Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1880-04-09
FREEDNENs BANK sWINDLK

FREEDAfEN'iS BANK SWLNDLE.
Senator Bruce, of Mississippi, has at las
submitted to the Senate report in relation
to, the condition of the Freedmen's Bank
The people are not in the least startled a
the developments, and the facts do not dis
appoint them. Villainies crop out from
foundation to apeX-bold robberies come il
groups. II is dark chapter Of felonies anC
crimes, most studiously and carefully ma
nipulated, and cunningly and wickedly ex
ecuted. Its victims were the nation.
wards" the poor, ignorant, emancipateC
negroes, who had entrusted their little earn
ings to Republican freebooters, who have
converted the same to their individual use
A more monstrous fraud has never beer
perpetrated since the foundation Of the gov
eminent.
Republican philanthropy suggested the
propriety Of such an institution-Republi
can legislation created it--Republican guar
dams were entrusted with the execution OF
its trust, and it remained under their custo.
dianship until the money of the poor de.
luded negro was stolen. and then the rotten
institution collapsed. The results of the in
vestigation are before the country, and how
is it proposed to remedy the evils which
have resulted to this ignorant class of PEG.
pie, whose hard earnings it was to keep safe
until such time as they might desire to util.
ize the same?
This, and nothing more or less, that the
general government shall come forward and
make good the stupendous frauds perpe-
trated by the Republicans who had charge
of the bank. How righteous and how holy
The government to come forward and pay
the stealings of Republicans! Why if the
government should begin the business OF
paying back all the money that the Repub-
licans have stolen it would be bankrupt in
sixty days.
bill has been prepared which, among
other things, provides that all the assets of
the bank shall be turned over to the Secre-
tary of the Treasury, who, after due adver-
tisement, shall cause the same to be sold
that all claims of the bank now in suit it is
proposed to prosecute to final judgment, and
the sums realized are to be placed in the
Treasury within six months after the pas
sage of the act The bill directs the Secre-
tary to pay the freedmen depositors, or their
legal representatives, the balance of deposits
that may be due, not recognizing the valid
ity of any transfer of pass books from the
depositors to attorneys, unless such transfer
is shown to have been made before January
LIST, 1873
Many ofthose who were conspicuously on
gagged in this great crime have been called
upon to settle at Higher Court, but there
are Others who are now living in luxurious
ease and splendor upon the robberies they
have committed upon this institution and
should be dealt with according to law; but
the idea of these modern philanthropists-
these most pure and wise Legislators, who OBJ
tanned the confidence ofthe negroes, by max
ing them believe that they were their friends,
got possession of their money by perverting
it from its legitimate channels to their own
self-aggrandizement-now to step forward
and ask that Congress will make good all the
deficiencies, is not only an insult to the in
telligence of that body-not only an incen.
tive to the preparation of further crimes
but it is an endorsement of the one commit.
ted by their own agents. and against the vii
lainies and rascalities of whom not a wills
per of condemnation has been heard save
that of the Democratic press and element
of the country.
1t appears TO us that the best thing the
government can do is to protect what little
property is left, and thus convince the negro
that he cannot place confidence in Republi
can professions of friendship.