The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1880-10-29
A.
Startling Statement
Of the CONDITION Of the
UNITED STATES TREASURY
by an ex-covernment
omclal.

manifestations Of Mon who are
Deeply Concerned tm the Election
Astounding RObbcries under Grants
Administration - HancOck's Elcc-
ton will Lay Bare and Put Rn Ensl
10 Them.
That there is an unprobed mine OF
rottenness in the treasury department OF
the government, has long been the firm
belief of well.informed men. There is
much evidence of long-continued sys-
tenn of gigantic robberies, extending
from the war to the close of Grants ad-
ministration. While the Hayes regime
has been comparatively clean one, and
these stealings have been shut off as far
as possible, the Republican leaders have
set themselves like granite against any
raking up of old matters; even honest
officials, who will not themselves do any
stealing, have done everything in their
power to thwart comprehensive investi-
cations into the past. The committees
of Congressman Grover and Senator Da-
Wis, seemed just to reach the borders of
an interesting field, to pick up stray evil
dence of tremendous crimes, when their
inquiries were foiled. After Tilden was
elected, before it was decided that he
would not take his seat. several mysteri-
GUS fires occurred in the treasury build
ing, and always among the old records
which it is for the thieves interest to get
out of the way.
Alexander Del Mar, of the U. S. Mon
etary commission. and late director Of
the board of statistics, and who was ap.
pointed by President johnson, a member
of the commission, to give the civil SER
vice ofthe country Thorough overhauling
is now outin forcible letter, we'll fortified
by reference to official documents, reveal.
ing what he knows and suspects of these
matters. He published similar docu-
ment in 1868, though of course more in
complete in its details.
He AYERS that one of Mr.. Johnson's
motives for the attempt to remove Sec
rotary Stanton, was his determination to
expose and punish the extensive frauds
which he knew to have been perpetrated
in the war department; and the attack
and attempted.impeachment of Johnson,
which, for fury, bitterness and indecency
has never been equaled in the history of
constitutional government, according to
Del Mar, was instigated and inspired by
the thieves who feared retribution.
Mr.. Del Mar says that during the fiscal
years 1851 to 1864, inclusive, there were
expended in the War and Navy Depart
ments upward of $1,000, 100000. No
comprehensive account of the material
and property belonging to the govern
ment was ever taken, but as it could be
appropriated it amounted at the close of
the war to about $500, 100000. When the
government came to sue it he says the
door was left wide open for unlimited
robberies. Conspiracies were formed
whereby dishonest officers sold to civil
ians, their confederates, at prices far be-
meath its market value and in some
cases even bought it back for the Gov
eminent at many times the price at
which it had been dishonesty sold.
So only $255, 100000 in money was
realized. But this is not the worst
of it; the greater part of this $255, 00O,-
600 was again stolen. According to law,
the proceeds of these sales should have
been deposited in the Treasury, and there
allowed to remain until expended under
new appropriation of Congress; But
this course would have been doubly OBJ
jectionable to the robbers; it might nave
Lad a. rf tn
sales, and have placed the money be3
yond their reach. So they covered" it,
on paper into the Treasury as a repay
ment, and assuming that repayment
might lawfully be expended without a
new act of appropriation, they covered"
It out again, and expended it just as they
chose, without either authority or
surveillance.
In the track of these robberies he says
smaller ones grew up in great numbers.
Treasury safes were repeatedly robbed
the watches, money and other effects of
our dead heroes, which were found on
their bodies and deposited for safe keep
ing in the Second Auditors Office were
stolen. There are hundreds of cases
like that discoursed a few months ago,
after ten years of concealment, yet to
come to light.
There seems to be nothing improbable
in this charge of Mr.. Del Mars. Corrup-
ton will always be found where business |
is allowed to be done in any such loose |
way.
The books of the United States Gov
are kept by single and not by
double entry; they contain no complete
account, no comprehensive
inventory of stock on hand, and no COM
olete account of balances. Such accounts
ire indispensable in double entry sys-
EN-. 1t is impossible to learn from the
books, as they are now kept, the correct
position of the Treasury, or of any other
department of Government. Under this
ystem embellishments or frauds may be
md have been committed without fear
# detection, to an extent 80 vast as to
ender their commission of the deepest
rational and social concern. As result
# this slip-shod business, Mr.. Randall,
n a speech in 1872, showed from Off
ial documents some astounding discrep-
ncies. Thus:
according to the Secretary of the
Treasury, as per finance report Of
1871, pages IA and is, the sum total
of internal revenue collections
during the nine years named was 81 ,6O9, 524, 449
ccording to the Commissioner Of
Internal Revenue. as per his report
OF 1871, pages 278 and 279, the sum
total during the nine years named
was. l,6x6,5I2,SS2
ccording 10 the Fifth Auditor, as
per his reports in the finance re-
ports, 1867 10 1871 inclusive the sum
total during the nine years named
was. 4s7,e4s, ios
ccording to the Register Of the
Treasury, as per his reports printed
in the same volumes, the sum total I
during the nine years named was. 81, 901 ,667
These sums exhibit the following dis |
repancies:
Commissioner over Secretary ........e 17,04s, 4sS
ecretary over Register. ............. 37,622,7s2
Commissioner over Register. 54,671,215
egister over Auditor .--....-.......- lA,f1S,oo4
ecretary over Auditor. .............. lIl,S76,46
over Auditor. lSs,924.s79
Mr.. Del Mar says: For the year end
Y June 30. 1864, there is a discrepancy
etween the statement of the Fifth Au- a
itor and that of the Commissioner Of I
Internal Revenue, amounting to $21, 49, '
"a; for the following year there is one 1
$50, 33l $50. and for the following year
ne of $52,S64 .4l6. These discrepancies
ave been carefully examined BY Mr.. 9
andall, Mr.. Davis, and himself indie
Of each other. There is no '