dcpoSiIa in savings banks
were used tor the profit of those who had
control OF them" and declares that these
bank, are an "actiye agency in this great
against the people ol the
United States. prosecuted through this
Bureau" 1t asks tina, government inter
lcrc, AMI that measures be taken Ia IL.
cover any moneys officially drawn by
General Howard aud "dsburSed in aid of
churches. religious associations. and
educational institutions, not in pur.
OF law" Its siguers are r. ". McNeedy,
Representative 9th District of Illinois, and
\. a. c. Rogers, ID District OF Arkansas.
GEN. uowARD's STATEMENT.
\ detailed statement was presented by
Gen. Howard IN reply to the various
charges of Fernando Wood. Most OF
these replies arc referred 10 in the minority
report. In explanation of the three
salary" charge, he shows that two of the
alleged three could not have both been
drawn under The law; and that he only
drew one of them. In regard TO land
purchases and transfers charged as cash
he explains the occasion
under which the transfer was made, aud
shows that even ifthc transaction was in.
formal, it benefited the freedmen. In
regard to the Barry farm business, he
repels the charges OF ire gularity, and
declares that neither he nor his brother
was beneiittcd,or WAS interested pecunia-
rily or privately in the transactions con-
nectcd with it. He denies that any por-
ton OF the business of the bureau has
been conducted with extravaganza, or
Tor his owR benefit. or for that of his
own family. An abundant array OF lacts
and figures fortify his statements.
RENrEs. Many of our readers may not
have fair understanding of the word