The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1876-06-01
pawlet, May IS, 1916
roLlrIcAL connrprIos.
CINTEENIAL.

The Democratic party in Congress
has been using it's drag net with a
great deal Of vigor aud have rlnealthed
everything Of fraudulent character
which could possibly be dug ~, aud
they have found very few instances
where the government itself has been
cheated The only thing they can
possibly complain of is that some poll
iticians Of influence and few officers
Of government have sold or farmed out
Offices under their control for con-
sideration. This practice is wholly
wrong and demoralizing in its tenden-
cy, but has been praeticed 10 greater
or less extent ever since the famous
declaration OF jackson ITO the yictors
belong the spoiIs.' II is true that the
Democrats have been quite free from
this vice for the past fifteen years but
il is chiefly because they have had
very limited opportunity for practic-
ing Il. a person who win sell his vote
Or influence is not fit man to be
trusted IN any position and the Eepub-
lican party has seldom If ever been
guilty Of retaining a man ia Office after
be has been proved to be Of this char.
acter
But in all this corruption the gov.
eminent Las been directly the loser in
very fer cases. In proof Of our asser-
ton we quote the following;
On Feb. ., the Senate passed a reso.
luton requesting the Secretary Of the
Treasury to inform the Senate what
balances are on the books Of the
Treasury against the public officers,
the statement to embrace the accounts
Of all such officers or parties in which
balances have accrued since Jan. /,
1880 in response to this resolution,
Commissioner Of Customs johnson, by
directions Of the Secretary Of the
Treasury, has prepared a statement
showing the balances standing against
Customs officers aud discussing agents
not Customs officers In submitting
the tabulated statement, Commissioner
johnson makes the following explana
tory remarks;
In this connection / deem it my duty
to call your attention to the following
facts shown by the statement mention
ed
The total collection from Customs
from Jan. /, 1880, to June 80, 1850,
| See Finance Report 1875, page 572,
we're 81 ,0O5, 25s, 0i9.05; the outstand.
ing balances from the same time. 50 !.
| 5l0,660 90. Customs collections from
July /, 1860, to June so, 1876, $2,l7o,.
| 400. 3l5 90; outstanding balances for
the same time, 81 l5I,li8.S2; from
which deduct amount advanced TO Z
| Fox, ST. Louis, expended but account
not yet adjusted, sl,O25, 900; leaving
actually outstanding, $i26, 14ss2.
The loss on the transactionsof Gus
toms officers being, from 1880 TO 1860,
S25in $lo,0o0i from 1860 to 1875, SIS
10 500, 900.
+ Owing 70 the lapse Of time, il is sup
posed bot little Of the deficiency accru-
ing prior to 1860 will he collected. and
, the rate Of loss given. SIS in 10000
may he considered as Fixed, while d
the deficiency arising since that time
! there IL every probability Of 50 much
being accounted for as to materially
reduce the rate Of loss for The period
from 1860 to 1875, yiz:Sl9 10 800.
coo am impressed wi,h the belle.
llAl 10 private business "a this country
has bees conducted wisA 80 small a
loss g. thai given i5r tie fst period
. riz.. SIS 10 $40 00o, and when We con.
slider the loss during the second period
il seems incredibly small Va Sl9 ia
500 900. aud is convincing eyideDc,
81 The general efficiency aud iutes riiy
! u the officials engaged ia collecting
] The vast suns involved, and paying
! them into the Treasury
/ 4 similar examination II The facts
: presented in the second statement
: gives tbs following results % die
. burscments from 1850 70 1850, amount
{ ing 70 s2,T55lI5l2; the defcienc,
vas SO $50 50. o. SO in $40 900. 9,
) Disbursements from 1880 70 1875
amounting to & 81. 1854, the dea