Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1876-02-01
HARPEK'S FERRY BAGK PAY.
From the wheeling Regist.rl
HARPER's FERRY. w. VA, I
January 81 1876


Editors OF the Register 81 have Just seen
city, letter from Washington, signed ''Ju,
MUS, Jr - which contains some truths mixed
with many miscellaneous. and with your per-
mission, will proceed to correct some of
these Interpretations
The writer charges that the resolution of,
fsred By Dir Faulkner 20 provide for the pay
ment of those mechanics employed at Harpers
Ferry in the spring OF 1861, whose wages
have remained unpaid since that time, was a
mere buncombe resolution, and that it is as
certaincd at the Ordinance Bureau that these
wages were at that time all paid by the gov
ernment. [ was one of the mechanics who
was then employed by the government at
Harper's Ferry, and know of my own per
sonsl knowledge that this statement is untrue.
l admit that the government paid all the me-
chanics who came to Washington and de-
clared their allegiance TO the govern uent of
the United States; but it refused to pay wages
honestly earned by those mechanics in March
and April, 1851, because they would not de
clare. anew their alIeEiaHcesto the government
of the United States. Their honest and hari>
earned wages have been presented to the gov
eminent 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 appropriation had
been carried to the surplus fund, and was no
longer applicable to such demands. The gov
eminent has never taken the ground so falsely
asserted by this writer, that their wages had
been paid. Mr. Faulkner has brought bill
before Congress 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 net
discharge the Government from debt due
by it before that time, and that it was IN ust
and unsenerous to withhold from these poor
mechanics money which they had honestly
earned before the civil war broke ont. / am
myself one of those mechanics, and l know
what l am writing about.
The writer further saws that Dennis Mar
ply. the Paynaster at Harper's Ferry, took
the money intended for tho mechanics and
carried it off with him into the Confederate
army; that he is now defaulter upon the
books of the Government for an amount, in
Guiding interest, of upwards of one hundred
thousand dollars that Murphy is dead and
insolvent, and that Dir. Faulkner has been
called upon, as his security, to make up the
deficiency.
L knew Dennis Murphy we'll, and no one
that ever did know him could believe that he
could ever wrong the government out of
cent. 1t is true the books of the government
show balance against him of near $50 900,
which, with interest, would make upwards of
100000 at this time; but that balance re-
suits from the destruction of his vouchers in
the civil conflict at Harper's Ferry. If this
be just balance against him, why has not
the government proceeded to collect it by
suit against Mr.. Faulkner, who is amply so>
vent and able to pay any demand that the gov
ernment ha, against him. Why have eleven
years been permitted to pass since the close
of the war without even an attempt to collect
this debt? If l am correctly informed Mr.
Faulkner asks no favors of the government
aud bids defiance to their threat to hold him
responsible for the amount. There is not
court or jury in the country that upon full
examination of the facts, would hold Mr..
Faulkner responsible for a dollar.
1t is not the habit of Mr.. Faulkner to Of
fer buncombe resolutions. He is true ard
fearless friend to the mechanic and laboring
man. and he is not to be deferred from de
handing justice for them by any threat of the
Government to hold him responsible for the
alleged deficiency of the former paymaste1 at
Harper's Ferry.
An Apa,rrv Nrcu.S,r