The Republican journal., 1870-03-03
A CLUE FOR THE PAPER CREDIT COMMIT

placed to their credit are implicated in the
fraud, is creating some sensation among the
managers Of towns that failed to receive
equalization bonds for their full credit. They
are placed in a delicate position before their
fellow townsmen, and unjustly so, they
claim. To be compelled to share the odium
of this false and fraudulent business, of which
they could know nothing, with the govern
ment officials who were entrusted with full
power over the matter, and who made them
selves rich out Of it, is heapng fraud upon
fraud, and browning robbery with still great :
er wrong.
A single instance will suffice for an exam
pie Hon NJ. r. Mathews, of Warren was
agent for that town in filing its quota under
the call of December, 1864. He was applied
to by several substitute brokers, all, we think
ox-ot1icers of the army, who made offers to
fill the quota. Mr. Mathews made the best
bargain he could, and had the men put in, as
he supposed. We have seen letter from the
broker who claimed to have furnished the
men, saying that the credits represented
live men, approved by the State authorities
and by Mayor Littler, A. A. Provost Marshal
General of Maine" As such Mr.. Mathews
bought them, and as such they were accepted
and rcceipted for, which receipt we have also
seen.
In the course of his bargaining for the men,
the agent for Warren had conversations with
several OF the hangers on about the State
House. When the bargain was completed
and the money paid, the brokers quarrelled
among themselves about the division of the
spoils. They wrote letters to Mr. Mathews.
each accusing the other of cheating, not only
the State and the towns, but his compatriots
in the substitute business. They threatened
to sue the town of Warren for breach of con-
tract. Altogether it is about the richest cor
respondence we have seen for many day.
For the fifteen men, Or names, thus put in
and accepted by the State and the United
States, the town of Warren paid, by Mr..
Mathews, So, $50. Now mark the injustice
While other towns are Unidentified for eX-
pendtures on the same draft, Warren fails to
receive one cent. 1t is not through her fault
OF the fault of her agent It is solely through
the frauds of the officials of the State and the
United States And vet the State Paper
gravcly argues that the cheated are as guilty
rs the cheaters and that, in this rje7c, there
is so much corruption that it had better not
be looked into! And q partizan committee
is formed who daily along in the matter,
summon nowitnesseS make no investigation.
and will finally issue 2 whitc-washing re-
port.
If the Investigation Committee will sum-
mon Mr.. Mathews, take his testimony, read
the correspondence referred to, and follow
out The clue which these afford, they will get
at something tangible. But for the hope that
the committee will act upon this hint, we
would publish the correspondence. of which
we have copy, made under our eye from
the originals. 1t is proper that it should first
be submitted TO the committee
1t must be acknowledged that one town
official is not afraid Of investigation into the
paper credit business. viii the Committee
pursue me nint ,".,, -,ryvm ,,.p...
above
In conclusion, let us say that if the officers
of any other town have been cheated in this
way, and have letters or documents bearing
on the subject. which they will send to us, we
will lay them before the public, if the com
mittce fails to take notice Of the matter. Send
them along
The Prog. Age makes an important dis
closure. 1t asserts that person who profit
ed by the paper credit frauds ''is understood
to be no other than n prominent democrat of
Augusta, and the editor of the Augusta Age
at one period OF its existence" We call the
attention of the committee of investigation
to the fact that there is one individual who
knows what Sis understood"-and that is
coniessing to a good deal in these days of
general ignorance concerning paper credits
Let him be summoned.
prominent democrat dealing in paper
credits A prominent democrat cheek by
iowl with the ''loyal'' thieves that infested
rich by that knavery. In the name Of heaven
who and what is hep Is he an inmate of the
Insane Hospital? Give us his name-tell us
how he looks-send us his photograph
Why, SO far as we knew Democratic editors
at that time, the fate that loyalty" accorded
to them was quite different. The kind that
we knew suffered from mobs, riots, prisons,
prosecutions, abuse. We have q copy of the
Prog. Age, OF the paper credit times, in
which the murder of the editor of this paper
is recommended. And all this while an Au-
gusta democrat, and an editor, was, with
loyal assent, lingering paper credits We
are as much puzzled as was Signor Brabantio
when his daughter married the Niger 1t
must be
| That with some mixtures powerful DER the blood
Or with some dram coniured to this effect
They wrought upon him.
We shall expect next to hear the rash IN
verter of things at the Age Office insist that
Saint Paul was a highwayman, and took
purses in the suburbs of Jerusalem.
But if the editor of the Age knows where
of he affirms, if this thing be known to him,
or he can furnish proof of t-let him not
spare our feelings or those of the Democrat.
sty | Of ,,ct,n L.,