The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-25

Polarization Of the Treasury Account.

Dhihk thc AhSb WV JtuiS LIE DUN nith
bepeatedly called upon Congress to inves-
hgate the books of the Treasury. in order
70 sft the conflicting Official statements of
The public debt and expenditures, and TO
establish some satisfactory basis upon
which the public might rely.
BY law the Register of the Treasury is
practically the bookkeeper OF the Govern
meat. All the accounts of receipts and
expenditures are reg stored, and finally de-
po@ted in his Office; and from the organ
kation of the Treasury down TO 1870, no
bther statement was authorized or pub
hshed, In regard TO either, than that which
bore his official signature. But the system
which HAMILTON organized, and GAILATIN
6terward administered, was not satisfac-
hory to Mr.. BOUTWELL, Ii was straight
Forward, simple. and would not serve TO
conceal transactions of vast magnitude,
bpon which worse than dark suspicion
row rests. so he contrived u statement of
his own, monthly and annual, intended to
npersede that Of the Register, and predI-
pated upon a different state of facts and
hgures. THIS scheme was conoocted for
partisan uses, and the monthly statements
ant out to the country were false to the
0tent that warrants for large sums were
withheld until after the publication, so ms to
make a deceptive exhibit of the condition
u the Treasury. That practice became
thoroughly established under boutwell,
md RICHARDSON, aud Is still continued un-
Der BRIsTow.
When the annual reports OF the Secre-
larry OF the Treasury and the Register came
70 be compared, enormous discrepancies
we're discovered for the same series of
pears in the public debt and the expendi-
lures. Attempts were made in Congress to
have an inquiry, but the Republican ma
Iorities voted down every resolution, and
the doors of the Treasury were slammed
In the faces of members who sought in
formation. Mr.. Boutwell, set to work TO
reconcile these contradictory figures, with
the aid of RICHARDSON and others.
They went back for many years, altered
the aggregates of the public debt, and ill.,
troduced into the accounts new elements
which were previously unk nown. When
they could not be made to agree with the
Registers books il was explained that the
two started from different points, aud
therefore they must reach different re-
suits; but by including in one. certain ele-
ments omitted from the other, they would
be reconciled
In the debate on this subject last week,
Mr.. boutwell, repeated this lame xplana-
ton in these words:
"1he consequence IL that at any particular
moment Of time the apparent debt Of tho Gov
eminent as represented in the Registers ONCE
md az represented in the ONCE Of the Secretary
OF the treasury p9t b. ditercnt'
Now, by turning TO the reports Of the
Secretary and Register since ISL, it will be
found that they agree 10 a cent, and there
fore the whole theory OF MIR. Boutwell,
falls TO the ground and his explanation is
absolutely untrue. There is no possibility
of agreement between them, If, as he
stated, they are composed of different ele-
ments. Then how do they now happen TO
be identical7 Mr.. boutwell, is abundantly
able to answer this question, though he
pretended ignorance in the Senate, aud
audaciously said he had no responsibility
for the sudden and remarkable change in
statements made during his management
of the Treasury The Registers figures
Uere made 10 conform 10 those Of the Sec
TetdrU bv an express order OF the latter
That is TO say, the public accounts were
hlshed by an official rescript from the
head OF the department..
IL Will naturally be asked. what was the
controlling motive for these alterations
and these conflicting statements? The an
swer is IA belief only, but justified by many
facts which can be verified or rejected by
inve stigatlon. 1t is believed that many
millions of bonds and notes have been
Issued in excess o ( lawful authority, that
nail If hnt "A
and accepted at the Treasury, and that
there il larger amount OF interest paid
than the actual debt calls for. More than
this, there is prevailing opinion that bal
ances were forced during the terms of
boutwell, and RE HARDsON; that the
books were tempered with in various bu-
reaus; and thar they now bear evidence Of
eTasures, interlineatons, and changes. 1t
Is easy TO ascertain whether these OPT Mons
and reports are well founded or not
This Is not "a party question, and ought
not TO be considered in that light. All
sides should agree that the integrity Of the
public accounts ought TO be strictly pre-
served, and that the system which Mr..
BOUTWELL, ineugurated, of having two con-
Trajectory statements of the public debt,
must be prcjudlcial to the public credit at
home ana abroad No other enlightened
country presents such Il spectacle, and no
man can to-day, upon the authority of
those figures, come within fifty or a hum
dred millions of the Jeal DEBT, from the
confusion and conflict which they create.
And the Secretary Of the Treasury is quite
az ignorant on this point rs the most OBJ
scurc citizen who does not trouble his head
about accounts.
MI DAVIS introduced resolution in tho
Benate fortnight ago, asking for "a SPECIAL
committee Of five TO investigate this mat.
Ter. Like every other proposition OF the
kind, it was at once opposed by the Rcpub,
lican leaders. Mr. MORTON, Mr.. SHERMAN
AR. boutwell,, Mr.. EDMUNDs. and others
had explanations to give, none OF which
touched the real point. They were all eva
ave, equlvocal and unsatisfactory. To
stliie inquiry, they will send the resolution
70 the Committee on Finance, composed OF
seven Republicans and two Democrats
But the House can countelact this trickcrJ
w IeneAtlpg the resolution there, aud get