The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-01-26
The Alleged Deficiency OF the Hnr-
per's Ferry Paymaster-Explan
ton from an ArmOFy Mechanic.
HARpER's FERRY, w. VA,
January "a, 1876.

Editors of the Register.
have Just seen in the InteLligencer,
paper published in your city, letter from
ashington, signed 'Junius, Jr," which
contains some truths mixed with many
misstatements, and with your permission,
l will proceed to corre"t some of these
misrepresentation.
The writer charges that the resolution
offered by Mr.. Faulkner to provide for
the payment of those mechanics employ
ed at Harper's Ferry in the spring Of
1861, whose wages have remained unpaid
since that time, was mere buncombe
resolution, and that it is ascertained at
the Ordinance Bureau that these wages
were at that time all paid by the govern
ment. | was one of the mechanics who
was then employed by the government
at Harper's Ferry, and / know of my
own personal knowledge tnat this state.
ment is untrue. admit that the gov
ernment paid all the mechanics who
came on to Washington ard declared
their allegiance to the government the
United States; but 1t refused to pay
wages honestly earned by those me-
chanics in March and April, 1861, be-
cause they would rot declare, anew
their allegiance to the government of the
United States. Their honest and hard
earned wages have been presented to the
government since for payment, and they
have been refused upon the two grounds:
First, that the claimants were not loyal;
and second, upon the ground that the ap-
propriation had been carried to the sur
plus fund, and was no longer applicable
to such demands, The government has
never taken the ground SO falsely
asserted by this writer, that their
wages had been paid. Mr..
Faulkner has brought q bill before
Con cress to require the payment OF these
wages by the officers OF the Treasury,
upon the ground that it was debt due
to these mechanics by the Government
before the civil war broke out, that their
subsequent connection with the southern
cause. did not discharge the Government
from debt due by it before that time,
and that it is unjust and ungenerous to
withhold from these poer mechanics
money which they had honestly earned
before the civil war broke out. | am
myself one of those mechanics, and /
know what l am writing about.
That writer further says thst Dennis
Murphy, the Paymaster at Harper's
Ferry, took the money intended for the
mechanics and carried it off with him into
the Confederate army; that he is now
defsulter upon the books of the Govern
ment for an amount, including interest
of upwards of one bundled thousand
dollars; that Murphy is dead and insol-
vent. and that Mr.. Faulkner has been
called upon, as his security, 10 make up
the deficiency.
knew Dennis Murphy well, and no
one that ever did know him could be.
lieve that he could ever wrong the gov
ernmen, out of cent. 1t is true the
books of the government show a balance
against him OF near $4,000, which, with
interest, would make upwards of $780,
600 at this time; but that balance results
from the destruction os his vouchers in
the civil conflict at Hsrper's Ferry. Ii
this be just balance against him, why
has not the government proceeded to
collect it by suit against Mr.. Faulkner,
who is amply solvent and able TO pay
anv demand that the government has
AGAINST him. Why have eleven wears
been permitted to pass since the close Of
the war without even an attempt
10 collect this deb;7 If l am
correctly informed, Mr.. Faux
ner asks no favors of the government
and bids defiance 70 their threat to hold
him responsible for the amount. There
is not a court or jury in the country that
upon a full examination OF the facts
would hold Mr.. Faulkner responsible for
q dollar.
II is not the habit Of Mr.. Faulkner
70 offer buncombe resolutions. He IS
true and fearless friend TO the mechanic
and laboring man, and he Is not to Be
deferred from demanding Justice Tor
them by any threat of the Governmen,
TO hold him responsible for the alleged
deficiency of the former psymas'er al
Hsrper's Ferry.