Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-01-27
0tforo 1tmofrat.
PARIS, MAINE, JAN. 81, 1871.
THE PAPER CREDITS.
coRRrprIoN EXPOSED.

We give space, this week. 70 quite Il
lengthy Article ON the above subject, II
being the material potion OF The Report
Of the Commissioners appointed 10 IN
vcsdgate the Paper credits, so called.
The first announcement 10 the public
through telegra phic reports. of the re-
suit, arrived at by the Commissioners,
seemed colored With The atmosphere OF
the locality where the original trtnsac
,ious occurred, and were 10 tie effect that
40 prominent parties in Maine were inn
plic..tcd by what MAS divulgc1, and that
an official at Washington "B"lroboo-
la-gha~ affair a. WAS the great criminal.
But perusal Of even so small a porlion
OF the Report rs we publish. forces one
10 a diffcrrn, conclusion. in ourJudgmenl.
The Commission WAS made up Of suits
BILE men, it would sccm-the late Disitic,
Attorney. q. f Talbot, Esq, aIcpublican
Abtam SauJo,u, Esq, democratic law
yer Of acumeu and professional skill. "nd
Gen. seldom Common, soldier of superior
atlainmeut> and character. Some men
vt his panty. however. say that Mr.. San
born bs> not exhibited any inter csI in the
Investigation. AID has done his duty but
poorly. After lapse OF six years from
the date OF the transactions 10 be enquir-
cd into. il is not 10 be wondered at that
the Commission labored under difficulties
in procuring testimony. Parties s'tPpoS
ed io he Implicated had enjoyed the best
OF opportunities or removing all traces
OF irreSu|uity or wrong doing in their
several official Stations Official papers
that should be found on files. ale missing
Clcrh, who might be presumed 10 be cog
nizwt of transactions corrected with
their Offices. were not allowed TO see or
handle certain docments-so that, AZ in
most criminal cases. circumstantiai ard
not positive testimony is all that can hc
procured But this Kind of testimony Is
sometimes Is convincing as any. At any
rate. enough is disclosed in lhe Commits
sio, er'S Report to satisfy the public that
certain men whusc names are connected
with the affair, and " no have, from the
first. been suspected, are culpahiy iuvolv'
cd i'm il. Nor are they cnutiued tO the
dominant political party. Had they been,
the truth might sooner have been discov-
cred. Ii has been charged against The
republican party, that il dare not prose
cute enquiries in the matter, for fear OF
damaging the regulations of prominent
officials in the party. We believe that
rcpuLlicauism IS based upon sufficient
principle and honesty 10 withstand oc'
casional lapses from virtue OF its menu
lcis. When it has not vitality enough to
lop Of all excrcsrenceS in the shape OF
specializing, corrupt and dishonest men,
/, will give way to some other organiza-
lion. rs il should.
The speculation in bounties andfurniSh
ipg men for the war grew out Of Il law of
Congress which seemed 4 just one, that
towns having men in the naval service
should be SLOWED for them. in making up
tbs quotas due; when draft was 70 be
made to supply Deficiencies, then men
We're IN demand The Shipping papers
of Naval Vessels we're carefully scrutiniz
cd. and the names of Maine men procur
ed and credited to the towns where they
had their residence. This was legitimate
and proper. But hcle speculation and
haud commenced The names of men
in the naval service were taken by the
wholesale, sold 10 towns and then made
&c appear residents afterwards. This was
all wrong, and could not he justified by
any fiction of law. II it could DE done
i'm Maine, the same could be done in 9TH
or States, and our government, so sadly
10 want of men i'm the field, be dcfrauded
of them. II involved perjury on the part
of the officials who were making money
So rapidly Il was treason to the govern
ment; il was unpatriolic and most un.
instiiablo 10 those men in the field who
were suffering untold hardships and pro
louged horrors for The rerg lack Of men
which these transactions were withhold
ing. Il is unnecessary TO point out tho
guilty parties whore The report OF the
I Commissioners is laid before the people.
Let the facts speak. and let the guilty
ones suffer the consequences of their acts.
+ One uf them is now in government en-
/ plov as a RereRuc Getector. Is he pecu-
( liarly fitted Tor such Il position? He may
he very active in detecting the frauds OF
others. He should clear his skirts from
all suspicion, before he can be very for
ward in prying into suspicious transac-
tons. It's no credit to The party to have
such officials, aud for one, we wish we
were well rid of them.
When men in government employ grow
suddenly rich. on small salaries, the en-
yious public will indulge in unchartablc
remarks Some of the parties implicated
, i'm the PAPER Credit frauds, were lirs