Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-03-10
A NATIONAL SKELETON W.
(TnEW-TEn

just puDllshed IN the CINCINNATI /
Gazette chapter of secret war his
tory, that will rebound to the infamy
of Radical rule. 1t consists Of large |
number of private letters, kilograms,
etc, exposing the notorious
HURT frauds, which it is
now very clear, were an extensive
system of public plumber carried ON by
men of stations both high and low.
We give elsewhere his preface to the
letters and partial summation of the
facts revealed in them from the report
of Maj. Mclean who was appointed to
investigate the practices of HURT, at
the time the latter was first suspected.
Bankers of national reputation are i'm
plicated. The mere mention of their
names in so awkward connection
would cause a multitude of our over
confding citizens to start with
wonder. 1t appears also that few of
our eminent Christian" statesmen
sustain an uneuviable connection with
the business. Politicians are impi-
Gated, says Boynton, whose names
have been household words for many
years, and who have held, and in part
now hold, high position" Senator
Sherman, Gov. Dennison, Salmon P.
Chase and others, used their influence,
either knowingly or unknowingly, in
furthering the conspiracy, whose object
was to remove Quartermaster Dicker-
son in order to make room for a govern
ment thief. Wholesale plumber was
the object of HURT in seeking the re-
moyal and degradation of Dickerson
and his own elevation to the responsible
position; a share of the spoils melted
his confederates, who are not yet num-
bered.
With the meagre revelations so far
published, there is no ilnpregnable
ground to impugn the motives of the
noted politicians above mentioned.
They should be held in innocence I'M
til proven guilty. There is much to be
published yet, however, and Gen.
Boynton declares that ''there are those
for whom this publication viii be the
beginning of Just retribution."
The most remarkable part of the
whole affair is the action of Secretary
Stanton. When the investigation had
been commenced by Maj. Mclean, and
it was discovered that many of the
leading Republicans were implicated,
the discoveries were suppressed, and
Mclean exiled by the Secretary, in
order to prevents further expose. The
Secretary did this, so runs the apology,
in order to conceal the real rottenness
of the nations chief supports. Military
necessity compelled the concealment of
the enormous swindle. Upon this poll
cy depended the preservation of the
Union, the triumph of the North, the
subjugation of the South. This is
most extraordinary! VIII the friends
of Mr.. Stanton allow it to go for an
explanation Of his connection with the
HURT frauds: 1t seems to be the only
alternative What a eonfessionl Let
the work Of unealthing thegreat frauds
of the war go on, and we shall soon
learn that the Offices connected with
the army were filed by the greatest
swindlers the world has ever known, and
that they were shielded in their cor
ruption by the authorities at Washing
ton. Had these plunderers been hung,
the country would have been all the
better for it. The Cincinnati Gazette
says editorially of this scandalous
affair:
'sThe disclosures we present in this pa
| per reveal the fact that in order TO conceal
the rascalities Of the HURT frauds commit
| ted at Cincinnati during the darkest days
Of the rebellion, and TO protect the conspir-
atOrs and their assistants, the arm OF the
| government was usedtO strike down and de-
Stroy two honest men who dared to do
| their duty. One of these subsequently
| died in a lunatic asylum. For him moth
/ ing can be done. lie is beyond the ma
tiOns's reach. Capt. DickeTsOn is not here
to claim Justice of the country which he
faithfully served, and for which service
he was DESTROYED, but his name is dear
TO his children and his friends who sur
vive him, and from this name, by the Off
cial hand of the government, should be re-
moved the cloud cast upon il by the men
who caused his removal in order to advance
their own wicked purposes. The second
person who was yictimized 10y the cOnSpira-
tors, is alive. and he is in position TO re-
ceive Justice. and in his behalf the people
of this country who know how to valne
soldiers honor viii demand that justice be
done. We call the attention of members Of
Congress and OF the President Of the United
States to the history of this case, which is
officially told in this paper. He was
ordered TO Fort Nancouyer-that is to say,
he was banished. because, in Obeying the
orders of his superior officer, he
placed the government in pos
session of evidence to convict
those who cOnspired TO rob it. In order to
suppress this evidence, and thus protect
men, some of whom were in high places,
Major Mclean was hurried off to distant
and isolated fort. Knowing that he was
prosecuted for doing his duty, he felt the
sting and resigned. He has since been a
resident Of this city, and he lives to see
the conspiracy from which he suffered eX-
posed, and the evidence, which for ten
years was suppressed, made public. Muir
der will out. This crime is out. 1t is
now the duty of Congress to investigate
this matter, TO punish the guilty, and do
Justice to the innocent. 1t IS perfectly
plain that Major Mclean should be honor
ably restored to his position in the army,
with full pay and allowance from the day
his fine sense Of honor forced him 10 re-
sign"
THE WduHeSb0ro Citizen, a sprightly