Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-01-14
nro,rster Cameron,s Report.

We are under obligation to Georgia
member of Congress for a copy Of the re-
port of Brewster Cameron, who styles
himself General Agent OF the Depart
ment of Justice
The report is made to the Attorney Gen.
eraI. Brewster Cameron resigned his
positiOn in the Department of Justice last
week. and was Immediately Appointed
Receiver of Public Moneys for the south
ern district of Arizona. This report con-
tains some remarkable statements
The people of the South have, for years
complained of the outrages Of Federal
officials. The North did not believe that
these complaints were well founded.
4 Here is what Brewster COmeron says;
/ 1t will be seen by reference to reports
/ made bv different examiners, cohuuctlhS
/ the business of the courts IN AlaDaid'
/ Arkansas Georgia. New York, PennsyI-
/ vania. and Texas, that the abuses on tnt
/ foe system are not confined to any dlslIIcI
I ar section of country, but are, with lew
notable exceptions, so prevalent anu -
OdiOus that it is not 70 De WOhueI9u a.
[ chat deputy marshals ana uePuIy Sol-
lectOrs Of internal revenue ndNe DeeI ~. ~
/ down as If they were the enemies OF the
/ people. s.,..,i,,
In speaking Of the work of the eXamln-
ers who were directed to look into the ac-
/ counts of the Marshals, he says:
Combinations Of professional INFORM
I ers. deputy marshals and commissioners,
TO harass and eXtOrt money from priNate
citizens hv unwarranted arrests, nave
/ been discovered and broken up.
He hits some of the supervisors Of cleo
tions a pretty heavy blow. This is what
lie says OF them:
The lack Of uniformity in the perform
/ ance of their duties, and their disposition
! 10 multiply records to create fees mas
made these examinations necessary 10
/ protect the government against loss;
Many Irregularities have been corrected
| and their recurrence, 1t is h0ped, pre-
vented. The sums disallOWed nave Deen
Iarge-amOuutiug in three counts to $ly,-
1873 36-in one account, $I1, 702 90; and So
/ 30 p and $2,236 80 in two other accounts
| respectively.
All of the United States marshals do
not appear to have been honest. The fol-
lowing extract from the report shows that
one Of them, at least, knew how to take
care Of himself:
An examination was made of the emolu-
ment returns rendered by late United
/ June I. ISS2. with the following result:
His fees earned during this period IN
civil cases. as appears from the dockets
of the United States Circuit and District
Courts. amount TO S1S6,96l %. In the
emolument returns as rendered. he re-
ports his earnings at $33, 203 80, leaving a
balance Of @lj3.7 IS to be accounted for.
Brewster Cameron pays his respects to
clerks of District and Circuit Courts.
He does not pretend to paint all the sh~rt-
comings Of officials which he discovered.
He aimed only to show that the various
branches Of the Department of Justice
are rotten, and he appears to have sue
/ ceeded. lie advises that examiners be
| appointed to visit marshals, clerks and
other officials of the department twice a
year to find out how much they are rob-
bling the government of. If Mr.. Springer
does his duty in investigating the Depart
ment of Justice ne Will be able to do a
great deal towards convincing the cOun-
try that the Republican party has been
in power long enough.