National Republican., 1886-10-30
cations" was tartly characterized as
Hmnpnincent humhug.n

cations was tartly characterized as
"magniticent humbug"
No one concerned In preparing, printing.
or circulating tuis extraordinary document
has disputed single statement Of fact or
single deduction IN tide in the letter Of Sept.
% or has denied the sulllciency Of the proof
brought that the list US published was both
falsehOOd and fraud. But | am now
able to state that, after duly pOndering
these proofs, the register has determined to
admit in his forthcoming report, to be
printed next December, substantially all
which has been charged against his list, aud
to lay the blame Of IL on the imperfect
manner in which he has kept HE hooks
quote this suggestive paragraph from the
EreHiug Stdr, OF this city, Of Oct IL, II
,per friendly to the administration
REGISTER Ro,EcGASs' REPORT.
Register koSeCrans' report viii br ready in Il
few days. lie recommends that book of bal.
unces be kept. The balances shown in the
book recently issued by the Office gives only
tn "upparcut balances. some parties who
found in that book stHtcmc nts of money due
them from the government have applied to
the secretary for II settlement. In these cases
1t ha, generally been found that in reality
there was nothing due them from the govern
mCnt On the uthe- hand, those apparently ia
debt to tho government in many cases have
really tied their accounts honestly. This
grow, ont uf the imperfect manner of keeping
accounts O this sort.
This paragraph admits three things: FIRST,
that the "baluuCesh shown to he due from
the United States are delusive. Second,
that the balances shown to be due to
the United States are false, being from per-
sons who IN many cases have really aud
honestly settled their accounts. Third,
that the registers books, as now kept, do
not disclose the truth as TO either class.
/ The letter Of Sept ~ assumed that the
register and the Acting Secretary of the
Treasury, when they sent the list to the
House Of Representatives, believed that the
"balanCes" shown were upon statements
of accounts which were worthy of crruenCe.
Tls charity Of Judgment was probably an
error The list purpurted TO he Of bal
ancesN "as shown by the books Of the Of
flee Of the register Of the treasury Did
the register or the acting secretary know
ON the 18th day of July last that the
"balauccs" thus shown were delusiye US to
/ the creditors, aud false as to the debtors of
/ the governments II so, why did they not
| accompany the list with such suggestions
| as exposure has now eXtOred from the
register? We're they guilty Of deliberate
! suppression with view t. msleadP Or
were they Indifferent To the impressions
! which their figures were calculated to give.
/ Thee are grave questions, and they con
. vey grave implication. An imperfect
statement Ia u false statement Aud sup
preston Of essential facts In an official
paper Is AN official crime equal to false
, statement,
This eX, doc. 393 is now confessed to be II
mass Of figures without verify. 1t was
palmed upon the House Of Representatives
aud the public as having verify, The regis
ter, in whose Office II was compiled, now
admits, when COncealment is no longer
possible, that the document is misleading IN
all lis parts. In its 2U2 closely printed pages
Of the United States, who are now Informed
that they are not creditors. In II are the
| names Of about $500 "dehtOrsn Of tht
United States. who are now admitted not Il
be debtors Thousands of innocent men
| uuustly branded as "defaulters,h anC
falsely certified In unalterable official prlut
rs having the governments money IN theiT
purses, are, in point OF fact aud by the gov
rrnmruts tardy aud enforced confession
neither debtors nor defaulters, and hay,
not At any time been either. So unscrupu
lousy have the registers Office and thi
Acting Secretary Of the Treasury wleldeC
their power 10 harass AMI detame.
To call such au act an atruClty is to usl
language Of tenderness when compared viii
what II deserves, In what motive mad thit
shameful act us origin? Did 1t come from
ignoranccE Let Us pity the country II IT.
administration has enthrOned stupidity
Did II come from malice working through
cOucealmentY Let us pity the administers
tion If it lacks in It's dealings with tn,
people the elemental virtues Of frauknes
and honesty.
! It must now lie apparent, if 1t was eye
doubtful, that the preparation OF the lie
was "A sCurYy partisan trick, The regis
2 teT's Office was the tool; the necessities o
2 tine Democratic campaign the inspirations |
has not only failed, out It has reacted.
has been discredited, Aud it has laugh
the country not hereafter to accept with
q out question the certified statements o