New-York tribune., 1872-09-26
UARTPANFT And BILLING FELT.

The managers of the Grant campaign in
PENNSYLVANIA are very anxious to convey the
idea that the opposition to Hartranfts election
ia mainly limited to Philadelphia, and depends
ON the influence which Mr. FOrney and his
press are supposed to exercise. The exact re-
verse is the truth. The strongest feeling ad-
verse to the Cameronian Ring, of which
Hartranft is the accredited head, is in rural
Pennsylvania, and nowhere more so than
in Republican Lancaster-Thaddeus Stevens s
home. 1t is a mistake too to suppose that the
only, or the chief inculpatiOn of these guilty
men, is in connection with the
YerkesD scandal. That is bad enough,
and from its strange peculiarities-its
PenitentiaTy flavor, as 1t were
attracts most attention but if Gov. Geary-
as he probably will, though reluctantly-par-
dons Hartranft's felonious partners, and they
give him in return a clean bill of health, and
disavow all the aflidavits they have made, a
great deal remains with which "Dear Yerkes
has nothing whatever to do. Gov. Curtin, In
his terrible arraignment, does not cOndescend
to notice the convict matter. That he leaves
to Geary. And, beside this, grave charges OF
official malfeasance present themselves at dis
tant points. We have spoken of Republican
Lancaster. There resides q Republican ex-
Senator Mr.. Esaias Billingfelt. He Is Re
former, though, as we regret TO learn, not a
supporter of Greeley. His utterances against
the Hartranft Ring have no uncertain sound
He writes and speaks plainly and boldly, and
no threats or Establishments divert him. We
have before us The Lancaster ErpreSs and
there find the specific charges against Hart
ranft which Senator Billingfelt makes, and in
no one of them is the name of Yerkes men
toned. We give them exactly as we find
them, simply omitting the pungent comment
that accompanies them.
1, That "tho Auditor General has permitted the
practice of system in his department Of settling some
OF the most important public accounts without requiring
duly authenticated properly qualified vouchers TO
which no prudent business man in his individual trans
actions would submit"
q. That "our State war claims against the General
Government, amounting to nearly s300OOOO we're per-
mtted too long sumber in the hands OF irresponsible
parties and all information in regard to the same such
as the plain act OF Assembly requires withheld by the
Auditor General from the public and denied TO indiyidu
ais who had the right to demand such information, until
public opinion throughout the entire commonwealth
was aroused Indignation in consequence OF this neg
lect of official duty"
3. I1aL tine slnklDB lunu, OF WHICH lno AuutOi
General is one OF the three Commissioners, and who
holds the balance Of power Board. has been used
to large extent by individual favortes for speculative
purposes instead of being applied to the purposes for
which it was solely createdhe extinguishment Of the
public debt" g.
L. That "due diligence has not been used, nor have
proper efforts been made, to reduce State debt as
rapidly the funds in the treasury may justify as
both the law and proper regard for the interests Of the
public require"
s. That five millions OF State loans have for
some time been overdue and still bearing interest
WHILE according official reports, there has been for
years an average unexpended balance OF over million
and half Of dollars in the State Treasury"
G. That "upOn several occasions efforts were made to
secure legislation which. had they been successful
would have increased the public debt millions Of dollars
and decreased the assets the sinking fund millions
more 1t is already well known to the public that the
Republican candidate for Governor recommended the
former. and the candidate for AuditorGeneral was
conspicuous in the latter attempt"
Here are distinct charges by responsible
accuser of breaches of fiduciary duty, which,
if committed in private life, would sink any
man irrecoverably. He who makes them is
confessedly an honest man, whom his immedi-
date ellow-citizens know and trust. His
charges are clearly established by documentary
evidence adduced by Mr.. Billingfelt in q
speech since made at Lancaster These are
Just the offenses which, in rural Pennsylvania
and especially in so steady and conservative q
community as Lancaster County, cannot be
hardened If an executor or testamentary
trustee, or director of bank or saving fund
in Lancaster were to do one 1.-THE OF what is
there imputed to this political trustee, he
would hardly run for Congress, or the State
r. k,r Al
Hartranft, who does it all, asks the farmers
of Lancaster County to vote for him for Gov.
ernor!