New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-09-20

the positions assumed by the two Controllers
who maintain their own superiority in all
matters relating to their respective bureaus,
and utter independence Of the Secretary, Mr.
Robson is indebted for the ease with when
he pays out the public money in violation Oh
all law. For in the Senate debate upon the
Secor payment Mr.. Boutwell, escaped his share
of responsibility in that transaction by Dr.
Edmunds of Vermont maintaining that the
power of the Secretary of the Treasury to IN
terfere was not established, and that 1t was
very doubtful if the Second Controller would
have obeyed an order stopping Mr. Robeson'S
requisition If the Secretary of the Treasury
is powerless to protect the peoples money
against swindle like the Secor payment Is
it surprising that the public funds are mis-
appled'
Under Mr.. Boutwell,, excepting perhaps the
| bureau known as the Secretarys Once, over
which he has actual control, and for whose
actions he is personally accountable, the entire
organization of the Treasury seems from the
very first to have been in favor of Rings and the
| interest of Executive jobs. The consultation
with Executive officers concerning tho ap-
pointment Of the accounting officers whose
duly it would be to pass upon their oinclal
acts was an abuse inaugurated by the present
| Administration. Mr.. j. A. j. Creswen, the
sole object of whose appointment as Post
master-G eneral seems to have been the ac-
complishment of tho Chorpenning S443,OOO
swindle, not content with the appointment of
the Rings attorney and his own law partner,
| Earle. rs First Assistant Postmaster General,
and MIR. Giles A. Smith at the head Of the Con-
| tract Office, where Grant had urged Andrew
johnson to appoint him two years before,
next turned his attention to tho Office OF
Sixth Auditor where the appointment OF an
honest man threatened to defeat his well laid
plans, and this appointment by the aid OF MIR.
! Boutwell, he prevented. And it should be
remembered that when Mr. Creswell made
his Chorpenning requistion on Mr.. j. j.
Martin, the Sixth Auditor, and therefore
subordinate officer of the Treasury,
Mr.. Dawes, instead of appealing to Mr. Bout
well to prevent its payment, chose surer
mode of defeating the great fraud by laying
all the facts before the House of Representa-
tives and obtaining the passage of resolu-
ton forbdding the payment of one cent upon
| the Postmaster enerals requisitiOn. Had
| Congress not fortunately been in session, MIR.
Creswell would have been as successful In
robbing the Treasury in behalf of the Choir
pennng Ring as Mr. Robson in behalf of
Secor AS DR.. Brodheads consent was all
that was required in tho latter case, Judge
Martins would undoubtedly have been all
| that was necessary flor the former; and Mr..
Boutwell,, who should justly have been held
| rpsnonsibIe in both instances would have eS-
capped on the plea that although he was Sec
rotary of the Treasury, he had no power to
restrain bureau officer from Illegally paying
out its funds. Such condition of affairs is
an open invitation TO dishonest practices, fol-
the acceptance of which the Secretary of the
Treasury should be held accountable.