Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-11-23


name of a very high officer OF the
government; but the sole effect WA,
to cover the anonymous charges with
instant and utter contempt. One Of
these assaults was upon the Treas
urer of the United States, General
Spinner--a gentleman whose name
is the synonym of honor and iinan-
cial skill, and who has long filled
without the least shadow of real re-
proach one of the most arduons and
responsible positions in the financial
service of the country. The papers
that thought the storm of indlgra-
| tion against the Tamnany Rini-
would blow over shouted that it was
positively known that every de-
partment Of the government is reek-
ing with corruption, and that mill
ions OF the public money have been
distracted from the treasury" There
was an imposing quotation OF iig-
ures, and the hope was to throw sus-
picion upon General Spinner.
Tho Treosurer was then in Europe,
and upon his return the article was
shown to him, and he has thought il
to be his duty to publish card, in
which he considers the charges in
detail and explains in the simplest
and most satisfactory manner every
thing which he does not plainly ex-
pose as Indignantly false. Ofcourse
! the charges were not believed TO be
true by those who made them. They
were intended as Il counter CRY to the
public voice of wrath against the
Tammany thieves, and to produce q
little party capital. They made
good enough Morgan until after the
election. But General Spinner pro-
perly thought that the specific nature
of the charges demanded an explana-
tion. Yet q public officer OF so pure
character naturally felt somc in
dignation al the necessity, and his
words warm into cloquencc as he
ends his letter. There is just and
honorable pride in his reference to
himself, and his concluding sentence
is one that we ought to lay by heart.
We quote the last part of General
Spinnei's card:
| General charges against my Off
cial character, or against the man
agement OF the Office given me In
ciiars-, -" -nnvnr noticed. These
charges were however soimaiciouois
specific that even fair-minded men
who did not know me, nor the facts
nor the character Of those who pub
lished them. might be led to believe
that there might be some foundation
in truth in them.
~ ~
"Another reason was, because 1
hold that the people have a right
not only ITO believe, but to know,
that their servants who administer
their public affairs, or who have the
custody and disposition OF their
money, are faithful and honest.
When / first entered public lite,
more than forty years ago, made
4 it law to myself never to doan OIL
cinI act that 1 was not willing every
body should see me do. This rule
have never broken In single in
stance, and SO long as God continues
to give me strength TO adhere,
never will break it. / have now
held this office more than ten years,
and in that time have perhaps had
Tall opportunities, and what would 10
some have been such temptations ior
making money as have rarely Deeh
put in the reach Of any man,
II might easily have become rich
by speculation In stocks hy my fore
knowledge OF the Governments IN
tentions in advance Of others. l
have never used this knowledge for
my own or the interest OF any other
person since have been intheo eofiice,
and have never engaged In any spec
ulations, nor In any business what
lever. / have given my whole Tune
and attention, night and day, to ne
utter neglect Of my own, to ihe care
OF the public business and Interest;
and in consequence am now, ut That
age that Is the time allotted TO man
in this world, as poor In pecuniarT
things us i was on the day came
into this Office. / have but little TO
leave to my children save an honest
reputation, and that 1t IL ny i'lf-
pose to keep, end, If necessary, to de-
iend even to the extent OF appealing
to the criminal courts Of the country
for the correction of its libeiers
have never taken, nor permitted otil'
ers to take, from the Treasury IL 80
gle cent, nor any greater amoun' y.
c1pt by authority Of law.
/ Ifthere are wrongs III thla err,
or herein the Department, or II there
have been any since have bee' +.
1T, l have been in entire igI'rr'
them, and feel quite sure that mono
others (except such rs have been oiii-
cially reported. and whenever re-
ported the parties implicated have
\ koao ,,,,ra,,ed ou1 whngY cauYut. were