Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1874-01-21


. gregationnl Church from public money
taking its bonds, which bad either
been returned us cash or sent South
for bureau objcctsj that he advanced
large sums OF public money TO the
: Young Mems Christian Association,
taking It's bonds, which werorecsoned
as cash in the bureau; that hc dc.
iraudcd the Government and tho freed
men in transferring land in Washing.
ton owned by an officer of the bureau
to n school in North Carolina, and ap-
propriating the money set aside for
hat school that hc aud his brother
were Interested in the purchase OF a
farm bought with ppblio money. aud
soldto freedmen at cxhorbitant prices
that he was cxtrayagaEt and neglect
iul as Commissioner. and used the
Office for himself and his friends and
that hc was one of tho .Frecdmpn's 3
Bureau Ring" whose connections with
the frcedmen's savings banks and
schools were employed for their own
personal and political profit.
IL was not possible TO avoid this
stern indictment, and resolution was
moved TO refer IL to tho Committee on
Education and Labor That commit.
tee consisted of Samuel NJ. Arnell, Jno
Beatty, George T. IIoar, Washington
! Townsend ,Chas. NJ Hamilton, Samuel
s Burdeit, james n. Tyner, Lcgrand
! W Perce, Thompson w McNeely,
and A. A. G. Rogers-cight Republi
cans and two Democrats. Three of
the majority had been agents of the
Freedmen's Bureau.
The charges covered a large field of
inquiry, and could not be Thoroughly
explored in loss than six months, with
constant attention and hard work.
The committee did not really sit much
more than two, although the report
was made July l3, 1870 That docu-
mcnt covers $40 pages, and is full Of
Instructive reading by the light Of re-
cent disclosures. From first TO last
the committee aud General Howard's
counsel inierposed the most technical
objections to every question calculated
to bring out the truth or to expose
frauds. Instead of directing the ex
animation il ihe interest OF public JUS
ticc, there was marilcst design to
cover up every thing doubtful, to ex-
cnde all testimony that would posi-
lively convict. and under the striclest
rulings of criminal law, 10 shpt out
any statements that might lead to
damaging disclosures. On every up-
pllcaNon TO admit proofs there was
the strongest party bias, and votes too.
on the demand Of the minority nftwo.
II was forescen from The beginning
that Howard would be wbitewashrd.
NO matter what the evidence might be,
bccanso his conyiction would be ia
furious TO the Republican party ard o
the 1ealUur friends Of the bureau, who
were on tho committee. Consequently
the result excited no surprise. The
majority reported as follows;
"In conclusions the COMMITTEES end on the whole
case, that the charges are utterly eronniess and
caurcltss; that The Commissioner has been de-
voted, honest aud ablu publioiscrVaDi. The cnti-
mittec fud that bis great trust was performed
wisely, disinierestcdly, economically and mist
SUCCESSFULLY.
"Rssoiesf. Tha, the House hereby aequiis Ma
I ior- General Oliver o. Howard OF the sfonudlcss
and causeless charges lately preferred against
him, aud does hereby declare aud record lis Judy
melt, that 10 successfully organizing and admin
islefing With fidelity. integrity apd ability the
Frcclmons Bureau. which hns contributed 50
much to the accomplishment of the frat two OF
tbcse grca, ends, he is deserving Of the gratitude
Of the American people"
But in spite OF all the efforts to con.
fine the testimony within the narrow
est limits, aud to close the door against
any new light, the Official papers and
witnesses that We're admitted made
good almost every charge. and lett no
moral doubt as to the entire truthful.
ness OF the general Indictment, The
minority of tho committee took up
each allegation separately, and re-
ported upon il according To the proof,
Space dves not permit ~ 10 reproduce
more uan some of the leading features
of this report. They say at the outset !:
''nefore proceeding to q review OF the evidence
and statement Of our views, we canput Withhold,
an eHppssion Of regret that the majority Of the
committee should have prevented, in various wpys,
O fair and full investigation OF ihc subject matter
referred 10 II. In the jndgmsht Of the under
signed. questions we've objected to by the majority
watch were proper, and should have been m.
sworcd aud tino was ARBITRARILY fixed for the
dosing gf the evidence in sappor, Of tho charges,
which the majority Of the cOnlui,tee would not
extend and when the undersigned asked that
certain inpor,snt Witnesses be subp@pncd to os-
tablish impor ant acis, sfoicd 70 Be pifhia THAR
thoe'edye, ibe request was denied aud the wit
n,sses were not subp@naed.'
at WAS the opinion uf the minority that the
committee had right to examine Gen, lloward's
bank account; that is 10 say, to Investigate the
bookk,epcr aud cashier Of the Frcedmen's Saw
logs Bank as TO the private deposit account OF
Gen. Howard To that bank, and to ascertain the
amount haned him on Government secutiiiss by
that bauk but, although he bunk books ,orss BE-.
fore fhe c,mmitec in fAe kaads NJ s.o Lank e0,ers.
Nr mrJo1y retu-ed 10 oilor ony iart,tiyoi,om ia,o
hess rcoosats, nor nahid Gen. Hs,rufd cAo tcrs
tssscnf ooaseHt 70 sgch ,rami1afion though il was
asserted that such Investigation would sloH that
large sums II pubic fund.- bad been transferred
TO hui p,iuoie accoaat Tue officers of tho bauk
testhcii that Howard had borrowed large sums
from tho bnnk on United States bonds, such as be
held as Commissioner Of the burcnu, but the laa-
iority rsiu,ed to permit further oxamhlai ion Tor
the parposc OF showing that these bonds belonged
10 me retained bounty fund unlcss Mr. Wood
would hrst stats the naalLsr oad descp ion qf fAe
bonds, thing Impossible uncss the account iJscli
was examined"
This last fact exhibits tho spirit in
which tho majority acted throughout,
and shows clearly that Howard wanted
an investigation not to tind out. The
Christian soldier was not willing TO
show his bank account, because it
would tell tale about the public
money in his charge that would not
be convenient for the Treasury De-
partment to SEQ or for the public to
know.
The vouchers were produced to
prove that s52S,g55 90 were expended
on Howard University without the
least authority of law, and that one
purchase had been made whic the in
vcstigation was going on and the deed
ept from record so us TO conceal the
transaction. On this charge tho mi
nority eay:
at onnuars that This eehorae - fl,c rrco,i,r or