The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1871-03-30
Total by ten collectors !

The total amount of these apparent de-
falcations by the 800 collectors named by
Mr., Boutwell, foot up over twenty mill
ion 7
:, When these charges were made public,
Vice President Colfax, Senator Sherman,
and other distinguished Republicans en-
deavored to explain the figures away, and
declared that the amount lost was the nat
ural evaporation Of the money as 1t passed
through the tax-colleetors' hands. 1t ap-
peQrs that this explanation was not entire
ly satisfactory to the tax payers, and on
the 18th day of December, 1870, Mr.. Win
chester, by unanimous consent, submitted
the following resolutions which was read
considered, and agreed to: -
RESOLVED, That the Secretary of the
Treasury be and he is hereby directed TO
furnish this House a statement Of the bal
ances due from collectors OF internal reye-
nue. who are now In Office, and the total
amount of the balances so due az they ap-
pear on the books of the accounting OH
eers Of his department on the thlrtleth
day of June, 1870 that he further inform
this House what amount Of said balances
has been paid, and In detail by whom,
SINCE the second day of May, 1870 :. the
names of the collectors who have been
sued on the bonds since their removal
from Office, with the cause of removal IN
each case; by what President said collec-
tors were appointed, and by what Presi-
dent they were removed.
The resolution offered in March called
for outstanding balances on the S0th Of
June, 1869, while the resolutions of De-
leember 13, 1870, called for statement of
the balances outstanding on the Both of
June, 1870. 1a
On the 14th Of February. 1871, Mr..
Morgan, of Ohio, brought this matter to
the attention of the House In the course
of his remarks he said:
These sir are vital queries. 1t is due.to
the country. it is due to the persons
charged with large balances against them
on the books Of the Treasury, that the,
facts should be fully and fairly made
known. Strange 10 say, more than two
months have elapsed since the passage OF
that resolution, ard the Secretary of the
Treasury has not yet deigned to reply
why were lueIc OOO COllCCLOT5 IC1uONcoi
If the balances were still unpaid, why
have not the collectors been sued on their
bonds? In the hope that the House
would require that the Secretary of the
Treasury to comply with its directions, on
the 3Ist of January, 1871, Mr.. Winchester
offered the following / read from the
Daily Globe of February 1st instant:
Mr. Winehester-I ask unanimous con-
sent to offer the following preamble and
resolution: le ,.I
WHEREAS, On the 18th of December,
1870, the following resolution, to WIT -
(Resolution as quoted above.)
Be Il resolved, That the Secretary of
the Treasury be directed to report to this
House the cause Of his Noncompliance
with said resolution.
Mr.. Judd-I object.
The Secretary Of the Treasury not only
fails to answer the House resolution, but
the champions of the Administration lob
Ject" TO a resolution calling upon the Sec
retary for an explanation Hence, sir, i
bring this matter to the attention of the
House and country, that it may be known
how this Government is administered.
Mr. Lawrence, a leading Republican
member from Ohio replied al will see
that the information is given to the salts
faction of the gentleman and the country"
This was two weeks and four days be-.
fore the adjournment, and two months af-
ter Mr.. Winchester's resolution had been
offered But Secretary Boutwell, did not
and will notreply. The doors of the Treas
ury are barred againt the intrusion of Con-
gress, and the books of the Treasury are
sealed against the curiosity, of the tax
payers. Gtii -a-.l-5i1lt5Ll
The demand for investigation did not
stop here On the 14th of March, instant,
General Morgan, of Ohio, asked but failed
to obtain leave to introduce the resolu-
tions in substance as above noted OBJ
lection was made by Messrs. Bingham, of
Ohio and Butler, of Massachusetts,.
For once Bingham and Butler acted to-
gether; for once they sprang to their feet
in a common cause-to prevent inYestiga-
ton into the condition of the Treasury !;
to prevent the people from learning what
amount of their taxes was still owing from
revenue collectors. This is remarkable
state of things, and well calculated to ex-
cite distrust and discomfort among an
taxed and over-plundered people.