The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-05-22
tue Queer Fashion Of Keeping the Treasury
Accounts.

investigate the Treasury accounts. Mr.. ingalls,
CRep.) of Kansas, from the same committee,
presented minority report. MIR. Davis sand,
in presenting his report which was signed by
himself, MIR. Whytc Dcm.) of Maryland, and
Mr. Beck (Dcm) of Kentucky, that all the
statements made in speeches by him before the
appointment of The committee had been VERT
fled by the investigation, Differences of nine
" or one hundred millions in some years had
been found between the figures rs stated
| W neither the figures represented actual cash
ldlilerenCes or not was another thing. All his
allegations lave been proved true. Most OF
the discrepancies were shown in the years be.
tween 1860 and 1871 The testimony shows
that in November, 1870, the Secretary of the
Treasury notified the Register IN writing To
change the figures and amounts AS previously
reported to Congress. The changes went back
ito 1888, and apparently largely increased the
public debt In 1862 the debt had been report
ed to Congress- nj Sjl4000000 by the Register
and by the Secretary. In 1870 that amount
was changed, and the debt stands at S52i,OOO,
600. Again, in 1873, there was similar change
OF S200OO,000 in the public debt, and in 1874
of S15OOOO0O. Another fact Is that IN 1870
they largely disagree. The testimony shows
that three items, amounting To $6, 293S 2t, were
added to the public debt by order OF the Sccrc
ItHry, when neither Of the three items appeared
tween six aud seven millions were added to the
public debt statement The Register Is the of
fetal bookkcepcr Of the Government, yet IN
1870 he was ordered to make his statement
agree with that Of the Secretary, and obeyed
the order From the beginning Of the Govern
ment up 10 1870 the accounts were kept Ivy
what Is known rs issues and redemptOns. In
1870 new system, known rs ipts and cN-
pendltures, was adopted, and a difference Of
!. ..l,,,, LAR, al.
statement Up to 1869 what is known as the
Pacific Railroad bonds debt was included III
The public debt statement, which amounted on
June 30, 1869, TO sos 63S 230 THIS was 0ropp
ed and not included IN the debt statement OF
1870, which ought to have reduced the debt by
that amount; but If the statements of the Sec
rotary and ofthc Registrars reported in 1870 are
compared, the debt is not decreased but in
creased between ninety and a hundred mil
lions. The testimony shows that To make Il
careful examination of the public debt receipts
and expenditures between 1860 and 1870 would
require four or five years with four or five
clerks; yet the fact Is, a new clerk, III four and
a half months, made the examination upon
which the many and large changes were made,
EGjn! hack lo near the beginning Of tie Coy
a., .rruucu,. The proof j. thai hOu''~, hauh notes.
lrgtl tender uOC>, and revenue stamps are dc
liycrcd 10y the printing bureau to the loan d..
vision for the Comptrolier the Treasurer, &c,
and no check is given between the parties
: named. That is, the Register, or some other
officer, should enter, receive, and deliver bonds
notes, &c, Upon the integrity and carefuncss
of the Chicfol the loan division depends whcth
cr or not the country knows to-day what Is the
true amount of bonds issued
Mr. Edmunds Gtep, Nt)-Are they rot reg
istercd?
Mr.. Davis--No sir.
Mr. Edmunds-W hat? Not in the Registers
office
Mr.. Dayis-That is the question: OF course,
all that have passed through the Registers of
fee are registered. But the loan division
could tomorrow or at any time, issue e bond,
and the Registers office never need see It, I'M
der the system.
Mr.. Edmunds-May | ask how any bond ap
Ipearing good on ITS face can get out without
having the signature of the Register?
Nj. Davis sad, on the integrity Of one Of
fccr II that officer asks an Issue of $4,000
in bonds, and only : 600 wa, paid III thc lgcls-
IHly, | assert there is no check for it, The era
surcs and alterations on the books amount to
thousands and effect many hundreds of mil
lions OF dollars. Those on the day books
Journals, and lcdgcrs are so numerous that the
committee did not attempt to count them
Leaves are cut from books and not accounted
for, Warrants taken from the Treasury for
millions OF dollars are missing and cannot be
found. The statements and reports of the War
Interior, and Navy Departments differ largely
as to the amount OF money received from and
charged to the Treasury Department. No Off
Ger of the Treasury Department Is capable of
now furnishing a statement of accrued interest
on the bonds sold. The amount collected Is
supposed to be many millions. The cXpcud-
lures between 1860 and 1870 as reported bv
tlp ll.r
compared with the Treasurer's statement, DIFF
fer hundreds Of millions. Notwithstanding
this, we are told the four officers are checks
upon each other. The ScCrctary'S and incl
IreaSurer's statements as to bonds belonging
to the shaking fund for 1870 differ millions
! Warrants transferring hundreds of millions of
dollars from the Treasury, scratched and ap
lparCntly altered and some warrants SAID to TAKE |
nom the Treasury large amounts are missing |
land cannot he produced | should state that
what are called duplicates Of them are in thcI
Treasury. Mr.. Savilic who was chef clerk at
the time the changes were made. was the only
witness outside Of the department examined
by the committee. Some outside parties stated
that they could prove frauds, but the commit.
tee uniformly responded that their duty was to
Examine and report AS To the statements, ac-
counts, and books the department No ev-
dcnCe was taken looking to misuse of money
1t is certain that between 1869 and 1871 many
changes in the public debt statement receipts
and expenditures were made, which apparent
Y largely increased the total of the debt affect
ing receipts ana expenditures extending back
thirty or forty years, changing the amount a.
IprevIous yreporled TO Congress many millions.
Mr.. ingalls, and Mr. Dawes rep Mass, the
minority OF the committee both spoke in an
swer to Mr.. Davis, and charged that Mr.. Davis
was raising row for campaign purposes over
the correction of simple clerical errors, which,
in any establishment or department. were liza
Die To occur frequently.
Wanted, ship Canal.