South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1876-03-31

Cd il they arc taken from the books?
y
Mn. DAvIs--For each amount that /
have given, il could find an cxp,aua.
Ton have always stated it. just here
let me sayt my friend, the Senator
from Massachusetts, that certainly on
one occasion in public. and IL is the on.
" one l will speak OF, he said to me
that should have gone TO the Treasury
Department and had these t,iscrepan.
cies explained. wish now to tell that
Senator that did al! in my power in
that direction. and so stated in words
and in effect to the Senator before he
made his public statement of what 1
ought to have done. I thought it did
not come very well from him, after
had IN persouat conversation animated
tn him that had done so, TO tell me IN
public what my duty was II is true |
had done just what he intimated should
have done. But this thirty.eig mil.
lions Of dollars the Senator SAYS he knew
about; twas about thirty.seven millions
IN round numbers when it disappeared
from the internal revenue, but it came
back thirty-eight millions. What com.
plain of in that particular is that when
1t did disappear it was made up in loans
and Treasury notes.
Mr.. BorTwELL--Doest the Senator sup
pose that there was any intention to make
| 1t up in the aggregate of loans? Was
there any motive existing on the part Of
anybody in the midst Of n perilous war
to increase the aggregate OF the public
debt thirty-seven millions? 1t was a
mistake by o clerk. who was adding up
the public debt on his sheet. and right
above it was the item Of thirty.seven
million Of internal revenue, which pro-
baby was not separated by distinct
line, and he added it into the public
debt and it disappeared as an internal
revenue receipt. There could not have
been any intention on the part Of any
body to deceive the country.
DIR. DAyIs--I have not stated that
there was any intention 10 deceive. /
have gone over this thirty-seven millions
item 10 show how easy it was to drop
thlrty-scven millions, such small a
mount, and pick it up again when it is
necessary That was the only motive,
and have 50 stated q half dozen times.
Mr.. EDMUNps--I might suggest to
my friend from West Virginia that a
good Illustration OF what he is now i'm.
pressing on the Senate is in the story
| have no doubt il is t.ue--oftho Scotch
merchant who told his friend that his
balance.sheet male mp by his clerk made
him l,790 richer than he knew he was
he had made it that year, and the rascal
did it by adding the year of orr l. ord at
the top when he started on his column
OF figures. And this dad boy" in the
Treasury Department seems to have
done something Of the same sort.
Mr.. DAvIs--There appear to be
good many bad boys in the Treasury
Department. and hope they will be
found out. Laughter
In the debate on the gath, Mr.. DAVIS
furnished this additional statement:
IL We compare tine statements of the
annual revenue collected, made by the
Register liz the finance report for 1865
for the years 1862, 1868. 1864 and 1865.
with the statements OF the annual reve.
me collected in the finance reports for
1870 for the same years. we not only
fnd that the amounts differ widely, but
the finance report for 1870 states that
was much less. For instance:
FOR TIE YEAR 1862.
Report for Il $50 states net reve-
nue. collected 81 ,o55,72 7e
nue. collected 81 80: Ola G2
Showing decrease of 27,776 IA
FOR THE YEAR 1868.
Report for 1865 states net reve-
nue. collected slie.Gs7 200 95
Repor, for 1870 states net reve-
nue. collected 74,44s,I57 IS
Showing decrease Of 5 -, $50 1873 40
FOR THE YEAE 1864.
Report for 1866 states net reye-
nue. collected S2Gi. G26. III GO
Report for 1870 states net reve-
nue. collected 262,742,35 20
Showing decrease OF ; l,s5l,4l7 %
FOR THE YEAR 1865.
Report for 1866 states net reve-
nue. collected S333. ia Cos Os
Report for 1870 states net reve-
nue. collected 323. Oo2. 7s5 %
Showing decrease 81 8 1851 sl0 IG
What explanation there can be for
these enormous differences cannot ina
CINE. aud do not believe any whatever
can be made.
Now, IN the face orthese facts, enough
TO produce alarm, do not hesitate TO
teailirm and declare chat changes and al.
terations Of figures ia the finance report
have been made involving large amounts.
" Is certain that ia the report Of 1870.
a the revenue collected for certain
years has been decreased. and that the
expenditures and public debt have been
increased. There must have been some
object more than has been made known.
and | leave IL to them who know best
TO explain what 1t was.
Since the Introduction OF the resolu.
ton under consideration have been
asked If ! charged or intended TO charge
fraud or the improper use Of money in
tue Treasury Department during certain