The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1872-01-11
oTTUMwA wAPML0 COUNTY IOWA THURSDAY, JANUARY Il

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IVUNA ~ WW1 A0U0l
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;rc,cn .nd 1.n.nd.d - NJ p-orn
inc S : rst;Hcs,;"n os tha saia 'nndar
thee the contraot ,nsda for them Nv mo
which wss snhatant;silv afecrsd
tbronoh tho form IF. snnnlema an,al
t-ast,s 49, ~ ,r;th .hap -, tha
President ana ratified nv the Senate
with mt thraa d;sssn;;ng vct.s
Tha m.l,c;on. ;ns;nns.;on vss rsfu
tad hv the nuhl;shed tnst;monv 81
Iov And othars of ennallv h;ch char
ectar shnr;n. th.t S;d 10, and
could not nossshlv have had snv no'
cnn;arv ;ntsrsst = Tho ,rans.os;onf r.
Th;: -.s soiInwed hr annthar lot
.o- ....r.;sa 49, fh.d ~arnsaa 20 ~
=, scccnt sSs .ha ~ S..t - .sot;on @ nf ,ha | Ksrsas ~
hrsnch i @ oftha I1n;on Pacific Ra;lroad
hecausa = hsa not baen constrnct al
a. narfactlv = tha i. : rann;rad nnt;l
I sav tho officars Dripatein and then
accantad 4 ;mnlvinr thni I had hean
induceo ~ orine 20 cnange my OF
sha nrhl;shad ta.t;monv of Gsnor:,
palmar the trassnrer and hcok keonar
OF the company, ano Dy the Execu-
tive records, showing that / never
did change my Judgment on the SUBJ
ject, and was overruled by she Prosi-
dent of the United States on an ap-
peal from my decision.
Finding that all Of his charges ap-
preaching dofniteness, were prompt
" overthrown he adopted the safer
course Of calling on me TO explain IN
detail the conduct Of other officers of
the department, including Superin-
tendent Sells; charging him infer
entially with corrupt use Of the pub
lie funds. The substance of this
fourth letter Of III v. B, is repro
duced in tho Register Of the 9th ult.,
over the signature Of "Old Guard," "
whose real name, tho editor for rea-
sons satisfactory TO himself has re-
fused, on my request, to disclose. It
is also reprinted In the "Jeferson
Bee" with more minuteness, and
again published in the REGISTER of
Dec. 3Oth. Fellow citizens, let it be
supposed for . moment that Super.
intendent Sells did act corruptly,
which l do not believe, and which NO
one OF the multiplied thousands Of
the people Of Iowa who know him
will believe, in what way could that
fact prove the dishonesty of the Sec
retary Of the INTERIOR He was ap-
|poipted hF. the President, by and
Wlfh the sdVlpo I'D consant ofa No
Senate gave bond nd security Tor
: faithful discharge Of his duties |;
who was discharged with every cent
he ever received On the books of the
Treasury Department. to which De-
partment ali his accounts were SUBJ
mitted for settlemept: where his
vouchers have ali been examined by
the proper Auditor and Comptroller
of the Treasury: and as I have been
informed, the books have long since
been balanced and his bondsnien dis
charged. It would be no moro IN
fair to hold the Socresary Of War re-
sponsible for the recent defalcation
Of Paymaster Hodges or of any
Quartermastor or CnInniesary IN the
Army, than to hold the Secretary OF
the Interior responsible for the posi-
BILE malfeasance or misteasance OF
superintendent OF Indian Affairs.
There is this difference, however, be-
tween the case OF paymaster Hodges
and Superintendent Sells Hodge
has been proven guilty OF the the
misapplicstion OF q large amount Of
the public fnnds-while it has not
been shown that Sells misapplied o
single dollar. 1t is not even infera-
BILE from the high price paid by him
in some cases for provisions, because
it is demonstrated by the official re-
cords that he purchased at the low
ests possible rates and that the
officers of the army at posts no more
difficult of access, paid ut the same
time, prices equally great, and in
some cases, greater.
But the Re0ister, taking shelter