Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1876-06-21
A CRIME FOR IFHICH THE RE
PUBLICAN PARTF rs RE
iSPONSTBLE


SPONSTBLE
Since the remains Of the late Bureau
OF Refugees, Freedmen und Abandoned
Lands were transferred to the War
Department, order has been envolved
from chaos, and something like an ex-
act view of its condition is now obtain.
able from the cloar, concise, and con.
elusive reports of Gen. Vincent, who
has the direction of this work.
The men who managed this bureau
were also prominent in the direction
of the Freedman's Bank. Gen. How.
ard, Gen. Ballocb, ]. W. Alvord, and
other sclfstyled philanthropists, who
were constantly shouting humanity
and protesting the most ardent devo-
ton to the rights Of the black man,
were the patriots under whose man
agement he was cheated out Of his pay,
bounty, and prize money in the bureau,
and robbed of his hard earnings in the
Bank. They grew rich, built fine
houses at Washington, lived on the
land, gaveliberal donations to churches,
and were looked up to as model Chris
tians. While they were trading on
this sort Of capital, at that very time
they were acting in collusion with the
Washington Ring, and helping Boss
Shepherd, with all their influence over
the colored population, to carry out
bis schemes of plunder and TO fasten
hisvulgar despotism on the community,
The Administration, the two Houses
of Congress, the Courts, and every
element of political power sided with
these canting scoundrels and thieves.
The first report of Gen. Vincent ex-
posed the methods employed by Gen.
Howard and his confederates to de-
feat thorough investigation of their
transactions in the bureau after the
transfer. to the War Department.
Everything was purposely thrown into
confusion; the cash book showing the
accounts of Disbursing Officer Balloch
was stolen other books were mutilated
and destroyed the records were dis
persed, and nothing was lett undone
by which the truth could be concealed,
perverted, or denied. Yet, in spite Of
all these fraudulent combinations, Gen.
Vincent has succeeded, by great labor,
ingenuity, and persistent purpose, in
unmasking the villainies practised on
the poor freedmen. His most recent
report on this subject is full of instruc-
tive information. Under classified
heads, he brings out into strong relief
the means by which the frauds were
carried on, partly by collusion with
officials in and out of the Treasury,
and were hidden from public view. A
few extracts will give an insight into
the system
"In the preliminary Investigation had BY this
ONCE In those eases, the fact became developed
that moneys, aggregating large sum, which had
been sent by the chief disbursing officer fCieo q .
W. Baochl to the local dishursng officers for
payment to claimants, were not paid To thcm, but
return ed to the chief diabarsing ofscer as un.
claimed. Notwithstanding such fact, the vouch-
ers representing payments Of these moneys TO
claimants, which had been filed with the account
ing officers Of the Treasury by the chief disburs-
ing officer Of the bureau, and upon which he OBJ
tained credit for the amount thereof, were not
cancelled, nor does Il appear Of record that he
ever accounted to the Government in any way for
the amount"
In plain terms, the charge is, that
vouchers were forged for money never
paid to claimants; and still no action
has been taken TO make Balloch dis
gorge It, Again
"There eau be no doubt ~ to the deficits. and
the inference Is that the large amounts Of money
were were, for some lSa. year, used for private par
hat Illegal use should accrue q the 'atsd WSisd
s'I,s' ,ion u ,sosss, IN ssI. soon Asr the lss
seems to have stopped the imprOpsr use Of dsssit
sna rpo, co% ., 'Ss ss saw
"To properly appreciate, we have but to con
cs osh, s Il, s, a' sad saS q any One Of ,s'
stieer would have been In the position oi tho de-
been made si The sud Of Fsbrasry rs 1870 a,i"'sy *,
aSt w.aa ,na,.s saSs s'sn ssooooo nearly double u.
Hodge; IN other month. il would E.vss sisss bssn
other large s@c@o, sSssstei and many
s'es,ooo''
Those are samples Of the systom,-I
Cheat'ng, diversion Of the ff'ccdmcn's