Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1873-07-01
WHERE ARE rHEYp

WHERE ARE THEYp
Isn't it strange that neither General
Howard nor any OF the twelve sub
Commissioners Of the Freedmen's Blu
reau ever filed any bonds as required
BY law: The Act creating the Bureau
required the Chief Commissioner to
give bonds In the sum Of $4,000, and
each of the sab-C commissioners and the
Chief Clerk were to bond in the amount
OF $40. 900. These bonds were required
to be filed with the First Comptroller
Of the Treasury Department, and be
approved by the United States Treas
urer. During the time that Howard
has been in charge Of the Freedman's
Bureau, over $40. 900, 900 have passed
through his hands, and all this without
any security to the Government by
bond or otherwise. Now, when the
Secretary of War. having discovered
~defalcations, Is advised to bring suit
agains. Gen. Howard for the amount
found minus, 10! no bonds are to be
found. Gen. Howard has no money,
and both the Government and the
swindled colored soldiers are helpless.
Whose duty was 1t to file these bonds?
Whose duty was it to know they had
been properly executed? Echo alone
answers. Not a voice from Gen. How
ard. Gen. Spinner or the First Comp
e~roller, nothing save a faint murmur
from the Treasury Department, hoping
they may jet be found.
We have no faith either In the piety,
sincerity, honesty or capability OF Gen.
o. o. Howard for any important UNI
d~ertaking. He has blundered In every
thing ho ever attempted. He misman-
aged the Freedmen's Bureau and GRIM
inally neglected to protect the people
Of the neighboring friendly State OF a
sister Republic by a one.sided and
emasculated agreement with a tribe OF
murderous savages, which has been ex-
cessively co,nplimented BY being
termed n treaty. He drew $1,000
lately from the Howard Institute, In
Washington, for services rs President
Of that Celored College, at \ time when
he was acting as Chief Commissioner
Of the Freedmen's Bureau, and after
he had once refused compensation for
services In that capacity, and avowed
he would never receive any pay. He
h,s heretofore been investigated and
wbitewashed, and doubtless will this
time, after a "long and searching in
vestigatlon,' come out with a kalso-
mimic finish at once snowy in its pur-
ity and dazzling in Its whiteness, es-
pecially If the bonds arc not discov-
cred. After awhile the people will get
their I'LL of these canting, hypocritical
sniflers, and the Howards, Harlans,
Newmans, Cramers, Pattersons, Col
faxes, and the balance OF the Y. NJ. g.
A., will be sent where the "Woodbine
twineth," and their places be filled
with men Of far less pretensions to su-
perior talents and piety, yet more
richly endowed with the r attri-
butes Of common sense and common
honesty.
Since writing the above, we learn BY
telegraph that some time after being
appointed Commissioner, Howard did
give a bond which was filed in the
Second Comptoller's office, instead of
the First, as required by law. The
Treasury Department have finally
hunted It up, and suit will at once be
commenced thereon. No mention Is
made, however, Of the discovery Of
bonds for any Of the twelve sub-Com-
m~issioners or the Chief Clerk, which
the law required to be filed. The Sec
rotary Of War thinks General Howard
honest, but that he was surrounded by
bad subordinates. AS these subordi-
mates were designated by the Chief
Commissioner, he must, like Gen. Van
Buren,, be held personally responsible.
The President and Secretary Fish have
established a precedent in. the case Of
the Vienna Commissioners, which the
Secretary Of War will find 1t difficult
to overthrow.