The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-09-28
THE NATIONAL FINANCES
"Mystifcation" of Accounts
Discrepancies in the State
ments of Treasury
Officials.


inst, contains long and carefully pre-
pared comparison Of various statement
that have been officially made concern
ing the condition of the nationa
finances. The result is such as mus
suggest not only a criminal loosenes
and inaccury in the manner Of keepin!
the public accounts, but also suspicion
of the ENLIGHTENMENT by some person o
persons OF large sums of public money
To enable the reader to comprehend a
a glance the discrepancies set forth II
in full by the World, the followin!
recapitulation is presented:
Difference on payment OF public
debt between March ], 1867, and
December /, 1870, shown by
comparison between the Secre-
tary's annual report and The
monthly statements OF March
/, 1863, and December /, lS7O..... s2S33, IL
Difference on purch Sc and CAM
collation. OF gold lntereSt-bear-
ing bonds Shown 10y detailed
statement Of the Treasury De-
DdrlmenI and the monthly
statements OF May l, 1863, and
December /, lS1O.....-......"....... 2,oJ),oJ
Difference between Increase ana
decrease OF public debt princl-
pal for December, 1917, eXllD-
tied by COMPARISON OF monthly
statements dated December l,
1870, ana January /, lo'l............ 6,699, II
Difie! cuce iii the amount applied
10 reduction OF pubic uGDt prlu-
cIpdl between june ~, 1865, and
July /, 1870, shown ny cOmpdr-
Ing the annual reports OF oecre-
taTy tor 1863 ana 1870 with his
own statements and those OF
United states Trei1uier........... 1865 Us
Prete nded payments vi the Treas
ury Department III excess OF
receipts between June ) 1908,
and July /, 1870, exhibited by
comparing reports OF the scc-
retrry ana United States TIES
............ ...... q $50, g.
Difference on pubic ueDs, July L,
1869, us per official statements
Secretary Bou well .........,......... 47,Il7 81
Difference of public debt prlnci-
pal, July |, loU9, as per statement
OF Commissioner Wells ana
amended statement oI Secre-
tary.................................. $3.50 So
OF public de0t, July i, lS7O......... 1861 IS
Differences between Secretary
Boutwell, and Treasurer SPIN
ner, on principal OF public debt
outstanding July l, I07O............ lO9,CSO, 81
Difference between Commission
er Wells and treasurer spin
ner, on unpaid principal or
debt July /, lo'U............"........ JO,-O',o9
No unfairnesS or misrepresentation
has been used in making this exposI
ton. The quotations and figures have
been faithfully copied from the otficia
reports of the Secretary and his sub
ordinates in the department. Ih
deductions are only such as any ration
al man, with the facts before him
would he forced to make.
The discrepancies revealed by a com
parison OF the reports, statements, an
exhibits Of only two fiscal years var.
from $3,0OO,OOO to upwards $4,000
900. The Secretary, as may be seen
cannot prepare two statements GOVERN
the same period of time without vary
ing to the extent of many millions G
dollars. His subordinates in the depart
ment make financial statements differ
ing from his own TO an amount vary
Ing from $lO9,0O0,OO0 to Sl56 ,OOO,O UL
Yet so the public are informed, all thes
financial reports, statements and eXh
bits are faithful transcripts OF the publ
accounts. What banker, merchant, O
manufactures would rest satisfied wit
such conflicting statements from thel
own books? Not onel They woul
see irretrievable ruin staring them /
the face, and content themselves wit
nothing less than minute and rlgl
investigation. Are the national az
counts of less importance than those c
a private individual? If not, VIII
should not the Radical administrator
of the national finances be called to
stern account, and made to disclose tn
rottenness of the Treasury Department
Will the people act, or do they preie
to wait until national ruin is added
individual bankruptcy? Let the severa
States, yet to hold elections, answer tn
question.
With the damaging and damnin
truths unfolded by a comparison OF oft
cial statements, what becomes OF tn
Radical boast that the national fnar
es have, under their regime. bee
managed with wisdom, efficiency, an
economy. Let the people reflect an
judge.