Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-03-03

lhuehuo, represented as acting corruptiy IN the
premises, and as being conspicuousiy connected
with "transaction" which the report is pleased to
denounce as "Wrong and ,nigutoHS -
We pause here for breath !! We will not under
take to comment upon the manifest improperly on
the part of the commissioners of travelling they
have done out Of the record if not out Of ther lin
tied jurisdiction to assai the character and censure
the conduct of federal officer, (whose loss of an
arm in the service attests his patriotism and gall
Iantry at least and ought to shield him from unjust
aspersion,) especially for acts done in the discharge
of his appropriate official duties. Nor will we stop
to enlarge upon the singular spectacle of State
Commission, whose duties entirely local and
chiefly clerical undertaking revise reverse criti-
else, censure and deuounce the doings of an u s. off,
Ger for acts falling within the limits of his conceded
sphere Of duties; though the local commission in
question, instead of the United States authorities,
were the proper tribunal before whom he should be
arraigned and tried for shgh crimes and msde-
meanors," real or fancied But let us proceed at
once to examine into the truth or falsity Of the
statements contained in the above cited portion of
the very "remarkabe" Report of our somewhat
presumptuous Assumption Commissioners.
La the first place it is not true that Maj. Gardi-
ner denied his approval of the "remarkable list"
In question, when first presented to him; on the
contrary after an examination of the official sigma
lures to the certificates appended to the 'lst, pro-
nounced them genuine and permitted some 20 or
80 'names" to be quotaed. Subsequently however
Maj. u. caused those names to be stricken off, re-
making that he preferred to consult the authorities
at Washington in reference to the whole matter.
He accordingly forwarded the list to Washington
asking for instructions in the premises. In the
of a few weeks this remarkable list" came
back bearing upon it written endorsement by
Provost Marshal General Frye with peremptory
orders to the A. A. Provost Marshal General of
Maine to quota. Maj. Gardiner had given place
to Major Littler meanwhile; so the papers came
into the possession of the latter. Thus it will be
seen that the list not 'rejeofed by Maj
Gardiner, but simply his approval withheld,
awaiting orders from Washington 1t will also be
seen that what the report says about the ''reap-
pearance of the with the rejected list, +"
and about there being ''no official veto hencefor-
ward upon the filling Of quotas" is purely fancy
SKETCH entirely destitute of foundation. The ''man
from Washington" did not reappsay for the reason
tina. he remained in Augusta all the while; and
the list itself isft the POSSESSION Of the
ton tot hat Of ats final aiiowance. The parties
connected with this '' remarkable list" had
ne more to do with the displacement of Maj. Gardi-
ner than the author Of this remarkable" Report,
or the ''man in the moon" was it possible
(from the inconsequental character politically
sdered, of all the persons interested in the "lst')
that they should have exerted any influence, d-
rectly or indirectly, upon Provost Marshal Gen.
Frye to obtain the decision he made in the
premises. 1t will likewise be seen that the change
in the office of A. A Provost Marshal of Maine had
no influence whatever upon the question Of the
rejection allowance Of the 'list;" ard that Maj.
Lttler had discretion whatever in the premises.
as Maj. Gardiner would have had none had he re-
mained in office, but to allow these credits. And
hence the insinuation that had Maj Gardiner re-
mained here instead of giving place to Maj Litter,
the result would have been totally different, is
entirely grouudess.
Now if the commissioners considered il a part Of
their duty, they seem to have done, to investi-
gate the doings Of federal officers in the matter Of
filling quotas, aud of the connection of private
citizens Herewith. it must be confessed that they
singularly unfortunate in their efforts to
obtain correct information upon those points. They
do not appear to have solicited Information from
any body possessing any personal kDowledg ge Of the
transactions into which they wished to inquire, but
relied wholly upon ''rumor" and the crude state
/ ments volunteered by loquacious but uniuformed
individuals. Had they been earnest and faithful
seekers after the truth, they might have supplied
themselves with reliable information the subject
either by inquiry Of parties possessing knowledge
Of the matter, or by an examination Of the testi-
mony taken before the Investigating Committee Of
the Legislature of 1866, then file in the Office Of
the Secretary of State. Had they sought light
from proper quarters they would have saved them
selves from the unpleasant task Of making the
humiatng confession that they could not peach for
The correctness Of statements, upon the assumed truth
of which they had rested their charges and insnua-
tions Of fraud and corruption.
But the most singular part Of this most singular
report remains to be noticed In the teeth OF the
confession Just made that they would not vouch for
the correctness Of the "statements' retaied by
themselves veritable history, they do virtually
poch for thar correctness in their concluding remarks
upon this branch of the subject, when they de-
'ths ohois transaction" 'torong and g,.t-
ous, and affirm that ''aH who actveiy participated IN
IT, passipeiy consented it, hape an unpleasant ae-
settle ,th theg conseicnces and ssifre-
specs at least If neuey ,uth the uronyed people and
insfituiions.' Wrong and ,niquitols p most
reckless assertion, unsupported by IL single particle
Of proof, Horc ''wrong and inquitous :" How a
wrong to the government when the transaction was
the result of the uninfuenced action Of its own
oIicials1 Hop a wrong to the municipalities when
according to the showing of the report itsel these
municipalities knew the character of the "transac-
tion," and got what fully answered their purpose,
and at a less price, too, than other municipalities
paid for filling their quotas by enlistment! Holo
wrong to the army Of the Potomac, when that army
needed no additional numbers to help them
''pant" in the trenches around Richmond, and
when it is borne in mind that ii these few hundred
credits had all been newly enlisted men, AS ''braye
as Julius Caesar they could not have got to the
front in season to have facilitated forward
movement" or to have rendered feasible any other
nm voA x,ln g