The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-07-14
THE no WARD INVESTIGATION

MAJORITY and minority reports were pre-
sented to Congress yesterday by the commit
tee appointed to investigate the charges
which were made against General Howard
some months ago by Fernando Wood. These
reports arrive at Numerically opposite con-
illusions, the majority declaring that Howard
has done great work in a remarkably skilful
and honorable manner; that he is not guilty
of any of the alleged offenses; and that eff
there be anything in the conduct of the affairs
of the bureau which could excite suspicion
even in the breast Of partisan or personal
hate, it is owing to the fact that General
Howard, conscious of his own purity, intent
on his great work, has never stopped to think
of the appearances which men of less con-
scious integrity much more carefully regard.
When they enter into particulars they explain
away the charges which on their face seem to
have an ugly look by the allegation that How
ard was legally entrusted with large discre-
tonary powers, and that he has executed
them with sound discretion. The patent
brick company business is presumably set
tied by the statement that Howard had with
drawn from it before the tumble
down materials for the University
were actually delivered. They deny
that Howard was improperly interested
in private speculations, and conclude their
report with resolution denouncing Woods
charges as 'groundless" and ''causeless :"
The minority, on the other hand, claim that
the majority has labored to prevent full and
fair investigation, endeavoring rather to con-
ceal the truth than to expose it, that he ex-
pended nearly 100000 on the Howard Uni
versity alone that this large sum was
expended upon that institution for
the double purpose of perpetu-
ating his name and fame, and for giving his
favorites opportunities to enrich themselves;
that he unwisely and Improperly invested
public money in bonds issued by church,
which are an unproductive and unreliable
security, giving the bonds, in turn, to asso-
Citations which should have received the
money; that he draws two salaries, one of
$4,000 as a major-general and one of $4,000
as chief of the bureau; and that the other
charges made by Fernando Wood are fully
proven. They conclude with resolution in
structing the Secretary of War to have Gene
raj Howard tried by a court-martial and to
take immediate measures to protect the in
terests of the Government in all matters re-
lating to the funds and property which he
now controls.
These resolutions were made the special
order in the House of Representatives to-day,
and if mere partisan considerations control
that body General Howard will be handsomely
whitewashed. A candid public, however, will
find it difficult to give an enthusiastic en-
dorsement to either the University scheme or
any of its complications. Since the National
Government abstains from erecting costly
universities to instruct the white race, we
can see no good reason for providing facili-
ties, at the public expense, for instructing a
few negroes in the higher branches of
collegiate education. 1t would have been
infinitely better to expend such money as
could be spared in teaching four millions of
negroes how to read, write, and cipher, than
to squander vast sums on pet project which,
under the most favorable circumstances,
could only confer direct benefit upon very
small portion of the colored race. Let the
House vote as it may to-day, we hope it will
never again sanction, directly or indirectly,
anything like the Howard University scheme