The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-05-07

VIM small NV IdNt lullN oNt iOith III q
" written statement, under oath, addressed
to the secretary of the treasury, the
character Of the clam out of which he
proposes to recover, or assist in recover
ing, moneys for the United States, the
laws by the violation of which the same
have been withheld, and the name of the
"person, firm, or corporation having thus
withheld such moneys" Keeping this
provision in mind, what are the facts as
found by the committee? They say that
John d. Sanborn "a resident of Massa-
chusetts, who is represented as personally
acquainted with Secretaries Boutwell, and
Richardson applied for and obtained the
contract or contracts in reference to which
so much has been said; and that, in no
instance, has the requirement of the law
been complied with that no statements of
amounts withheld have been made and,
in fact. that the law has been violated in
every respect and particular. This WILL
perhaps, he the best illustrated by giving
the exact language Of the committee
After referring TO the first contract made
by Richardson, az acting secretary of the
treasury with Sanborn for the collection
of taxes from thirty-nine distilers, recti-
fiers or purchasers of whiskey, they say:
Following this, on the 25th of October,
1872, Sanborn made application TO have
added to his contract the names of $50 per-
sons, alleged to have withheld taxes i'm
posed on legacies, SUGGESTIONS and incomes;
and on the 30th of October. five days later.
these names were added to his contract, the
additional contract being also signed by W.
a. Richardson. acting secretary of the
treasury. On the 10Th of March. 1878,
Sanborn applied for and had added, on the
same day, to his contract the names of
some 1000 persons, alleged also to have
been guilty of Withholding taxes imposed
upon legacics. SUGGESTIONS. and incomes.
including the names of $50 foreign resi-
dents. On the LIST of July, 1873, Sanborn
again asked to amend his contract, and Mr..
Richardson, then secretary of the treasury,
on the 18th Of July following added to his
contract the names of 500 railroad com
panies alleged to be indebted TO the govern
ment ''for taxes upon dividends and interest
paid upon bonds.
We do not propose to make any com
mcnts hcreon. but leave that for the COM
mittec to do and will therefore refer our
readers to the extract from the committees
report. published in another column, head
cd GLOW Sanborn operated" We have
not the time, the patience. or the space to
follow this disgraceful expose through, and
must. therefore, content ourself with one
or two more extracts here, with some
others published elsewhere. and we do this
the more readily, because we have not, dur
ing this investigation, failed in making our
self understood These extracts are given
by way of contrast as, taken together,
they fully express the sentiments of the
committee and of the country. In refer
encc to the treasury department. they say
that while they find nothing 10 impoach
the integrity of the ofticials-that is Rich
ardson, Sawyer and Banfeld, the secretary,
assistant secretary and solicitor of the
trcasury-''they look with serious apprc-
hcnsion upon the apparent effort of these
gentlemen TO transfer the responsibility
'a'il liolii hitltSeit W INT Quiet. ~ tulS
they add these singing words "Whnc the
" committee, therefore. are unable to de-
termine where the responsibility rests,
they cannot in justice to themselves, ig-
more the fact that these three persons de-
serve severe condemnation for the man
"ner in which they have permitted this
g law to be administered.
| We think that no comment is necessary
on such language as this. 1t was eytorted
from the committee by stern facts. They
were condemniAg men high in position in
their own party men who have been called
into the councils of the President of their
choice. and it is not reasonable or probable
to believe that such words would have
been used unless the testimony compelled
1t. While looking upon this mass of cor
ruption, negligence or ignorance, the coun-
try can but rejoice that one honest man
has been found IN Sodom. With his
honesty integrity and devotion to duty, we
close. Let the committee speak for them
selves, This honest officer has been found
in much abused Philadelphia, and of him
the committee say "The committee feel
it their duty to bear testimony TO the fitlel-
ity of Supervisor Tuition of Pennsylvania
and to his faithfulness, not only to the In
ternal Revenue Department, but to the best
interests of the government he was sworn
to protect. In his district, owing to his
energy and vigilance, these contractors ma
rauding upon the public treasury were UNI
able to take these collections ont of his
hands, Notwithstanding the fact that all of
them attempted it. He steadily resisted
them, and through his own efforts. aided
by his suhordinates officers OF the govern
ment-he has. during the continuance of
! these contracts. succeeded in collecting
large amounts of taxes of the very class of
cases for which contracts have been made. "