The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-05-06
sENAron nENRY,s TIAsco.
A DiSpassIonats Confederation Of the
Probabilities In the Case.

|, DiSpassIonate Consideration OF the
Probabilities In the Case.
Boston Advertiser.
1t is nothing against Mr.. Davis, Senator
from West Virginia, that he received only
. common school education, and was for
fourteen years after he became OF age an
employee Of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail.
road Company, beginning as brakeman.
On the contrary, it is very greatly to his
credit that in spite OF the lack OF early OPP
portunities he has risen to his present po'
sifion, and Ia in his second term as SEN
ator OF the United States. But the den;
cheney Of his early training may by helu
10 place him somewhat at disadvantage
In considering 80 complicated a subject Us
The accounts Of the Treasury Department.
Oddly enough, however, that IS the very
matter which Mr.. Davis has chosen 40 =
specially, and TO it he has devoted mueh
more time than intelligence. dc began
upon one branch Of the subject as early
we believe, as 1872; aud was IN iull cry az
ter Treasury frauds in 1876. In one Of Tue
earliest months OF that year he maue an
elaborate speech with extracts from the
Treasury reports, to show what appeared
tn him 10 be great and ineXplicabie aus
crenancies. But Mr. Boutwell, was present
and heard his speech, and, being conVefs-
an with the methods OF the department,
ans ans him on the spot. II Mr. Davis
bs5 stndied the explanations OF Mr.. Bout
we'll with IN honest desire TO learn the
truth. he must, unless incapable OF com,
pretending the subject, have seen that al
his criticisms were met, and that a perfect
To- Good answer was made on behalf oil the
Treasury Department.
anxious to throw discredit upon the hepuO'
iicau administration than to arrive at tue
ruth, or whether 1t was that the mystery
he had undertaken to iathom was 700 ueep
for him, is not known. Certain II is Ina'
The honorable Senator persisted In his in'
ypstiVation, and at last procured from q
Republican Senate the appointment OF q
select committee to examine the Treasury
hooks and accounts. This committee, hrsl
authorized on November 10, 1877, and re-
nav ed al every session since, has Just re,
ported. the Democrats, Messrs. Beck and
WHITE. with MIR. Davis, reported that
there are discrepancies; the minority
NIessrs. Ingalls, and Dawes, reported tnal
there are none. The exact nature OF the
differences and the alleged ensures and
snbstitutions found by part OF the com
Tai-e clear. but there is every reason to
suppose that they arc what MI. DAVE
thought he discovered years ago, and wha'
Mr. Boutwell, carefully and In detall ex'
planned. For present, purposes y Is mo-
worth while to know the precise character
Of the charges that are brought against u Lnt
Sdministration OF the department. we
Vish 10 consider the subject In broader
way than Is consistent with scrutiny oil
specific accusations.
The irregularities are all supposed to
have occurred since Mr.. Johnson's admin
istration, and those referred to by MIR,
Davis in 1876 we're for the years from 1865
TO 1872. That was during the administra'
tion OF the department by Mr.. Boutwell,,
The ex. Secretary, with full knowledge Of
the charges, has explicitly declared, that
there ia nothing in them. Consequently
II the charges are true, he has made Nun
self party to the fraud. The secretary
of the Treasury, when Mr.. Davis Degau
his raid, was Judge Richardson, VINO, Il
aware Of any discrepancies, shares the
guilt Of their commission by having KEEP
silent. When the great speech oil 4eit
| was made Mr.. Bristow vas Secretary
He was public officer who was intoler
amt OF fraud. His attention was called tc
The subject, but he never admitted thai
there had been any Irregularities. There
fore he, too, is q party TO the robbery, o.
the government, II robbery there has
been. MIR. Morrill, of Maine and Mr.
Sherman Of Ohio, who have since hello
the Secretaryship, were both Senators
when Mr.. Davis revealed his great dis
coyery. They, also, have never corrected
any Of the alleged irregularities commit
lid under their professors, nor hinteC
that there we're frauds TO be unearthed
and thew, too, must be included In tht
condemnation Of all who cover up the ras
cality. Finally, there are the Republican
Senators generally, who have steadiastly
maintained, after more or less lnNestlSs
ton, that there was nothing wrong; anc
particularly Senators ingalls, and Dawes
who have, as members oil the committee
seen all the evidence on which the mslor
ity report is based. These men declare that
The accounts are correct, and that the gov
eminent has lost nothing. Accordingly
Ihey must be included with the rest rs
accomplices and conspira!ors against the
Treasury Of the United States.
Ia there man living who really believes
that the persons named are capable OF the
Indifference or the iascality, one or the
other OF which must be charged upon
them IL there is anything in Senator Ds'
yis's mares nest, OF neglecting 10 find out,
or Of wiliully covering up . great wrong
against the government To believe that
II is necessary to suspect five successive
Secretaries Of the Treasury OF willingness
TO protect those who have been guilty oil
embeIzlement Of the public funds. No
body does believe it. Senator Davis may
be honestly obtuse, or 20 unfair as 70 per
sist in injurious accusations which be
knows to be unfounded. His colleagues
on the committee who have Joined with
him In the report cannot plead stupidity
II they have looked into the matter they
know the charges are untrue; il they have
/ m, ,raiUI,ed tho evidpnre they have com.