Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1876-05-27
Senator Davis's Charges.
NO REPORT ON THE TREASURY
DISCREPANCIES YET.
REMARKABLE IRREGULARI-
TIES IN THE TREASURY REC
ORDS.

lSpCSiai uCSpatSil W VIC L
WASHINGTON, May 1s.-The investi-
cations by the House have been so pro-
lihc in revealing the abuses and corrup-
tons of Republican rule in every branch
OF the service that the one ordered by
the Senate on charges brought by
Democratic Senator early in January
has been quite lost sight of. 1t best il
Illustrates the energy and spirit between
the two parties in exposing mal-admin-
istration. The Senate Finance Com
mittee was directed at the time named
to investigate books and accounts of
the Treasury Department, particularly
with reference to discrepancies and al
terations in amounts and figures that
have been made in them, especially in
the annual statements Of the expendi-
lures of the Government, revenue col
lected, and the public debt contained in
the report thereof Nearly four months
have elapsed and no reply has been
made, nor are there any indications of
one. Possibly Republican Senators are
content with the partial and plausible
explanation of the millions upon mil
lions of dollars of discrepancies made
by ex-Secretary and now Senator Bout
we'll, in reply to the charges as detailed
and sustained by Senator Davis Of West
Virginia Their Importance and magni
tude, and the utter failure thus far to
refule them, should not be forgotten,
for they speak volumes. 1t should be
preliminarily stated that Senator Davis
in his Investigations at the Treasury
Department found no official who could
explain the alarming alterations in the
official reports made to Congress. Here
are some of the remarkable discrepau
ces, copied solely from the official fig
ures, as to the annual expenditures.
Prior to 1870 all of the finance reports
agree as to the total annual expendi-
lures: but take the finance report Of
1870 aud it differs as to their totals
from all previous reports between 1860
l and 1865 6. For instance in the re-
port of 1869, page 321, it appears, COM
mencing with 1860, that the total annu-
al expenditures were $5,sSs, 917, 1906.
Now, take the finance report of 1870.
page 275, it will be found that there is
an increase of 1927, 97043. The
greatest discrepancies are in the years
1863, 1865, 1866. In the year 1869
alone there is an increase of nearly a
million of dollars. If this discrepancy
appeared in the expenditures of years
since 1870 it might possibly be explain
ed in the difference between the Secre-
tary's table (Which Mr. Boutwell,
originated aud the Registers statement,
but the totals here given are from the
Registers statement-the Register be-
ing the chief hookkeeper of the
Treasury-whch cannot be altered by
any new table originated in subsequent
years. And lest it be claimed, as it is
frequently, that the discrepancies at the
close of fiscal years arise from the
amount of warrants issued by the
Secretary, and the amount OF warrants
actually paid by the Treasurer, it should
be stated that not only is the rule of
forty,ive days allowed beyond the end
of the fiscal years, but as long as three
or four months, in which to make up
the full amount of receipts and expen-
ditures as here given.
In the war, navy and Indian expen-
ditures, from 1860 to 1866, it appears
that many of the figures are changed in
the finance report of 1870 for those
periods, after having been officially
used by Congress for years. Take the
pension expenditures that cover only
one specific purpose and look at the
figures
In the report Of 1870 the eX-
peaditures for pensions
are stated for the year
lSG4-G5 at $685., 621 "a
In the report of 1869 the
same expenditures for the
same year are stated at 0,29l .GlO, 4S
Showing an increase in the
report of 1870 over the fig
ures in the report of 1869
Of 1855, olO, Sc
In the report Of 1870 the
pension expenditures for
the year 1S63-Gl are stated
at 1885, 47s, 80
In the report of lS63-64 the
same expenditures for that
year lSG3-64) are stated
at 1919, e33, II
Showing an increase in the
report Of 1870 over the fig