Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1873-07-11
raEEpmEN,s BUREAU FRAUDS.

An opinion OF stae 7; :. 4N'''"e
General, in the case Of Gen. Howard.
has Just been delivered. Very many
curious things appear on the examina-
ton Of the papers by Gen. Williams.
They are found Incomplete for want oil
the bonds Of the Chief Commissioned
and his subordinates required to- be
filed by the law creating the Bureau
The Attorney General says that the
bond of $40. QUO. filed by Gen. Howard
after October 81, 1871, does not cover
any default prior to that date nor Is
Gen. Howard Liable under the ACT OF
1855, originating the Bureau for n
acts of his assistants. The case Is dill
fereut, however, under a law passed III
1867, by which the Commissioner Is
explicitly held for all moneys paid ui-
der tina: act, and he Is also held civl'iy
responsible for the acts Of his suoor-
dinates. The Attorney General says
s.,he Commissioner Of the Freedmen's
Bureau Is therefore liable for all losses
of the Government by his defaulting
subordinates or other persons employed
by him under the Act Of 1851" 1t APP
pears from this opiulon:
lst. That Gen. Howard, although
required by law to file a bond WITH tue
LIST Controller OH assuming the duties
of Freedmen's Bureau Commissioner
In 1856, did not do 81 until October
1871.
ID. That none Of his subordlnates
have ever bonded themselves.
Sd. That Gen. Howard was not re-
sponsible for the acts Of any subordtn-
ates from 1865 to 1867.
18th. That although made responsible
by the Act OF 1861 for the acts oil all
subordinates employed by him, no
bond exists under which to hold him,
the bond of 1871 not being retroactive.
9Th. That the bond of 1871 was only
$40, 900, IA sum totally inadequate.
The case Is nicely muddled, and 1t
will be we'll nigh impossible to collect
any of the d~efalcation in the Bureau.
Certainly nothing which occurred be-
lore the filing Of the bond Of October,
ISL.
Gen. 0. o. Howard Of the Freed
mems Bureau, Indian Commissioner,
United States Minister to and treaty
ncgotiator with that independent sove-
reign known Us Cochise, may be hon.
est, may b. capable.s aud embrace
within himself all the cardinal virtues
so widely known to abound In the
Young Mems Christian Association,
but We doubt it. lie has been draw
Ing some $500 or more per month
from the Government since 1851, dur
Ing which time lie has received In d.
rect violation Of law q large sum oil
money as President OF Howard Uni
versity, and has been detailed from his
duties In the army and sent as Peace
| Commissioner, or something Of that
sort, under the auspices and control Of
the Interior Department, 10 Arizona,
an equally fragrant violation Of law.
Gen. Sherman couldn't act rs Secre-
,ary OF War during the absence of Sec
rotary Belknap, because a recent
law forbids any army officer from
holding or exercising civil office. How
then could Howard be legally detail
ed, placed under the orders Of Secre-
tary Delano aud sent to Arizona rs a
Peace Commissioner? We hope. Gen.
Howard will clear himself, not 80
much for him elf rs for the pockets OF
the colored soldiers whose bounty
money-pitiiully small In detail,
though 4 somewhat large stun in the
aggregate-he or his cubordinates have
pilfered and pocketed. But we don't
expect to see either q vindication Of
Gen. Howard BY evidence. or a return
Of the plumber. As we have said be.
fore, he will be investigated, white
washed, kalsomiued, and given n still
more favorable chance to show Ills
weakness, or something worse. lit
were the correct thing to disgrace
Gen. Van Buren, and our Government
at Vienna for "incompetency," there
seems to be a fitting opportunity just
now, in view Of the Apache treaty
and Frcedmen's Bureau irregularities,
to add to the precedent established,
the case Of the chief Commissioner OF
the latter concern.