The sun., 1873-12-29

he was ono Of the " FrCcdmcus Bureau
Ring" whose connections with the freed
mems savings banks and schools were etn-
pluycd for thcisown personal aud political
profit
II was not possible to avoid this stern
indictment. and II resolution was moved TO
refer it to the Committee on Education
and Labor That committee consisted of
SNNrrt VI. ARNEit, joins BEATTY, GEORGE
+. ll0,R, WAsmINGroN TOWNSEND,
CnAEIEs NJ. IiANILroN, SAMrrL :. Bur-
prrr. JAMES y. TYNFR. LEGnANp W.
PIERCE, TuoMrsoN W. McNEELY, and \. \.
G. RoGERs-cght Republicans and two
Democrats. Three of the majority had
been agents of the Freedmen's Bureau.
The charges Covcreda large field of in
quirv, and could not be thoroughly ex-
plored IN less than six months, with con-
stant attention and hard work. The COM
mittee did not really sit much more than
two, although the report was made July
81, 1870 That document covers jlJ pages.
! and is full Of instructive reading by the
light of recent disclosures. From first TO
last the committee and Gen. IlowARD's
! counsel intcrposed the most technical OBJ
joctions TO every question calculated 70
bring out the truth or to expose frauds.
Instead Of directing the examination in
the interest of public justice, there was
| manifest design to cover up every thing
doubtful, to exclude all testimony that
, would positively convict, and under the
,trictcst rulings of criminal law, 10 shut
| out any statements that might lead 10
! damaging disclosures. ON every applica-
tiOn To admit proofs there was the strong
est party bias, and votes too, on the de-
inand of the minority of two.
II was forcsccn from the beginning that
HOWARD would he whitewash,J, no mat
ter what the evidence might be- because
his conviction would he injurious to the
Republican party and 10 the Jealous
friends of the bureau. who were ON the
committee. Consequently the result cx-
cited no surprise. The majority reported
IA follows:
In conclusion, the committee nrd or TIE
| whole cI-c, thit the chir.cs rr' utterly cr'"ud-
less and causeess that the Commit ID 1urr hhs
been devoted. hpnest sud able public servant.
TIE committee mud that hi' -rcat trust 80. lor-
/ formed wisely, ui-intere-teiiy, economically
and most success fuly.
" &ss',,f That lhe l!oas. acqa. Nli.. C,n.
cl,rgcs Lately preferred s.s...t r.i1t Uoe4 by
"rsnmi,inT ny and idntnist,tirf MIN .el.y
and abty The Ff,cun,. rnrrlu rh.a ils ,u.,
trhuiel 20 much to tlc -c,"up islu'tt - 10, urs,
tulc OF the American people
But in spite Of all the efforts to couHne the
testimony within the narrowcst Limits, nud
to close the door against any new hght,
the official papers and witnesses that were
admitted made good almost every charge,
and left no moral doubt n To the entire
truthfulnoss Of the general indictment.
The minority OF the committee took UP
each allegation separately, aud reported
upon IT according to the proof. Spac" does
not permit L, To- reproduce more than
some OF the leading feature ol this Ic-
poit. They say AT the outset;
Bcf - p. cctaiug 10 n review II the evil
dcrce and statement OF our vcws, We cannot
withhold al cNutts-ipu ut regret that the ml-
JOrity Of the Cu.iulttC" should have prevented,
~ various ways, a fair and fUil Investigation of
the subject m~tter referred To- IL. Ia tue lltg-
mrnt Of the uuderst-ncd, questions were object
ei To by the mJpritN wuich were proper and
should nave been IA. tWernd; and "a time Was
hlriI1ly hNel for the closing uf the evidence IN
support of the chltsr- which the majority of
/ the committee would "tcNteud; and when the
uudersig igned asked that certain important W.T.
. n,sses be suup.ruard tp establish Important.
quest denied and the Witnesses were nu.
I suhpTuaod.
1t Wa tho opinion Of the minority that
/ the committee had "a reut tu examine
Hen. HoNAEU.s hank account that B. t sl,, g.
Investigate the ho-hke"pcr dud cashier uf tnc
+ Frcedmeus savings ltu'k a. To- the private de-
posit .ccount of Gen. How ,ltD iu that bank, and
." a-D crtaln the amount loaned hlm uu tuycrii-
nI.ut securities hs that bank; hut, althousn tl,
~ ne btHh 0goIS, ne nsyVrdB rslits,d ~ daoir
any mresit0ul0H tu'0 ihscs dc'ouHts, mn Uolot
an. hoW NHu, Wh0 tldo lI,~ ~, oOt',Ht 20 sy,A
tr0HHdtpn, though % was asserted that -Dch
Investigation would SHOW tnat large sums uf
PuhU. ttuii. mad h'. a transferred To- bHt Ittiutt
Iocptri lac ufc'r, of The bank testified tult
HOWARD had borrowed larg" sums from tue
Ia HU"H ID Al. NH.. -H|aHHH
Commissioner ot toe bureau, hut the majority
refused e. permit farther 'SaulnIt 'n for tue
To- tine retained uuuut, tuud unlv-- Nr. WOOD
would lr.t state tuo HH.h,r oi.i d'-.ii iittoH ~
ih' hoHds, a thhH. iui,"seiu,e uL.rs7 "a, account
Itself was examined.
This last fact cxhjhits the spirit in
which the majority act"l Throughout, and
shows clearly that HowAED wanted IN iu-
vestiaation not to lind out. The Christian
soldier was not willing 10 show his bank
= account, because il would tell "a tale about
Uir public money IA his charge that would
not be convenient for the Treasury De-
partmeut to see or for the public To know.
The vouchers were produced 10 prove
that $j2s, ,95j.0j were expended on Howard
University without tho least authority Of
law, aud that one pun, haso had been made
while the investigation was gong ou aui
the deed kept from record SO as To- CON, al
the transaction. GA tins charge the mi
nority say;
at appears that ths scheme-fha erect ION % Z
the tnlyrTsitN was created Tor the duuuie iur-
pose ui raising "a monument tp tho name and
fame Of HDwAHn, who at thi, time wa, an l=-
, p.rtnt for the \ice-irc~idoncy ~ the United
states, IA IL seems from the testimony, and also
as means by which he and Others connected
. win him, o'ically aud personally, might deri, q
peDuuldry and political auydut gc. soon after
| the commencement of the bululuy operations
| on the land, he caused to be removed from tine
| 30 ri OF Trustees Of the University all VINO
| cuuld not be made subsidiary To his Views.
: Thus, br. - NuttLANb, formerly chaplain of the
, | United States Senate, and Dr. BOYNION, chap
| ! Lain OF the House Of NeutcsrntatiNe~, uDtn men
, Of high character, established integrity and dis
| tugutshed Tor leaning, were each ia turu conc
PEELED TO resign the Pre- e-ideuCy 50 as To- make
! way for the occupation OF that place by Gen.
| HOwARD himself. These, and other gent temen
Of standing, were forced TO retire altugU tHcr
- ! from the board so as to leave vacancies 10y
! which members Of his military staff and officers
| of the bureau could uutain their positions.
| Having thus cunningly cuntriyed u get contruL
he has continued To possess IL as his individual
% ! property, making the uIsburslug officer OF the
1 | tfeednens hd-"au It's treasurer and financial
agent ana other suDoruiuatos his tVQls aul n
- strumentS,'