Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1872-02-22


just think of this enormous sun. hand
led by men and women. whose salaries
range from 5000 Ia s15.oO per year.
The amount set down for 1874 (the fiscal
YEAR covers only about six months. Dur
ing the eleven and half years embraced
In the above table. the dcfaications have
amounted 10 So .031 ,t5. The clerks com
niItin. them were appointed u.idar MIR.
Lincoln. and both are now in prison.
Take the internal revenue bureaus aud
let u, see what Grant has done 10 secure
honesty there. The total loss by defaica-
lion there up 10 date is s263. 1850. and
three-fourth. Of that accrues (as ia the
case OF Bailey OF the fourth New York dis
irict) through the conduct OF employees
OF former administrations. The defalca-
lions we're generally made then and not
discovered since. One Of "A. is" APP
pointees. Gen. Steadman, ALONG default-d
10 the amount Of S2l2 1885,, 90.
When this administration came into
po~os, the accounts Of but sixty internal
revenue collectors had been adjusted aud
closed. Since the ith Of March. lec9.
those OF 400 have been settled, aud of 30
others superseded since then, $50 of them
have got their accounts closed. and nearly
100 others are nearly in the same position.
suits have been entered against the bonds
of forty collectors, twenty-three of whom
were appointed by johnson. seven by Lin
coin and ten by Grant. Ii does not follow
that all these are really defaulters. When
the tax aba ements, etc, are all adjusted.
| they may all be found honest and correct.
The amount due from the johnson collect
ors Is S191. 963 IS. and the unsolicited and
undated taxes, o. sos. 1851 90; while for
Grants ten. the amount In money IL sl1j.
! GA Gl and of taxes. S3&l bl3. 40.
Then as TO the matter Of suits. &c.
there were 5035 brought by the govern
| ment in 1868: 61i3 in 1870: 6917 in 1871 !;
while the amount ofjudgments recovered
each year was as follows: S7il.191 AZ !;
| o.. 2s2. 255.32; Sl.4l9.06A. 4s; the amounts
! collected were: sl27 .sl0.gi; Sl4l .y13. Us !;
s59i, 1897.
These comparisons would hold good in
all departments. OF the fifteen suits
| brought since March. 1863. for defalca-
| tons in the customs service. the total
| amount involved in which is but small.
! one defendant was appointed by Buchanan,
four by Lincoln, sight by johnson and
two By Grant
Within the last four months, under d.
rect orders Of the President. special agents
have thoroughly oyerbau.ed and inspect
| ed the paymaster's and pension bureaus
and the money order Offices throughout
the country. These three bureaus handle
over ninety millions annually. Only
three cases Of defalcations have been dis
covered, and those are pension agents.
The government loses not dollar in Ell
fher. The amount OF defalcations in the
general pos,oiice for three years has been
e2S3.317,2l, on an aggregate ieceip, and
expenditure Of $3.50. 052, $50 ,96 or loss OF
about one-ninth Of one per cent. Most OF
this loss has bee recovered. or Is In pro-
cess of recovery on the bonds Of officials.
TUE TOTAL SHOWING.
From the 4th Of March. 1853. TO the close
of January. 1917, the aggregate receipts
have been el.l65, 523. 1853; the aggregate
expenditures have been e924. 697 ON, 80. or
total Of o. ,090. 210. 1858.
The actual net losses on all dishonesty
by government officials amounts for the
same period to q .162 963. or about one
sixteenth Of one per cent. II all the defal-
cations be added, most of which will be
recovered on judgment. the loss will b
about One-ninth ofone per cent.
doubt II there 10 any government
emerging from . great civil or military
CONFUSION which can beat this record
No administration, since the earliest ones
can equal il. The people will comprehend
this Is the facts become better known.