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

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"Gen. Howard aud bis brother Charles IIox-
ard, hls assistant Colnmissivner, fr0Jccf1d thu
enterprise alIe fet nsi 10 part Of What he called
bis cduetitnal fund Tor this purpose. Having
inaiur, bic rlaos he created board " trustee,
naning himself, :. & Pomcloy, senator irohs
Kansas and John X. Lls.ns. q hardware merch.
ant Of Wilmington With whom be had large pri.
,atc money ed transactions and sI,scuistions.-
These persons constituted tho board to have tho
management and control of this fund and the
laad and buildings bought with it. iis trcthu
Charles was made the manager and fxecudvt on
orator, with Authority to make purchases, eon.
| tracts, and disbursmenis." ff .r
'Hc drew from the Uniiei States Troasusy b
drafts upon Il 1000, upd transferred Il 70 whse
be called an educational fund, paying part o{this
money for the purchase CT . farm and usiug The
balance for similar purposes. He put up houses
out of this monoy and sold them, keeping I'D
funds received from he sale In his own name ID
treasurer 10 the Prccdmens Savings Bank (not
public dcpositofy) which at all times subs
jet to bis persona order and direction.
"lIe loaned $4,000 of this fund 10 John r FL
van, taking his mite therefor; devoted portion
10 his own personal use, drawing il from Tie cash
rcceipis. and sul s'iirtcl his pr0nstry note,
which is not provided to have bcIl faid. bnt COW
cred up by making It doni,on % ihe Howard
University, aud by causing ialsc rcceip, 10 DO
substituted therefor. lie thus consets nimself
in the clumsy attcm.. to hide anu cover up tho
wrong committed"
Referring to the Freedmcn's Bureau
Ring, tho report says: ia N'l
"rhe dieiculty appeared to be with referencsto
this charge that there were too many Witnesses
ready TO sustain IL, and to, large an opening for
scrutiny hT the committee to perini. II 10 10 en-
tered upon TO any considerable extent, IN the tims
lxed by the majority Of the committee. Besidrs.
II was gseeraned that the tcs.iriony offered would
impiicate others as high in position as Gen. How,
ard bmsef, going TO show That the bureau bad
been made an active engine for the election OF
governor, lesis'atcrs, members Of Congress, and
tui'sd STATES seratsra IL the southern 6tafes.fhs
public money and properly Beng freeiy used for
these purposes. The majority Of the committee
would not allow any such fed Of investigation 10
be entered and prJgP.ly refused to aliow the wit
nesses rsady to prove these fac,sto be subpenaed
or orexaminei
This last statement is doubtless tho
true explanation of the extraordinary
course Of The majority in refusing to
admit testimony which would have
closed the bureau, consigned the Ring
10 ruin and punishment, and held up
their guilty accompices in public life
TO just indignation.
The majority Of tho committee and
Gen Howard both cmphatically de-
MED the charge that he received ahy
other compensation than bis army
puy. Here is the language of tho
committee:
"This charge Is wloHy untrue. Gen. Howard
fsssives pay a. an army officer according to bis
rank, but NOT IS Commissioner Of the bureau
Ihe President OF He~ard University has tho
nomlnal sa'hTy OF ona dollar psr annum. which
has never been received by Gen. Howard.
And Howard himself in his sworn
statement before the committee, said:
"Thc ninth point is in no sense true The sa.-
nry Of the President which is fixed by the recorded
resolution, ! have never drawn"
Now, i so happens that these
charges were revived last summer in
Washington, associated with others
equally damaging. A committee was
appointed by the trustees of Howard
University to answer them. and Fred
erick Douglass and George j. Ba-
ker, Comptroller of The District of
Columbia, made a report dated Jan.
T. 1873 The following extract ex.
plains Itself;
"Th- complaint that Gen. 0 0. Howard re.
cCives one salary from tho Government aud anoth-
er from Howard University has little claim to
confederation. and cxciies preiudiees only among
the vulgar ciaAs for whom twas written. 1t does
not appear that there is any law Of the land or
law OF honor violated BY this double pay."
Attached to the report was finan-
cial exhibit of the condition of tho
Univcr,iiy, with the following state
mcnt:
"Recapiiulaiion Of the detailed statement Of
Gen. Q. .. Howatds account with, Howard Uui-
rersity, accompanying the report " the committee.
DR.
''Isns. Compensation per Com Of Board....s5.o 900
lore. compensauon per oVIn. OF iiOard.... .Os3
"lSs3. Hall years salafy 1850
si7, $50
II certify that have examined the personal
books ard papers belonging to Brig Gen. 0. 0.
Howard U :. A., ard fnd the above 10 be true
eahibit frlm the same. EDWARD ;. Fowler
al certify as above y. q. WftKISscy, u S.A.
"wAsnlSeroS, D. c., July 4, 1873.
Ia this matter the committee and
Howard nre both fatty eoptmdicicd
by the personal books and papers be-
longing 10 Brig Gen. o. 0 Howard"
ns certified by his own aid-de-cnmp,
Wilkinson lie drew SIS 900 in 1869,
and yet swore in 1870 that he had
never drawn" the salary OF Prosi-
dent of the University There is con-
irmalory proof in The testimony be-
fore the committee quite independent
of this report made by Douglass and
Baker, us parti-ans of Howard
These exposures. require no COM
ment. Thoy are stronger than all crili-
cism. But they only conclude ono
chapter in this discredilable history.
Every charge made by Mr.. Wood was
verified, in spite of majority organ
ized to whitewash.
We propose on an carly occasion to
revicw the charges now preferred
against Gen. Howard by the Secretary
Of Warn. Y. Sun.