The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-09-09
gnltttea1,
GARFIELD AND THE SAN
BORN CONTRACTS,

iorities in the Senate and in the House
of Representatives was notorious, the
act authorizing the SANBoRN contracts
occupies bad em:nence. The execu'
ton of this infamous law was, II possi'
BILE, still more disgraceful than it's pas
sage, Merchants, railroad companies,
private estates, and individuals were be
set by spies and informers and robbed
under a system organized il the Treasu'
ry Department. The functions of the
bureau in the Internal Revenue office
charged with the duty of collecting un-
paid taxes, were practically suspended,
and the official information on its files
was misappropriated in order to swell
the profits ofSANBoRN and his Confeder.
ates. In short space of time the con-
spirators divided half million of dol
lars.
At the second session OF the Forty
second Congress all laws pr viding for
the payment of moieties to informer
were repealed, so far as related to inter
nal. Revenue taxes. But in the last
hours of the same session, through a
Committee of Conference, a so called ri
der was mounted on the Legislative,
Executive, and Judicial bill, as follows: /:
"From and after the passage of this
act the Secretary of the Treasury shall
have power to employ not more than
three persons to assist the proper officers
of the Government in discovering any
money belonging to the United States,
whenever the same shall be withheld
by any person or corporation, upon such
terms and conditions as he shall deem
best for the interests of the United
States; but no compensation shall be
paid to such persons except out of the
money and property 30 secured and no
person shall be employed under the pro-
visions of this clause who shall not have
fully set forth in written statement,
under oath, addressed to the Secretary
of the Treasury, the character OF the
claim out Of which he proposes to reCov-
or or assist in recovering moneys for the
United States, the laws by the violation
of which the same haye been withheld,
and the name of the person, firm, or cor.
poration having thus withheld such
moneys; and if amy person 30 employed
shall receive or attempt to receive any
money or other consideration from any
person, firm, or corporation alleged thus
to have withheld money from the
United States, except in pursuance ofthe
written contract made in relation there.
to with the Secretary of the Treasury,
such person shall be deemed guilty of
misdemeanor, and upon conviction
thereof shall be fined not less than one
thousand dollars and imprisoned not
less than two years, or both, in tie dis.
cretion of any Court of the United States
having Jurisdiction"
This artfully worded amendment was
offered in the Senate by F. A. Sawyer,
Carpet.bagger, of South Carolina. 1t
passed upon the assurance that large
sums of money were improperly with.
held from the Treasury, which could be
collected in this way. The whole pre-,
tended basis of the scheme was that the
contractors should furnish Information
and assist the proper officers in collect.
ing dues illegally or irregularly with.
held from the Treasury.
A. this time, John D. Sanborn of Mas.
sachusetts, was a special agent of the
Treasury, serving from 1869 to May 81,
1873, While so acting he was allowed
to draw $3.93293, under the following
contract:
"An agreement made this 19 9'h of Aug
ust 1873 by and between William A.
Richardson, acting Secretary of the
Treasury, party of the first part, and John
D SanOorn of the city of Boston, Massa-
Chusetts, party of the second part.
"The said party of the second part
having been designated by the SeCreta
ry Of the Treasury as one Of three per
sons (no other was appointed, and the
law was not fuIflled) to assist the proper
officers of the Government in discover.
ing and collecting moneys belonging to
the United States, withheld by certain
persons under one of the provisions of
the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial |
Appropriation BILL approved May s,
1872; and the said party of the second
part having fully set forth, as therein re
quired, in written statement under |
oath that he proposes to assist in recover.
ing for the United States large sum of
money, to wit, five hundred thousand |
dollars; now, therefore, it is agreed be.
tween the said parties under this con.
tract, out of any money 80 collected and |
received, there shall be paid to the par.
ty Of the second part, in full, for his SER
vices and for all costs and expenses of
such collection, a sum equal to ffty per
cent Of the gross sum 50 received which |
said fifty per cent. shall be paid to the |
party of the second part as fast as the
money is collected and paid to the credit |
of the Secretary Of the Treasury.
OWN. A. RICHARDSON,
"ACting Sec'y Of the Treasury. |
John D. SANB 9RN.
WITNESS to both signatures,
"E c. BANFIELD. Solicitor Of the Trea.
sury."
The Commissioner of Internal Reve.
nue. was not consulted in regard to this
contract, nor was he advised that it was
into, nor was he informed Of
any collections that were made by San.
born. The motives of this secrecy are
made apparent by the following:
Treasury Dept, Feb. 8, 1873.
"Sir-You are requested to assist John
D. Sanborn, Esq'r, Of Boston, in the ex-
animation Of official records in reference
to such cases Of the alleged violation of
the Internal Revenue laws as he may
ask for yoHr cooperation.
"Mr, Sanborn Is acting under an ap
pointment from nae, and may need some
information from the Offices of ColleC.
tors and Assessors for the purpose of YER
flying his claims Very respectfully,