National Republican., 1876-03-04
An Analysis Of General Bs.rnap', cI.s.

TO the 6uuOT ~ nc NutI'ItnI hcDnOHCnb.
SIR: Over no malfrasancc in Office is there
likely to be so great cry Of affected horror as
that already raised over the misdcmeanor of
the late Secretary of War. The facts ''are so
plain" said the chairman Of the committee of
investigation, "that everywhere throughout
this broad land, and throughout Christcndom,
wherever the English language is read or
spoken, they will for long years constitute a
record OF official corruption and crimes, such
as there is no parallel for in our own history
or in any other country that I know Of"
That is very good for person whose memory
can recall the performances of Floyd, the last
Democratic Secretary Of War. Very good,
indeed, for one who can remember the aid
and comfort given TO the rebellion by the last
Democratic Secretaries of the Navy and
Treasury. Now, what Is this unparalleled
crime, this sample Of official corruption,
which by its transceDdeTt biackneSs whitens
by comparison the deeds Of Floyd, TOllcey and
Cobb! Under section Ill@, Revised Statutes.
the Secretary of War is authorized to permit"
the establishment of trading cstsbli shments
10 bc maintained at any military post on the
frontier, not at any city or town, anl unler
this Icf'niSSirc authority post traders may by
a special commission furnish articles of COM
fort and convenience to the soldiers of the
army. They vest in a trader a monopoly oI
trade over a certain district. If the monopoly
were not granted, If the trade we've left open
to free competition, there would be some risk
that the soldiers would not get those little
commodities they so much need, aud which
the commissariat cannot undertake to supply
The whole system could be anuihilated at n
word from the Secretary of War, as ut 4 word
it can be established. Those monopolizing
fFrI LII,
Permitting Evans or MarSh--or whoever it
may have Eecn--in accordance with usage, to
have n monopoly of the leadership at Fort
Sill, the late Secretary also allowed his wife
to share in the traders profits and to settle
the award of her share. Neither the wife nor
the Secretary robbed the United States of one
penny. Doubtless the soldiers paid good
prices for their tobacco and their extra glass
OF LIQUOR, but they would have bought them
no more cheaply If the trader had not shared
his profits with the giyer OF his commission.
Floyd transferred guns and other munitions
Of war TO the rebel territory: Touccy dispersed
the navy in every ocean: Cobb deliberately did
what he could to ruin the public credit. and
all conspircd in the interest of the Democracy
to make a happy and united country an
eternal impossibility. If these crimes do not
still remain unparalleled, If the scale of their
enUrmity and basencss has never in past his
tory been equaled, it is only because the dig
niiied offenders were Democrats, and constitu-
tionally incapable of u patriotic inspiration.
OF course, the Secretary's act was a m Sde-
meanor: hut il does not rise to the height even
of an unlawful participation IN the profits of 4
Government contract. The po,t-tradcr per-
forms no service for which lie is paid out of
Government funds. His commission j. not
commanded by The statutes. II is commission
issued, or not issued, in accordance with the
usage and regulations of the War Department.
apd in accordance with system which the
Secretary of War can at any moment suspend
The case is as if a patcnteC of some invention
desirable to soldiers, out ofwhich large profits
could be made, should apply TO the Secretary
of War for permit to make an exclusive sale
of it, and as ii the Secretary should thereupou
allow another in his name to share in the profits
of the permit. Such action is, indeed, indie
Icnsiblc because it is in conflict with the gen.
eral principle that pUJ'ic .Birer hoWId not 50
"S- his office as 10 enhance is e,"oi,HCittS bcyom
his N"|0Iy, unless the law itself which he ad-
ministers provides for his remuneration in that
way. Ii is as if judge on the bench, having
decided a ease according 10 law, should receive
Il present for his decision from the winning liti-
giant.
Tho late .S,r,,t"Iy has ";o',ttcd no s'a'at, ht,r
He h"S net ,i,JTGymIcd tie EUrrTn,n.,d. lie has
simply shared indirectly in the profits of
function rhicb Is q bare aIq1ctodqe 10 lis cDic;a'
d'ii,S. That is the sum and substance oil his
Offending. Such action is, to bc sure, viola
tion Of the uuwTitten rules Of public admins
traiion-actiOn 10 which the people have 4
right 10 expect that public functionary. un-
less he has graduated from the Democracy,
should be superior. But it is offensive to the
opposition, not chilly on account of its incom-
patibility with pure public morality, As because
it indicates TO them that others are dcpriying
them of the richest tid-bits of the Offices for
which they hunger. HiUc iHe Mcr,,Hu, !,
Hence, the g unparalleled character Of the
late Secretary 5 Olfcn>r. CENSOR.