The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1874-07-16

The Struggle 20 send the pious O. o.
Howard into semi -honorable obscuri-
tY has been q success. A Court of
seven members was Instituted TO .sful-
ly Investigate all the charges against
that eanting soldier, and, though this
wasn't advertised, to acqnit him of
them all. If the finding of the Court
is taken as an accurate measurement.
General Howard is foar-sevenths an
honest man and faithful head of a
Freedmen's Bureau. This leaves out
of the logarithmic calculation the ev-
ident opinion of the Secretary of War
who preferred charges. and of many
members of the House of Represent
atives, which body ordered investiga-
ton with manifest reluctance on the
part of Howard's friends. General
Howard was made by law agent for
the payment of bounties to eolored
claimants. as Commissioner of the
Freedmen's Bureau. He was by law
made responsible for the safe keep
ing and disbursement of funds ap-
propriated for the payment of these
bounties. He was responsible for his
own acts and for the acts of his agents
and assistants. If he or his helpers
Will LIS AuQh lCdSO NAAO
Treasury or the coiored claimants, he
ought to have been held to moral, as
we'll as to legal responsibility. If MS
officers or agents stole from the Treas
ury or from the claimants without
Howard's knowledge or consent, he
ought still to be held to legal and tech
Dical responsibility. It was the duty
of the Court . to report their opinion
fn.A NnTf
and legal responsibility for (snebl Of
fenses, If any. as might (may) be dis
covered One hundred and seventy
four colored soldiers submitted claims
for bounty and paw which they claim
ed not to have received, amounting to
$4,000. The Treasury records show
settlement of these claims by vouch-
ers filed. The one hundred and sew
enty-four- claimants were not sum-
moned. The Court found, however,
that only seven of them were paid by
General Howard. One of HoWard's
agents was one Major Runkle. How
ard required of him no bonds. lie
was shown TO have been an embezzlef,
but Howard was found guiltless on
this count, which was the first of the
eight. There was an s. irregular boun-
ty fund.- so called, of $121 900. The
vouchers for these moneys were lost,
and no one was TO blame. Eight mill
lions of dollars left the National Treas
ury ostensibly on their way to 45,OOO
colored claimants, and the Treasury
Department to-day contains no au-
thentie. or reliable evidence that they
have reached their legitimate destina-
ton. The Court, in its Investigation,
did not venture behind pTiBtd .facte
evidence. II a5voueher could be pro-
duced il was assumed to. be authentic,
when it had been shown that hun
dreds of thousands of dollars worth
of them was not authentic. Thirty
six thousand dollars were. proved to
have been taken out of sum appro-
priated for the fiscal year ending June
80, 1872, and Iiften over to pay expen-
ses of the previous fiscal year, and no
one was to blame. But the law was
violated. Funds were certified as de-
posted with the Treasury of the Uni
ted States which were proved not to
have been SO deposited, the discrep-
ancies ranging in amount in the year
1870 from $42I, 900 to $500 600 mouth
ly. The discrepancies are not thor
oughly investigated, but the Court is
sure that no one is TO blame. Howard
concealed an investment of $550,00O
in bonds, part of it for seven ls9nths
and the remainder for two or tAree
years before discovery, but the CoEft
found that it was not called on to IN
vestigate this matter. sIn fact the
Court performed the. service for which
it. was appointed, viz: TO acquit How
ard. Howard is a pious man. Gen
eral Doubleday once told the praying
breaker of the laws that if he would
pay alittIe more attention to the es-
sence. of the Christian religion and a
little less to lying, it would be good
thing. Since this Investigation we are
convinced that General Deubleday,s
advice was timely. Bnt Hewardss pi-
ETY. paid. Enquirer.