The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1883-03-21
The Way to Deal With Scheme to
Fasten on the Taxpayers the
Losses by a Theiving Concern.

/
risy and theiyery. Under pretence OF
doing him good, they played on his
credulity and robbed him right and left
They satisfied their own consciences by
pretending when they had gorged their
pockets at the expense of the creduIoua
darkey they had done him immense
service, benefited humanity generally
and at the same time, had made them.
selves comfortable. So, there was per.
feet accord between their consciences
and their pocket. One was easy and the
other was full. Thus Pecksniff when he
had comforted the inner man, moraliezd
In his grace after meat: II do not know
how it may be with others, but it is a
great satisfaction'to me to know when
regaling on my humble fare, that
/ am putting in motion the most
beautiful machinery with wlfch we
have any acquaintance. | really feel
at times, as if | was doing a pub
lie service. When / have wound
myself up, if | may employ such term,
said Mr.. Pecksnii, with exquisite tender
ness, and know that | am Going | feel
that in the lesson afforded by the works
within me (his digestive organs) am a
Beneiactor to my Kind"
And so moralized these Bcnefactors Of
the liberated negroes when they were
deylsing schemes for transferring their
earnings to their own Golfers. Among
the most cunning instruments of plum
der was the Freedman's Saving Bank.
1t became favorite depository of the
Freedmen. The parent bank hourished
at Washington, but in order that no on
portunity of plumber might escape them,
Its authors established branch concerns
IN every Southern State, so that the re-
ceipts aggregated millions in a short
time. These millions afforded an anne
Using feast for the harpies But they
vanished. like frost-work. The wonder
tul bank soon bursted. The piratical
vessel went to shipwreck, and down with
INTO the fathomlcss depths. went the
little alls of the deluded blacks who had
trusted the knayes. The only thing the
people, through their common agency
the government, had to do with the
sank, was to pass an act incorporating
1t on the petition of its founders. The
most brazcn part Of the whole scandal
lous history remains to be.told II is tbn|
persistent clamor that the losses by the
concern should be made good out of the
public treasury. There is not the shade
OF shadow of justice in the demand
by no sort of strained logic could the re-
spon'lbility of the loss be fastened ON
the taxpayers of the country. Besides
thousands of the original depositors are
dead; and other thousands would meyer
be found; but bogus claimants and cloim |
agents would flock like blackbirds m
gather up the pelf There would bc
another feast for the vultures. and the
taxpayers would be the sufferers AS ia.
ual.
50 much by way of preface to the fol.
lowing minority report submitted in the
closing hours of the late Congress, which
we most heartily endorse:
Mr.. Money, from the Committee ON
Education and Labor, submitted the
following as the views of the minority
The minority of the Committee on Fdu.
cation anC Labor dissenting from tho
report OF majority, accompanying bill
II. t. 6201, respectfully submit the fol. |,
lowing views: ~
there is Nothing in the report of the
majority, nor in the facts of tbe caso
which justifies the appropriation Of
S969,OO0 to make good any unluckv in.
vestments OF any citizens II is not nre.
tended that the government is legally
responsible for losses sustained nv do
positors in the Freedman's SAVINGS and
rust rus Company, but the moral RESPONSE {
llllty OF the government is asserted. for ,
easons stated by Commissioner Knox in
us last annual report, and adopted nv
he majority of the committee. The t
Commissioner asserts quasi RESPONSE z
unity, the majority moral and ennita- !
'le. responsibility The COMMISSIONS :
md the majority say:
In recommending the passage of this /
MI as proper and just measure. beg q
o repeat what | have already said i9 t
ny last report on this subject G
The government has assumed a mas; !,
moral responsibility to the beneficiaries
I this trust, in the first place by the in {
orporation of the company without a
roper safeguards, and subsequently by I
Its own agents, the officers Of :
ne late Bureau for Refugees, Freedmen,
nd abandoned Lands, to act as the a
gents OF the company, thus leading the t
inexperienced and ignorant freedmen a
Q regard it in the light of government i,
Institution, and as such to commit their !
ar4ings to its keeping. r
Under such circumstances. with on e
Treasury, it would be little
'ore than just for Congress to make nm
preparation for the payment in full
| all the creditors NJ tha L.. 4 ...., | 4