The Daily state register. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1870-1872, 1871-08-11

Va
Boutwell,, dated February IS, 1871,
made in reply to a resolution of the
House of Representatives directing
the Secretary to furnish a statement
of the balance due from collectors of
Internal Revenue, who are not now
in office, and the total amount
of the balances so due, as they ap-
pear on the books of the Treasury
department on the Both of June 1870.
The report contains a list of the
names and respective amounts of
such defalcations.
The total amount of these defalca-
tions of collectors of internal rev.
enue alone amounts to $50, 700 9S3.
Over twenty millions dollars gone to
the dogs in this single department d.
This statement is from tie record.
1t is not mere stump authority but a
lamentable fact as shown by Mr..
Boutwell's official figures. Twenty
millions gone into the pockets of
Radical Office holders
1t will be remembered that this
amount vas due on the Both of June,
1S7O-over a year ago, and does not
contain the amounts which are I'M
accounted for since that time, which
would increase the total to unknown
figures.
The confessed robbery of the Gov
eminent and people of twenty mil
lions in a single division of a single
department Is not often alluded to
by those journals which find such
prolific texts in New York finances.
Out of all the long list of these de-
faulters, how many have been brought
to justice and compelled to disgorge?
Nearly all of these men are still at
large, enjoying the proceeds of their
robberies. Scarcely any of them
have been prosecuted-a few have
been compromised-and the balance
linger on the books, waiting for the
next world. If some ignorant grocer
sells a pound of cheese, or a glass of
liquor to a friend, he is liable to dis
cover himself in a United States
Court at the next term, with an en-
ormous fine and the penitentiary
staring him in the face; but twenty
millions due from defaulting collec-
tors of internal creates
scarcely notice in Congress or out of
it. There are too many men inter-
ested in these operations who are
high in the Government, and a con-
slant shield to defaulters. Well may
an Eastern exchange assert, that the
history of no people or country on
earth, can present a parallel to these
wholesale depredations upon the tax
payers. We honestly believe, that
not a fraction over so cents on the
dollar, paid by the people, is appro-
priated to the legitimate purposes of
the government. Were it otherwise,
we should be released from at least
half the burdens which now Cypress
US. With this system of peculation
and fraud unblushingly carried out,
and persisted in with the effrontery
that would shame a highwayman,
how is it possible for the people to
ecove from the prostration which
stiles business. cripples enter
prise, and paralyzes industry?
Nearly six years have elapsed since
the close of the civil war. They
have been six years of excessive tax
alton. The expenses of the Govern
ment have been increased by mil
lions to make places for thieves who
eat up the substance of the people.
Taxes are higher than during the
war-a peaceful condition makes no
For a time, the bounty
expenses for raising the quota of
volunteers was the plea; but most,