The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1877-10-04
The Secrat Service.

vice, says the N. Y. Sun, has taken large
proportions at Washington, and, even
under economical democratic rule, has, of
late years, cost the country one hundred
thousand dollars every twelve months.
In making the original appropriation to
detect the countcrteiting of United States
bonds, money and National Bank notes,
the design of the law was to provide a
means of safety for the public against the
frauds which were successfully carried out
by organized bands of counterteiters at
the very beginning of our vast issues Of
paper money. Like most of the govern
ment machinery during the era of Grant
ism, this branch expanded into bureau
with a large force of sO-called detectives ;
and finally it became a partisan instru-
ment of oppression and outrage in the
| hands Of those who stood near the throne
OF power and had selfish interests to pro-
mote, personal malice to crafty, or po-
litical purpose to advance. The uses to
which this powerful machine was put,
working in secret and with the hands of
desperate scoundrels ready for any crime
| that promised reward, would seem incred-
ble, if the proofs were not conclusive and
ndsputable.
The chief of this service, while it was
attached to the department of justice,
| drew upon his own order solely whatever
be required, within the limit Of the APP
preparation, and the attorney general,
/ through his chief clerk or with his own
hand, approved the drafts for ten, twenty;
thirty, and forty thousand dollars at q
time without askinga question. Novouch-
ers We're required to audit these accounts,
but merely a statement that detectives
had been employed at a certain per diem,
with their expenses added. During the
days of the alleged ku-kluN the secret ser
vice was a power and expended enor-
nous sums under preteXt of pursuing
| enemies to the public peace whom they
created, like Falstatf's army. Hundreds
OF innocent men We're sworn away by pro-
fessional pcrjurers, in order to exhibit the
efficiency of infamous detectives and hire
llngs, who dealt in crime as a regular
| business, at the expense of the National
treasury. 1t has been proved beyond
J Iic,,,ta t1,o cnt,, ln,p,rlo1.1r nv
at Washington, in which Babcock, Har-
rington, and Shepherds ring figured so
odiously, was managed by this bureau,
and that the agents hired to do the job
We're paid directly from the money voted
! by congress to detect counterteitng
| Professional burglars and thieves were
the chosen Instruments Of this work, set
on, guided, and protected by officials
holding responsible trusts under the gov
eminent.
When it was proposed to kidnap Mr..
Raymond H. Perry, and to carry him
from Rhode Island to Texas on fabri-
Gated charge of crime, in order to shut
out his testimony against the San Domin-
go scheme, the first person to whom Bah
cock applied for aid was the chief of this
bureau. That conspiracy failed, because
the governor of Rhode Island discovered
the plot and would not grant warrant
for eXtradition on the false and forged
representations presented to him. The
attempt to carry editors to Washington
and try them before incompetent courts
and packed juries for exposing the cor
ruption and robberies of the ring or the
rascalities Of Secor Robeson, were pro-
NOTED and sometimes prompted by this
same bureau, aided by the police and de-
tectives of the capital, who made COM
mon cause together in every great out
rage, just because they drew their COM
mon support from the treasury.
These are only a few Of the hideous
facts connected with the recent history
Of the secret service. How many public
| and private individuals suffered at its
| hand from the vindictiveness of those
who pulled the wires, may, like the Sc
crets of the inquisition, never be fully
known. Enough is established however,
to make its continuance Il disgrace to the
country; and its accepted name, though
| entirely unknown to the law, is of itself
obnoxious to all proper sentiment in a
free country. We want no secret service,
organized as such, tor any purpose. II
detectives are necessary in the pursuit OF
criminals, or for protection against c0un-
terfeiters, there are professional experts
in all great cities, who make this a special
business, and who have superior facilities
for attaining the ends of justice. They
can be employed at far less expense than
is now incurred, and without subecting
the government to reproach.
The time has come to abolish this fraud
and dishonor. The house of representa-
tives is expected to appropriate no mon
ey to maintain a system Of spies, inform
ers and plunderers
If the metropolitan papers are not mis-
taken, there are convincing evidences Of
a general revival Of business, and of better
times. The New York Herald of recent
date says
SIT is manifest fact that the material
and political interests of the country have
greatly improved within the last twelve
months. The entire South, so recently
antagonized and eXhaustng the energies
of her people in continuous political and
personal strife, is now in a condition of
contentment and repose, and as a con-
sequence we are entitled to look for a
steady revival Of the important business