The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1873-08-21
THE VIENNA ABUSES.
g a09G4@4344--- been ri \
REPORT OF THE COMMISSION TO 1NvEsT1
GATE THE CONDUCT OF THE AMERICAN
~ DEPARTMENT UNDER GENERAL
&@.@ VAN BUREN, CHARGES sssss I
qnaTATNrn
SUSTAINED.
qu Washington, Aug 10.


The special commission have sent to the
Department of State y full report on the
irregularities charged, against General
Van Buren,, and the replies thereto, to-
gether with correspondence evidence and
reports connected therewith. The, CORE
! spondence is voluminoas, and touches
upon all the points involved in the man
agement of the American department,
dsuch as the reception Of money by Gen
erals Van Buren, and Mayer for the priv
ilege of erecting bars and restaurants, a
corrupt contract for, roofing the American
court, and variety of other matters
which have heretofore been publish
ed.
In conclusion. the special conmission
find that the commission to Vienna has
been managed corruptly and for personal
purposes, to the great detrimcnt of the
American department, and in violation of
American honor. and has exposed us to
national humiliation at Vienna and
throughout the world. The evidence
shows no taking of money by any nem
Der of the commission excepting General
Van Buren, and Mr., Mayer. Inregard to
General Van Buren,, the special commits
sion do not hesitate to report that they
dissent from his justification Of the taking
of $500 az a loan from Hpzelz under the
circumstances shown in the evidenc; that
they hold unsatisfactory the explanations
given by Van Buren, touching the $1,000
which he received from Messrs Boehm 6
Wlehl; that they fnd an utter want of
frankness and inexcusabls disregard of
exactness in statements made by him tC
the Secretary of State in his letters of the
18th and 18th of March In regard TO the
number of concessions for bSrs and touch
Ing kilograms from Vienna rep orting the
character of the cor upton, and that the
iuexactness of the assurance then given
misled the government into the belief that
no irregularities had been coamitthd. AS
to the Qualifications set up by Mayer that
all he did in taking and asking of moneys
was done by him as a subordinate, with
the knowledge and approval of the Chief
Commissioner, and as to the various ques
tions of veracity raised by the evidence
! Hok ~ n
Mayer touching and alleging the compile
itY of the former in the proceedings of the
latter and the sharing by General Van
Buren, of the second thousand dollars OBJ
taincd from Boehm s. Wiehl, the special
commission refrain from expressing an
opinion for the reason that they do not
deem discussion Of these points essential
to General Mayer, since no such approval
of act nor partition of moneys, would in
their opinion render the acts proper or
constitute valid defense for their COM
mission. They hold that it was the duty
of the chief of the American Commission
| to exercise so wide vigilance in the
appointment of each and all his assistants
and especially hts first and confidential
assistant,and so exact supervision Of the
management of the commission as TO
protect it from the. smallest faint or
suspicion of corruption, and enable it to
accomplish at Vienna reasonable success
aud fifty to represent the integrity and
honor, of the government. Were the
special commission to admit the JUS
tice OF General Van Buren's defense for
acts which he acknowledges, and were
they to pronounce un proven every charge
made against him by General Mayer of
having approved and shcred his exactlons
of money, there would still remain the
charge, the gravest, save that of corrup-
ton, that could be preferred against the
chief of q commission appointed to repre-
sent in an assemblage Of nations the in
dustry, the culture, and fair fame
of our Republic-the charge of hav
ing permitted, through a period of
months, from want of c3ear-sighted
Intelligence and due yigilance5 loose man.
agemont, and as indicated By the test.
mony, marked by Irregularities which
, have arrested The success Of the commits
! sions and brought dishonor on our repub
lie, The special commission, therefore
+ without entering at all upon the charges
o of completely made against him by Mayer