Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-08-11
Democratic Tactics.

Democratic Tactics.
1t being found necessary by the
democratic managers to divert the
attention OF the country from the
contemplation of the gigantic Tam
many frauds recently laid bare to
the inspection of the public, and
finding nothing in the actual record
OF the Republican party which
would serve as anything like an off
set to those rascally transactions,
the next resort was to twist some
perfectly honest and straightfor-
ward transaction into the appear
ance of villainv. They have ac-
cordingly laid hold of the operations
of the Internal Revenue Bureau, and
sthe peculiar manner Of keeping ac-
counts with Collectors rs the thing
to serve their purpose. Doubtless
most of our readers are aware that
the uncoIlected balances in the
hands of a Collector Of Internal
Revenue at the time he rctires from
Office are charged against him on
the books of the department, not
withstanding he has tarned them
over to his successor ana taken his
receipt for the same. They are so
kept charged against him until
actually collected by the new collect
or or abated by the government.
Thus there will appear an apparent
delinquency against an officer when
| there is none in fact, and he has re-
ligiously accounted for every cent
of public money which ever came
into his hands. This peculiar man.
ncr of doing business at the Internal
Revenue office is seized upon by
the democratic newspapers, and
long lists of "Repubican detaulters"
are Haunted in their columns, and
great agony is INDUCED in over the
"millions" lost by these same
rascally collectors. The Dubuque
Herald, which is never behind in
such dirty work, one day this week
printed a list of Iowa Collectors,
setting opposite each name the sum
for which he was "dctaultcr." In
/ this list were Col. Henderson, of
Dubuque, the sum against whom
was some 100000; Levi Fuller,
$4,000, zoo; S. b. Hewett, IA 200, 200,
&c. Unfortunately for the effect Of
the Hera3d'a expose, Col. Henderson
addressed the editor of that paper
a note setting forth the facts in the
case, and showing what he very
we'll knew before, that he had paid
to the government every cent he
had collected while in Office, and had
the receipt of Gen. Trumbull, his
successor, for the uncollccted bal
ances in his hands upon retiring
from the position. So, as to Col.
Henderson, the NeraW was com
PEELED the next day to make re-
traction and acknowledge that 50
/ far from being a defaulter, ''his ac-
counts have been settled in full with
balance due" and that che is all
straight with the government"
Now as Col. Henderson stands on
precisely the same footing as the
other suctaulters' on the Uernia'S
list, it follows that they also are call
straight with the government"
But the mcanness Of the Weruld'$
attempt to make capital out OF this
matter, lies in the fact that the cdi-
tor was knowing to the above facts
regarding the method Of charging
balances in the department, and
also to the fact that a portion at
least of the gentlemen whom it set
down as defaulters, were what it
I was afterwards compelled to ac-
I knowledge regarding Col. IIender-
son, call straight" And yet know
ing this and for the sole purpose Of
misreprescnting its readers and to
F, serve base party ends, it did not
: hesitate to publish the lie in ques-