Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-09-29

BILE neglect of all prudence and economy in the dis
| bursement OF the money, and such as merits the
severest censlre.
But this was only beginning. The COM
lnIttee lind that Buckner was afterward paid
| 1897, 749 more for the TRANSFORMATION of Indians
whom he did not transport, but who travelled
by land to Arkansas. For each one of these he
charged the same price as for each one carried
by boat, and it was shown that he had made no
provision for carrying 1888 CT the Indians.
Ihe committee severely cename the treasury
officers for paying this additional sum: the tes-
t1mony Oh which it was paid is characterized as
such as "would not have been received by
justice or the peace to sustain Judgment for
one cent" Moreover, the rolls in the Indian
bureau showed that only 1924 Indians emf
grated, but Buckner claimed to have furnished
provisions to 5,962, and the treasury officers
accepted that number. Having come to the
conclusion that of the whole sum of $146, 1913. 80
there was improperly paid 1922, $3.50, the COM
mlttee pay their respects in the following lam
guage to Richard M. johnson, vice president
under Van Buren,, when the claim was paid:
The testimony of Capt. Buckner states that he was
introduced by Col. Richard NJ Johnson who attend
ed with him almost daily until the requisiton was
obtained. There is some reason 20 believe that these
0Sty O7S1ts OF popular vice president had persua-
sce influence with the accounting officers in passing
this claim that the strength of the testimony by
which it was sustained.
The appended testimony of Buckner shows
that Vice-President Johnson, who assisted him
In getting his claim allowed, received of the
sum paid 1913 00G. which Buckner had agreed to
loan him if he should get his money.
In the course of their examination of the
manner IN which the money Of the government
had been spent under Jackson and Van Buren,,
the committee on public expenditures discovered
many transactions which awakened their indig-
nation. In one report they say:
Without inquiring into the proprety of appropria-
| 1aJ,,
that extravaganza of the most wlful character has
squandered the public money under them, and that
no efforts seem to have been made by those who
possessed the power to prevent it. The officers ap-
pear to have passed the scrutiny of those entitled to
demand accountability if clad in the mere forms of
law, upon higher evidence than that of the agent
who performs the deed that he has acted in good
faith, notwithstanding his very act creates a pre-
sumption to the contrary; and even this evidence,
fra as it is, has not been demandedin vast variety
| Of cases. In each department, and throughout the
various qualifications of it, whether civil military,
whenever there was money to be expended, the most
ministration of the law, until the public interests
have been sacrificed by its influence.
The committee then present {" a few of the
many cases which have occurred" In 1887
! there were appropriated $4,000 for the re-
mOval of distractions at the mouth of the Mis-
sissippi The engineer began in the spring of
that year, and by January, 1899, had cut
feet long, and spent 1928, 231. The engineer in
charge was Capt. A. Talbot. Among the
articles which he bought and charged to the
government as necessary for this dredging at
the mouth of the MISSISSIPPI were two dinner
sets of china, 234 pieces; $106 worth of fine ia
BILE linen; supply of champagne brandy; al
monds, figs, prunes, raisins az boxes currie
powder; spices of all kinds; silver watches and
mosquito bars for the men; port wine, &c.
Speaking of these things, the committee says:
Tho soldier of the army, who fights the battles of
his country, is denied any such xuries because of
their useless extravaganza. The honest farmer of
our country cam IT indulge in such, because the
wants of his family forbid it; and the committee dc
not believe that he should be taxed to support them
in others. Officers in the employ of thu government
forget that they are living the labors of others
but seem to think that they should indulge in all the
Injuries of an Oriental prince. 1t is time such prac-
tees were discountenanced and prohibited and the
penalty of such should be the forfeiture of the conf
dence of the government
These last words had direct bearing upon
the case of Talcott. He had been guilty OF
these practices, and had even retained $l1.OO(
more than had been allowed for his services
The government sued him, but with a full
knowledge of all these facts he was appointed
a commissioner to run the Maine boundary anC
created disbursing officer in that service al
though as disbursing officer he had been 6
shining example of extravaganza Or worse. II
the army expenses the committee found s.s
most prodigal waste of money! and declared
that IN every department Of the service con
nected with the war against the Florida Indians
'extravagance OF the most unprecedented
character had been INDUCED. There had beer
employed In the transportation service 731
steamboats, ST. 6rlgs and schooners. Many
OF them had been hired by the day. unit
the money paid was four times the value of the
boat. The steamer Henry CroWell, not worth
$4,000, was hired at $500 per day, with ex
penses and insurance, until she had cost the
government $82, 555. For some $3.50 per day
% o1111iff n E,t 81
these boats and their cost to the government
also several pages of accounts showing what
supplies had cost, and how much had been PAID
for transporting soldiers. These expenses were
OF most extraordinary character; supplies were
bought at four times their value: wagons were
hTed at $1,000 per day, and their drivers were
allowed 80 days In which to go 200 miles, many
thousands Of dollars being wasted In this way
saddles were bought at 1877. so EACH and Mr.
Grant was allowed 50, 1853. go for a wagon which
ne built as an experiment. These records must
be seen to be appreciated. The committee saw
This system of extravaganza seems not to be con.
fined SO the army upon the theatre of only. Al
the stations on the public works, far removed from
the influences and excitement of war, where even the
plea OF necessity cannot be urged the same spirit OF
prodigaty seems to prevail. 1t appears from these
facts to have become part of tactics of the army
OF the United States to squander the public treasury
for the benefit of favorites and contractors
In the year 1885, the governments agent.
Capt. john Page, made contract with the
alahama Emigrating company to remove the
Greek Indians. The company professed to re-
move large number, but it's claim for double
pay IN case OF water transportation was not al
lowed by Acting Secretary of War Cooper. under
instructions from Secretary Poinsett. Po.nsett
was afterward, in 1888, induced to change his
mind, and, according to the committee. paid
nearly 100000 for work which had not been
done. The report says
The committee will not stop to comment on this
Wanton waste of the public treasury by high execu-
tive officer of the government but leave it as one of
the monuments of that inidety to the public inte-
rests which has too long marked the conduct of many
OF those to whom are confided the control of the
government
The committee find that the government paid
to the company for removing the Creeks $780,
44o58: They enter into calculation by which
it is clearly shown that the same work could
have been done for S186,53O. In conclusion,
the committee say:
The committee have presented the foregoing facts.
as illustrative of the expenditures of the different
departments to which they belong. They cannot
indulge any other opinion than that they have not
been made in pursuance of the laws which author