The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-05-04
HOW TO ROB THE GOVERNMENT,


HOW TO ROB THE GOVERNMENT.
We have heard Of great many de-
falcations of officers of the Federal
Government during the past few years,
but we have no recollection Of hearing
that in any case the surety Of the de-
faulter has been required 10 pay to the
Government the sum stipulated in the
official bond. The officer takes all the
money he can get his hands on and
makes trip to Europe. After pleas
ant tour of two or three years, he re-
turns to this country and lives in luxury
during the remainder OF his life. If he
has been fortunate enough to make a
big haul, say three or four hundred
thousand dollars, the affair is speedily
hushed up, no prosecution is instituted
against either him or his sureties, and
the Government pockets the loss.
Half dozen or more Paymasters in
the Navy have been detected in stealing
large sums OF money, from thirty thou
sand to fifty thousand dollars each, and
what is the penalty? They are simply
dismissed from the service, but neither
they nor their bondsmen are expected
TO make restitution to the government
for any portion Of the stolen funds.
There are more than hundred default
ing Collectors Of Internal Revenue now
in the country, some Of whom owe more
than a quarter Of a million Of dollars.
Their frauds were detected and they
were removed from office several years
ago, but no portion Of the money has
vet been restored, nor is the govern
ment making any effort that we have
ever heard of for its collection or for
the punishment OF the defaulters.
About ten days ago the Pension Agent
at New York city went away with
nearly sixty thousand dollars, but no
suit has been instituted against his
bondsmen nor is any search being made
for the fugitive.
But while the government thus dis
plays its paternal leniency toward the
big rogues, it is particularly severe upon
the little ones. If a cigar manufacturer
is detected in selling a handful Of stogies
without having the box from which they
were taken duly sealed and stamped,
he is made to feel what fearful thing
it is to fall into the hands Of the law
Agents and informers are paid to 60
behind work benches and counters,
pry into odd corners and peep through
key-holes and back windows in order to
detect people in the emission Of two
cent stamp and arraign them for viola
ton Of the revenue laws. The penal
ties are heavy enough, as many luck
less tradesman knows to his cost, and
many confiding bondsman has been
ruined BY his principal having ignorant
ly deprived the United States treasury
of thirty or forty dollars. But when
a Naval Paymaster or Collector of
Internal Revenue, or Pension Agent
absconds with sum that can only be
written in five or six figures; leaving as
his sureties, the names of eight or ten
of the most prominent and wealthy men
of his party in the locality where he
lived; the affair never reaches the
courts, and nooue is expected to dis
gorge.
If we are to have a monarchy over
the United States, as some appearances
seem to indicate we may, it is to be
hoped that along with its denial Of
popular rights may come its reform in
the public service. A King or an En-
peror whose personal revenues are
diminished by the populations OF dis
honest official, will hold that officer re-
sponsible, or cut of both his official and
his physical head. If iauy Inflated
wretch were to abstract FIVE dollar
greenback from the private purse of his
Excellency, President GRANT, he would
speedily learn that that style Of robbing
the government was exceedingly un-
comfortable in its consequences But
in government Of the people, the idea
has come to prevail that what is every
bodys business is nobody's business"
and thus, when the defaulter has friends
and is plentifully supplied with "the
sinews of war; be stands an excellent
chance of escaping all punishment or
responsibility for his crime.