Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1872-12-26

From the Warrington Chronicle.

A. WAPELIO COU
From the washington Chronicle.
wright senator HarIan's Trsdacers.
The principle facts set forth in the
following editorial, clipped from the
columns of the Capital Of the 18th in
stant--a Democratic journal which
spares neither friend nor foe in its
comments on current news transpiring
at the National metropolis teach les
son worth remembering.
The history of this case may be brief
" stated, as follows; In the spring Of
1865 Judge Wright appeared at the Of
flee of the Secretary Of the Interior and
presented powers Of attorney from each
Of considerable number of Indians au.
thorizing him to act for them in the
collection of pensions due on account
of service In the Union army; also,
other powers Of attorney from other
Indians authorizing him to collect
bounty and back pay alleged to be due
them as regularly enlisted Union sol-
diers; stating that the latter had been
presented to the Secretary of War, who
had referred him to the Interior De-
partment as their legally constituted
guardians. Had the claimants been
white people no departmental action
would have been taken other than the
examination of the claims in the light
OF the evidence presented and the de-
livery of the drafts for the money
found to be due to Mr.. Wright, the
attorney Of record. This would have
discharged the Department from all
responsibility. But Secretary Harlan
deemed it to be his duty under the cir
cumstances to direct all of these pension
claims to be re-examined in the Indian
country by Especial pension agent, and
the several amounts found to be due
to be paid by him in person to the In
dian claimants and also obligated
Judge Wright, attorney in fact for
bounty claimants, by bond and securi-
tty, in heavy sum, to pay over all
bounty-money collected by him with
ina specified period, to the proper par
ties, in the presence of the United
States Indian agent, taking q re-
ceipt therefor, witnessed by said
agent; and if not 80 paid
to deposit the money with the proper
officer of the Indian Department, to be
paid through the proper Indian su-
perintcndant or agent. As part of
this transaction, Mr.. Wright was ap-
pointed special agent to act in this
behalf for the several Indians, who
had each given him q specific
power of attorney to appear for them.
1t will be seen that this was only a
measure Of precaution for the protec-
ton of the Indian claimants, which
would not have been adopted had Mr..
Wright's clients been citizens of tn e
United States, deemed capable of pro-
tectng their own interests.
Soon after the execution Of the said
bond, and before the pension agent
sent the Indian country % investiRAte
these cases had reported, Mr.. Harlan
retired from the Interior Department,
was succeeded by Mr.. Browning, he by
Mr., Cox, and the latter by Secretary
Delano. Before Mr.. Delano could
have become personally conversant
with the history of this business
charges were preferred against Wright
Of gross frauds, which the Secretary
very properly caused to be examined.
While this examination was in pro-
gress the contest for the election of Mr..
Harlan's successor to the Senate oc-
Cured in the State Of Iowa, with
which his name was connected as a
candidate. Some of his opponents
seized on this invesgation and the
doubts cast on Mr.. Wright's honesty
as . make weight in the Senatorial
contest. To injure Mr.. Harlan it be-
came necessary to attempt to couple
him with Wright, and to insist on
Wright's corruption. Suit was brought
against Wright in the civil and crimi-
nal courts of the United States, and the
whole case was finally submitted to
Judge Lawrence as referee.
Mr.. Harlan paid no attention what
ever to this proceeding, knowing that
whenever the facts should be fully de-
veloped he would be exonerated from
all intentional wrong whether Wright
should be acquitted or not.
We have not read or seen any part
of the testimony, nor the decision of
Judge Lawrence. But our Democratic
cotemporary, we presume, has made
the necessary examination, and asserts !:
First. That the Honorable Mr.. Law
renee, "who was appointed arbitrator,
has signified that the charges have not
been sustained"
Second. That Mr.. Wright's Indian
clients had never complained or ask
ed the Intervention of the Govern.
ment."
Third. That "the Government, al
| though it appointed a special agent for
| the purpose and spent large sum of
money in the pursuit, failed to find
any proof whatever of the allega-
| tions."
Fourth. That "Judge Wright was
prepared in every case with evidence
to show their falsity."
If these allegations of the Capital
are all sustained by the record, Mr..
| Wright has good reason to be satisfied
with the result, however his feelings
may have been wounded and his
pocket suffered by prosecution which
has lasted the better part Of two years.
The part taken in this prosecution
| Of Wright by the writer's for several
| Republican journals, for the manifest
purpose of defaming Senator Har-
Ian during his candidacy for the
Senate, ought to bow their heads
with the most profound shame.
For it is now clear that il
Wright had been convicted of fraud IL
could not have affected Senator Har-
lan's character for probity, for he had
ceased to be Secretary of the Interior,
long before the supposed embezzle.
ment was alleged to have been COM
misted,T even if heads of departments
could be justly held responsible for the
integrity OF all attorneys who do bust.
mess before their several subordi-
mates.
| We do not share the opinion express.
ed by the Capital that this examination
was commenced or prosecuted by ths
Interior Department through feelings
of malice. The Secretary and Com
missioners of Pensions, and of Indial
Affairs simply did their duty in adopt
ing measures to elicit the truth, and q
soon as practicable (, turned the cas-,
over to the Department of Justice
The final Investigation before Judge
Lawrence was conducted under tn,
direction Of Attorney General VIII
, liams. Read the Capitals statement
"The campaign of the Administrator
prosecuted with vigor against the Hon
I j. w. Wright, Indian Agent, has ter
Y minated ingloriously the Hon. Wi
liam Lawrence, of Ohio, who was ap
pointed arbitrator, having signifie
! that the charges upon which 1t wa
: founded have not been sustained. Thl