Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1872-08-24
OLYMPIA, SATURDAY IOINlNG. AUG. q. 1872.
ANOTHER "rREEDMEN's BUREAU


Among last weeks dispatches appeared
very significant item of news that may
escape the eye Of the general reader unless
attention is directed to it. Under date Of
Washington, Aug. II, appears an order of
the War Department providing for the
payment of prize money and bounty to
colored soldiers aud marines in the late
war. 1t establishes a chief discussing
Office at Washington, and branch Offices in
the principal cities Of the South, with a
myriad Of officers, whose duty it will be to
apportiou the peoples money in such man.
ner rs may best serve the object for which
the service is created. This extraordinary
zeal manifested in behalf of the colored
people, is one of the most transparent
frauds ever perpetrated in the name of 10y
atty. There has been no occasion for ex.
peusive machinery to secure these special
privileges to the white soldiers and marines,
nor have they been withheld until an i'm
portant political contest had rendered
them means of corruption. Just such
measures have, time and again, been ex-
cuscd on the floors Of Congress upon the
plea of "party necessity" When the
first draft of the Freedmeu's Bureau Bill
was passed, it was urged upon precisely
such specious reasons. "The life of the
Republican party demands it," said they,
to finish the work of Reconstruction
The Intervention of the Presidential veto
alone saved the nation from the finishing
process originally contemplated, and from
the operations of law that would have
stiaed all attempts at u free expression Of
the popular will in the districts affected by
it. This order is but another Bureau
scheme to purchase the colored vote BY
wholesale bribery. 1t is but desperate
resort of a party driven to the wall, the
fnal throe which proceeds dissolution.
It is in precise accord with the recent
purchase Of pretended Confederate ar
chives, for the sole purpose of duplicating
for political effect men whose devotion to
the Union has never been questioned.
These acts demonstrate the object Of using
every appliance that skillful and cunning
schemers can invent aud INSCRIPTIONS
rogues execute to perpetuated the high
carnival Of crime and ruin.
The history Of every political campaign
in the South since the close of the war,
affords instances ofthe use of money to in.
fuence tho colored vote. 1t is related by
an eye witness of the disgusting spectacle
that the negroes in one of the carpet bag
districts of the South we're brought from
the surrounding State, by the thousand,
eucamped on the streets and common, fed
upon Government rations, and marched to
the polls like SO many sheep to slaughter,
to vote carpet.bagger into seat in Con-
gress. Each of these men received pre-
sent Of sum of money aud mule for his
vote, and delay in paying the price slip.
ulated consequent upon the scarcity of
mules, caused no little uneasiness among
some Of the "intelligent coutrabauds, -
who we're clamorous for their pay in strict
accordance with the contract. The gen.
tleman who relates this as one Of the many
incidents that came under his personal OBJ
servation, while himself 10 the service Of
the Administration, declares that his sense
Of propriety was SO outraged that he wrote
to IN influential Administration journal 10
the North, protesting against such iufa.
nous proceedings, aud for this act of in.
subordination was recalled from his mission
and assigned to duties 10 another service.
The statement does not depend upon mere
fancy for foundation, nor is it exaggerated,
- tho testimony Of hundreds of witnesses
can prove. Our informant is now a resi-.
dent of this Territory, and served with
distinction in the war, has supported the
Administration Of Grant faithfully and
effectively, and even now, for aught We
know to the contrary, is his firm adhereut
It Is impossible to dispute the testimony
Of such witnesses, who admit with regret
that such acts can be perpetrated, and
with the full knowledge and consent of /.
party and Administration they invariably
support
It ID such . course that has centeret
the minds Of the Southern people upon .
fsasible mode Of relief. 1t is this which
has caused the sentiment Of the South t.
surge through the length and breadth O
the land, arousing the nobler impulses o
mankind and causing them to rise abov,
the prejudiess Of partisauship; this thu