The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1876-03-23
SCANDALS OF THE PAST.
Inter-Ocean.


dignitaries may become involved in tho
disclosures now being made at Washing
ton has had the effect to dampep the ardor
Of the Investigators considerably. This
should not be the case, and we bid them
60 forward with their work, whoever NAV
be implicated. When they find Repub-
lican scamp, clean him out, and the Re
publican party will applaud the act.
When they discover his Democratic asso-
ciate they must not shrink nor hesitate,
but serve him in like manner. "Let no
guilty man escape" is an excellent motto
still.
And while upon this business of inves-
tigation, and stumbling upon these sad ex-
posures it will not answer for us to fold
our hands in despair, and say there was
never anything like it. There has been
something like it, and the history of the
country is studded thick with as base
crimes as those now being brought to
light A correspondent Of the Washing
ton Star recalls some of these. Among
them was the celebrated Galphin claim, by
which the Secretary of War, Crawford,
who made the allowance, received for his
own fees the sum of $4,000. And in
spite of the clamor raised he hung on to
the money and resigned his office. But
he was not impeached. General Lewis
Cass was also involved in very question
able transaction, which the correspondent
thus describes:
General Lewis Cass,A after General
Jackson, was the great "Thunderer" of
the party Under Jackson, Cass was
Secretary of War. Cass' collection, as
extra allowances, illegally, of $6s,OOO, and
his organization of company for specu-
lations in western lands are notorious.
He had opportunities of securing for his
company monopoly Of the most choice
tracts of land, to learn when they would
be put on the market, to secure them,
then to raise their price and to sell them
to purchasers forced to buy. 1t is well
known that in western land speculations
Cass amassed his ample fortune Did
Cass elicit from the Democracy any man
Hesitation of horror of indignation? :?
Did General Jackson demand his punish
ment? Did not both, in effect, indorse
and approve it? General Jackson subse-
| quently made Cass minister to France.
The Democracy made him, first Senator of
the United States, next nominated him as
their candidate for the presidency, and
then made him Secretary Of State. I'm
der the Democracy Belknap would be in
the line of promotion"
Colonel Richard NJ. johnson, the Dem
ocratic Vice President, was another un-
faithful brother While he held that Of
flee he lobbied through a claim for one
Captain Buckner for removing the Chicka,
saw Indians, and obtained an award of
$l46,O0O, which was $4,000 more, ac.
cording to the report of committee, than
he was properly entitled to. johnson got
$4,000 of this.
In 1884 one W. P Harris, who was O
receiver OF public moneys at Columbus
Mississippi, was ascertained to be de
| faulter in large amount. He was no
prosecuted or removed, but in 1886 wrote
to President Jackson, resigning, and
recommending successor, one Gordon d
Boyd, who was duly appointed. The Sc
quel, as related by the correspondent Of
the Star, is exceedingly rich. 1t was
only five months after the latter appoint
ment, when Boyd was also found to be g
defaulter. When Harris resigned, the
Secretary of the Treasury kindly entered
on the books the following: Balance
due from Mr.. Harris, SlO9,l7s.Os." Il
was hoped that Boyd would not find il
necessary to steal, but he did, and in 1887
the Secretary sent Mr.. Garesche to exam
inc the affairs of the Columbus Office
Here is an extract from the report made
by the latter on his return. We commend
it to the careful perusal of those Demo
Gratis who imagine that public roguery is &
new thing in this country:
"The man Colonel Gordon d. Boyd
seems really penitent, and l am inclined
to think with his friends that he is hon
est, and has been led away from his duty
by the example of his predecessor, and
certain looseness in the code of morality
which here does not move in so limited ;
circle as it does with us at home. Anoth
er receiver would probably follow in the
footsteps of the two. You will not, there
fore, be surprised if recommend hi!
being retained, in preference to another
appointment; for he has his hands full
now and will not be disposed to speculat,
any more!!! And so it was decreed Ii
the October following, the "really peni
tent and "henest' Boyd was allowed t
resign, and the Secretary, as in the eas'
of Harris, entered on the books: sc. D
Boyd is indebted s5O,937.39, as per las
statement at the Treasury!!!"
The Louisville Journal referring to tn
case at the time, said
"A Mr. Gordon d. Boyd, some time ago
was appointed receiver at one of th
Mississippi land Offices Shortly after
ward he proved a defaulter to the amoun
of $4,000. The promulgation of tn
fact did not at all abash him. He imme
dlately betook himself to the stump 70
the vindication of his character. II di
appropriate the money to my own use,
exclaimed he, sand ! expected to be abl
to repay it, but my speculations turne
out unfavorable. 'Tis my misfortun,
and not my fault l hope, gentlemen
you are satisfied" "Oh, yes" replied hi
locofoco hearers, "we are perfectly sati
fed"
i We publish the above to show tina
rascality is no new thing in this country
but that the punishment of rascality is
new thing, and that the Republican part
stands alone among political organization
as one which has unearthed the fraud
and punished the criminals as they d.