Wilmington daily gazette., 1873-12-15
Tne Howard Steal.

Prom the remarks of Mr. Dawes, made III the
House OF Representatives on Friday, when thai
bodv was about to take action on the charges
made by the Secretary of War against Gen. u y
Howard. for fraud and mAlfeasance IN office, we
Drasums nm effort will I've made TO cover or shield
this reverend thief in some way, by the Commit
tee on Military Affairs, to whom the charges were
raEerred. This has usually been the way in such
cases with the Radical party, and it has been done
So repeatedly that every honest man must feel
JIaQust for the leaders of the party engaged IN
such disreputable transactions.
There Is no doubt that the New York " orid
which has repeatedly charged the Department Oh
Rcers with endeavoring to conceal Gen. Howard s
guilt, and protect him from lawful punishment,
has been truthful in nearly all its statements
That Howard was a scoundrel and con'empupe
thief we have no doubt will be proved If his case
rs allowed to come to fair trial lie also tried IL
make the negroes in the States believe that hc
was bestowing upon them what he was taking
from the Southern whites. And in this category
may be placed we presume, the money when ne
appropriated to the "HowaId School, III thls
city. Now, what will be done in this caseE Ac-
cording to law in ordinary case', stolen property
is recoverable Will the United States, winch
seems to have laid claim to whatever Gen. How
ard succeeded in stealing, be able to make good a
claim to the Howard School" building keref II
90, our people may be unfortunate as to lose all
the money (some eight or ten thousand doilars,)
they have put in it. For the thief only appropri-
ated 5000, and the city the balance, VIC believe.
As the city is now entirely out of funds by the
waste and extravagance of the Radical Council.
should the building be sold, il would be unable to
buy, and the property be sacrificed aud all that
was taken from the taxes of the poor whites to
help educate negroes might be lost
The indictment sent to Congress against How
ard is 90 strong that even the Baltimore american,
leading Republican paper, in referring olt, says
"GeneraI Howard had under him as the agents
Of the Bureau in the Southern states some OF the
greatest rascas outside of the walls of PeniteD-
tiary, who plundered and defrauded without stint.
Unfortunately for Gen Howard he was responsi-
bic Tor their appointments and peculations. Ii
was equally unlucky for him that bls associations
have been with certain gentlemen, whose use OF
she cloak Of religion a shield for suudTY viola
tions Of the Decalogue has recently been exposed,
Had Howard been an honest man be would uoI
have had 30 many rogues in Office under him, MOI
W0plo ne nave shAIeu tbe piuhueI' ~ "IPe"4'
thaA he took care 10 put rascals in office and neve
to dismiss them, or have them prosecuted for thei
dishonest practices. No apology or excuse, there
fore. will be accepted by the people in making "
their minds as TO the guilt or innocence Of Hon
ard. They view the charges of the Secretary o
War as correct and now have no doubt that un
der the garb OF christianity Howard has robbie,
the country of hundreds OF thousands of dollars
The labor Of Mr., Dawes and the Committee ol
Military Affairs, il it does attempt TO shield How
ard, will be thrown away. lie has already beel
shielded by the corrupt officers under the Gran
Administration far as it was possible. The
kept him from just punishment, but are compslle
in making up their accounts TO expose his fraud
TO the public.