The Republican journal., 1870-02-10
THE PRESENT ASPECT OF THE PAPER
CREDIT ROBBERY

The stealings, the bold and unblushing
robberies that were perpetrated during the
war, to say nothing Of graver wrongs, are
but an eXemplification Of the old saw--that
twhen the pot boils the scum rises" In
troublous times knayes are certain to get in
to places Of power aud trust, and the people
suffer Shakspere expresses the idea when
he makes the knavish Falstaf counsel the
Prince, on the eve of civil war;" Rob me
the cxchequer, the first thing that thou doest,
and do it with un washed hands, too" The
general rule did no fail in this State during
our late troubles. There clustered about the
capital Il flock of unclean birds, loud in pro-
LESSONS Of patriotism, but sharply intent on
robbing the exchequer. And they succeeded
beautifully.
The report OF the Commissioners which
we publish in the larger part to-day, will
give the public a new insight into this bad
business. 1t exposes the cunning devices by
which the knaves were enabled to effect these
robheries, and shows that the concerted ac-
ton of both State and United States officials
designed to ne checks upon each other, was
needed to carry them out. They stopped
short, however, of their whole duty to the
public, inasmuch as they must have learned
the names of the rascally officials, and fail to
make them public Rumor associates in the
paper credit ring, some high officers of
The STATE ol Maine, an United states
official, acting as A. A. Provost Mar
| shall General OF the State some active non
descripts, who vibratel between Augusta and
Washington, and probably acted as bearers
of truly loyal dispatches for this ring. and
q host of lesser satellites in the Legislature
and out OF it, 1t was not perhaps within the
scope of the Commissioners duty to 60 to
the extent we have Indicated, but they would
certainly have rendered public service in
so doing.
As matters now are, a new Committee,
with power to send for persons and papers,
will have to be formed, if the Republican
party means to pursue the investigation.
| Enough is now known to render certain the
detection of the guilty parties, if the inquiry
! 4
ty has the power to open the sealed volume
in which is written the history Of these trans
actions, and let the people read them, there
can no longer be any doubt. 1t also has the
power to stihe investigation. Which will it
do? Can it afford to be otherwise than
straightforward and single-hearted9 Its
very supremacy in the State may depend on
its course in this particular. If it invcstl-
gates, and goes to the bottom of this bust
ness, it may sacrifice some of its leading
men,-men whose usefulness in the party is
over, and whose adherence can do it no great
good They are widowed ears, liable TO
blight their wholesome brothers. From the
facts already brought out and the temper of
the people of the State, one thing is pretty
clear-ether these men must be exposed and
made to disgorge, or the party that shields
them will be held responsible for a gross
completely with crime. II can choose be-
tween the two.
There is another aspect of the matter,
which is not without its Importance The
people of certain towns have been robbed of
large amounts, for which they failed to re-
ceive, and the country failed to receive, any
value. Their claims for reimbursement are
ignored, while other towns are receiving
what they paid out. The claim upon the men
who took their money is good in law, and can
be enforced. But its enforcement may prove
expensive, as law suits always do. unless
they can have the powerful aid Of a State in
I, vestigaton in bringing out evidence. As
this injustice upon the towns was mainly per
petrated by State officials, is it not Just that
the State should lend its aid i'll righting these
wrongs? We fail to see how any fair-mind-
ed man can decide otherwise.
Although the commissioners give some
figures rs the average price at which these
paper men sold, and approximate in some
cases to the number disposed Of, they do not
arrive at the gross sum of the swindle. We
think, from what can be gathered from the
; report itself that not less than a million dol
lars have been robbed from the people of the
State by this knavery The people Of the
7 swindled towns have to pay their heavy ma
: tional taxation, direct and indirect, thcil
county and State taxes, their ordinary town
taxes, and upon the whole 4 further sum to
; make good the money paid to these robbers
We shall watch the proceedings at Augusta
: and endeavor to keep our readers posted in
this matter. If IN investigation is had, We
shall print the details. If it isn't had we
shall print the reason why they don't have il