The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1878-10-02
& Vote for DR.. L.
T.. Roush for the
Legislature.
Tapgled Tre.1snry AccoliRiiis.

ranged treasury Accounts.
There is not Republican news
paper that is not ina state Of jubila-
tion and thanksgiving because the
statement has gone out that Senator
Davis charge of fraud in the Trea-
sury accounts has been swept away.
We showed yesterday that this state
ment was G6surdly untrue, because
the committee has not yet compile
ted very materialland essential por-
tions ofits work. 1t will be interest
ing to see for what purpose Senator
Davis ashed the appointment of a
COMMITTEES ay, e9iiliog 7l.l.
First of al, 1T appears that sena-.
tor Davis ntads-ika point To- distinct
ly aisfllsim any ,charge Of fraud.
against the Treasury Department.
In his spcechldf November 16i 1871,
calling up the resolution Of inquiry.
submitted the previous month, sena
tor Davis said;
III any personor persons, officer
orolfieers, have, from good or bad mo-
tiyes or from any consideration, as
sumed the power to make changes
or alterations in the finance reports, as
has certainly been done, and without
authority, it belongs to, and is the
dutyof Congress to know the reason"
Ho further declared; at is not
my intention to reflect upon the
past or present officials Of the Troa-
sury Department" HG wanted the
Senate to ascertain the facts as they
were and the cause if it could.
There was no charge Of corruption,
but the sensitive soul of the Republi-
con party was pricked, and it hasten
cd to combat a charge of fraud,
This, however, was not amazing, for
the naked charges and specifications
compelled this single inference, to-
wit, that Treasury accounts were
not tampored WITH figures involving
millions changed and heavy balatsres
forced, without a corrupt motive.
Corruption was not in the charge; it
lay in the facts and the inference.
Summing up his charge, Senator
Davis submitted the following speci-
fcations as clearly established by the
facts and figures which he offered to
the Senate, and which are now be.
fore US:
"First. The difference, changes
and alterations, involving millions
of dollars, have been made in the
annual finance report after being
officially made to Congress,
Second. That e&,socretary Bristow
and the Finance Committee admit
that they were made between the
years 1856 and 1871, without ex.
planation and authority, and the
reasons for making them ought to be
known,
Third. That the annual finance re-
ports to Congress substantially agree,
up to and including the year 1869,
and from 1871 to the present, as to
the public debt, expenditures and re.
ceipts of the government, between
these years differ widely,
Fourth. That in 1870 the Register
of the Treasury was directed to re.
state the public debt and oxpcndi.
lures from the year 1866 TO 1870, ac.
c6rdtn5 to a statement sent him from
The Sccrctarys qeicc, and not according
to the data or books in his Office,
Fifth. That between theycars 1869
and 1871 the sccrctary's new tables,
stating and rcmodcling the public
debt and expenditures Of tho govern
mcnt, first appear in the finance re-
ports which made these changes and
alterations and increased tho public