The sun., 1872-08-29
Conscience Money.


received at the Treasury Department on
Monday from person in York, Pennsyl-
vania, who had retained that amount from
different taxes collected during the war,
but having become n Christian, his con-
science admonished him to return the
money! and he has done so accordingly.
What great thing it would be for the
people of this country If the men who, by
the help Of Gen. GRANT, have defrnuded
the United States out of millions of money
should also become Christians and should
obey the ndmonitions OF conscience and
bring back their ill-gotten plunderl
In the first place there is the large sum
of half n million or thereabouts which had
been retained by Secretary STANTON on
account OF frauds committed by contrac-
tors for forage delivered at the Alexandria
depot for the animals belonging TO the
Army Of the Potomac. These frauds were
detected and proved by the energy and
penetration Of the Hon. p. IL. WATSON, then
Assistant Secretary Of War. The agents
of the guilty contractors made confessions,
and a large sum, somewhere about S200, 600,
of this fraud-money which had not yet
been paid over 10 the principals was re-
stored to Mr.. WATSON and replaced in the
Treasury. The additional sum Of twenty
per cent. on the whole amount Of the
fraudulent contracts Mr.. STANTON sternly
refused to pay TO the villains; but when
Gen. GRANT became Secretary OF War
I'D interim, he made haste to giUt them TIC
lrhole Of It.!
Then there Is the great Soscol Ranch
fraud, likewise perpetrated by Gen. GRANT.
The Military Reservation No. In Califor-
mia, known there rs Soscol Ranch, was
essential TO the safety OF Mare Island Navy
Yard; and Secretary STANTON had invnria-
bly, resisted every request and every seduc-
tion looking TO its surrender TO the specu-
lators who desired TO possess IL. But rs soon
rs GRANT was appointed Secretary Of War
ld interim, he delivered it at once to these
speculators, who paid for it the Govern
uont price Of Sl.25 an acre, obtaining for n
little more than 5000 property worth
Si0. 900 0O0, while the navy yard at Marc
Island was put at the mercy of any enemy
who in time Of war may occupy the high
land Of tho surrendered reservation. If
GRANT and the spectators who with his
aid gained this enormous sum should be-
Sl0,0OO,0OO, we dare say their conscicuces
would be more at peace than they are now.
Another case where the refunding of
conscience money would add largely to the
balances in the Treasury Is that of the par
ties who were concerned in the LowEN-
THAI forCerics Of bounty claims. OF these
parties Paymastcr-Gcneral BrtcE was the
most active, while Gen. GPANr was their
most conspicuous and cncicnt supporter
Why can't they too become Chr. tilr.
and pay back the money, like the man OF
York;
What Wholesome event il would also
be il President GRANT should march over
20 the Treasury Department dragging with
him the fat and jolly Secretary robson,
with the SEcoRs and all the other persons
who have prohted by RoBEsoS's numerous
frauds, and compel them 10 restore
10 the Government tho money which
they have unlawfully and wiokedly taken
from the Treasury How much the aggre-
gate of these frauds is can only be inferred
from what has already been proved. 1t is
established 10y evidence that robson has
IN this manner taken from the Treasury
more than s5ls, 600; and how immense
sum this represents the public can easily
Judge.
Another return Of conscience money
which IS greatly to be desired would be
the restoration by Judge LEWIS DENT and
gen. +. II. DENT, the Presidents brothers.
in-law, of the sum of $500 cash paid TO
them by WILLIAM ID. FARRAND as a consid-
Grafton for his lFARRAND's) appointment
by President q RANT TO the Office of Consul at
Callao. Conscience money like this would
do much to clear GRANTS character OF
blot which must otherwise remain upon il
forever,
But oven such an event Us the rcstora-
tion Of all this conscience money, impress
Siye and cheering rs IL is, would be
nothing to what we should see il the whole
of GRANTS relations, all the brothors-iu-
law, cousins, ncphcws unclcs, partners
and remote connections, with Gen. GRANT
himself were together to experience the
ldmontions of conscience and to come
forward i'm body declaring that they had
become Christians and felt thcmsclyes
bound to restore to the Treasury al the
varied sums which have been given TO
them from the peoples money without
any desert of theirs or any real service to
ontitle them to receive il.