Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-07-05
MIR. wHEEaER.s BACK PAY

1t having been falsely alleged by
Democrats that Mr..
Wheeler voted for and took the "back
pay" in 1873, the Ogdensburg Jour
nal puts at rest all such charges by
quoting from the st. Lawrence Re-
publican Of Sept. 8, 1873, the article
in which occurs the following:
"a great deal of doubt seems to
exist in the public mind as to the le.
gal effect of the action of few menu
bers of Congress who have colora-
bly,, or in fact, returned their portion
of the back pay steal to the Treasu-
ry of the United States. The state
ment is almost daily made in the
newspapers that not single member
has placed his pay beyond his reach
and ultimate reclamation. The peo-
pie of this Congressional District are
concerned directly only with the ac-
ton of their own representative. In
order to full understanding of that
we have taken steps to obtain from
the Treasury Department informa-
ton as to the particular manner and
legal effect of Mr.. Whecler's DISPOSE.
ton of his portion of the back pay
and we write with copies of the
Treasury record before us. Congress
adjourned on the 4th Of March last
After the Appropriation bill which
gave the back pay was signed and
certified to the Secretary of the Treas
ury, the question was raised by thu
Controller Of that Department tina
the appropriation was not available
until the commencement of the fisca
year, July l, 1873. This question wa
held under advisement several days
when it was decided that the funt
was Immediately available. Pend
ing the decision of this question, Mr.
Wheeler went to Virginia, where h
remained several days, and then re
turned Immediately home. On hi
way, and in the city of New York, h
wrote the following letter, which ful
ly explains itself:
| New York, March 10, 1875
4 SIR: The law passed by the lat
Congress for increased compensation
to members of the House of Repre-
scntatives and other officials give
me for the last two years, after spec
flied deduction, $4,4S2.4O. AS thi
does not comport with my views o
consistency or propriety to take tn
above sum to my personal use, de
sire, therefore, without giving pub
licity to the act, to return it to tn
f Treasury, which l do by hereby in
closing herewith fiye-twenty bond
of tie United States, purchased wit
said funds, and assigned by me to yo
for the sole purpose of cancellation
as follows, viz:
Bonds and brokers' commits
\ sion on purchase. ...... A,4l2.7
Express charges. ........... %
lOtdi. :. Ff,foS.4'
4 The balance is RENTED by m
check herewith. Please acknowledg
receipt and oblige. Respectful
yours, W. A. WHEELER.
Hon. WILLIAM A. RICHARDSON, See
of the Treas, Washington, ID. c.
To this the Secretary replied as tol
lows:
TREASURY DEPARTMENT.
WAsHINGToN,D c., March %, l'73.{
SIR: Your letter Of the 10Th inst
inclosing coupon bonds of the act O
June 80, 1864, amounting to $3,S0(
and currency draft for $67.37, ha
been received. The proceeds O
bonds and draft have been cOvere,
into the General Treasury of tn
United States, and in accordance
with your wishes. Very respectful.
w. A. RICHARDSON, Sec.
Hon. W. A. WHEELER, Malone, Frank
lin Co., n. y.
1t will be seen from the above tina
, there can be no question 'as to the eS
, tinguishment Of the legal title to tn
'5ack-pay' in Mr.. Wheeler's case. ii
drew the money and expended it 70
United States bonds, which he as
signed to the Secretary of the Treasu
ny 'for the sole purpose of cancels
ton : and the Secretary says that h
: has complied with Mr.. Wheeler
wishes. Unless, therefore, the bond
, can be rcsurrected from ashes, an
Mr.. Whceler's assignment revoked,
would seem that his back-pay is pre-
ty eiiectually disposed of. Mr.. Whe'
Q Ter ras the first man to adopt tn
| means of refunding to the Treasur
g what ought never to have been undo
+ color of law, taken from it,"