Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1870-07-27
THE HOWARD INVESTIGATION

Gen d. o Howard. the PeckshiAi
an head Of the Frcedmrn's Bureau
swindle, is just nov. peculiarly prom.
inent persnnngc lie has been inv6el
iigaied bya Congressional Committee
OF seven Radicals and two Democrats,
the Former of whom made white.
washing majority report aud the lat.
ter scuthiug expose OF the official
misconduct Of this religious and pa
triotio pretender.
Although the Radical members Of
the committee were doubtless selected
with view to the vindication OF
Howard, we understand that several
of them signed the majority report
with intense reluctance, That this
report WAS made 10 scrccn the Radi.
Gals from the odium which true
statement of Towards acts would
have brought upon them and their
party, is too evident to admit of dis
puie, Tor large proportion of his
frauds were committed for the benefit
OF that party. Everything possible
was done 20 prevent fair and full in
vesiigation The majority refused to
subpoena witnesses suggested by the
minority and refused 20 allow Ques-
tions perfectly proper and necessary
to elicit the truth Hence the minor
ity report, which is sufficiently con-
elusive, is not so strong against Gen.
/ Howard as fair examination would
! I,,ua ,''..-sa..s..d
The fund placed in Towards hands
for disbursement, without sufficient
checks or guards to prevent frand, eX-
ccedtd the entire expenditures Of the
General Government during the eight
years of Washington administration,
and the field of his operations was
greater in extent than the area Of
France, Prussia, Austria, Italy, Great
Britain and Ireland. Over all this
vast area were scattered Howard's
agents and satellites, in the shape Of
bruken.down New England preachefs,
many of whom had been compelled to
leave even that hotbed Of humbug
and imposturc, acknowledgements from
the same region, oratorical nogfoesj
pious camp folluwers,cx commssaries,
quartermastcrs aud needy and seedy
adyenturers of all sorts, all of whom,
OF course, were "trooly luil and all
of whom were in receipt of salaries
from the fund entrusted 10 the head
OF the Black Bureau. Sume Of these
vagabonds are now preachers in the
South, some are in the Legislatures,
some are in both branches of Con-
gress those of the Whittem0fe.
Dwees-Sypher stamp-and almost all
of them have waxed fat aud saucy
under the kind care and protection &c
their head shepherd, Howard. A more
corrupt set Of hypocrites and scoun-
drcls never infested any country. Ii
ca Oates was Christian gentleman
in comparison with these snivellinG
aud theiving villains, and Alfred jim
gle aud his fearful friend would have
refused to associate with such vermin.
Through the agency Of these saint
8 scuundrels and scalawags, Howard
not ouly established churches, Sunday
and secular schools, but Savings
Banks. by which institutions tho col.
oIed lands under his charge were
most beautifully hceced A poor
dark wonld cnlist, during the war,
for the bounty OF 5000 to 5000 This
money, all but some $50 he would be
required TO depusit in some one of
these Savings Banks, the cashier givs
ing the victim book in which the
Fdeposit was acknowledged If the
negro died or got killed, or deserted,
no one ever gUl the money. If the
book was not lost, the bank would
say that the money had been trans
ierred to another branch OF the main
institution, located Ia some other
State. long distance of; and when
the claimants went or sent TO this
branch, they, or their messenger,
was sent to another and 80 on, un@
III they would be compelled to give
up the chase. Often the men them
selves who deposited the money would
be unable to get il again If one of
them lost his book, his money was
lost to him, sure. OF the thousands
of negroes who enlisted, (and Massa-
chuselts and other "loil' States made
up their quotas from among the
Southern negroes whom they loved
50 tenderly } a majority lost their
bounty money through these swind-
ling banks founded 10y the pious How
ard. The amount OF money realized
10y the Bureau thieves from this source
amounted TO millions, in addition to
the millions entrusted TO them by the
government. If "a fair and searching
Investigation into the affairs of these
Savings Banks throughout the South
could be had, a system of fraud and
corruption would be revealed such as
the world never before heard of-and
T all in the name of God and humanity
for the sake OF tho "poor dowu-trod-
den African y
The minority report well says, in
conclusion, that "such opportunities
aud temptations were never before in
the history of the world held out TO a
gang of eager and hungry cormomnts.
The means of covering up their tracks
and cuncealing their irauda were am
pie and complete, and the means of
their detection imperfect aud il.
lusivc. The facts elected have been
gotten at with difficulty, aud were
mainly wrung from reluctant and on.
twillihg witnesses. They give but
glimpse into the dark and wicked
Vaccinations that can only be fully
reviewed when all mankind stands
unmaskcd at the bar OF final accounts.
The evidence is fast disappearing,
most Of il being in the control of the
implicated, aud even with a commit
tee or tribunal anxious to drag these
transactions into the light of day u
comparatively small portion of the