The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-10-21
HOW THEY WORKED 1T,
THOSE ALLLEGID "BALANcEs"
Due the UnIted States Register ROssCrans
Hauled over the coals-rhs Dishonest
Tricks Of the Democratic Ma.
tloual Campaign Committee,
WASHINGTON, D. O., Oct. 2O.-The fol.
lowing letter EXPLAINS itself;

DkAk oIh'-I ulu not expect 10 soon u
recur to the registers list Of alleged "bsl
ancss" due the United States, NOW know
as executive document No. 1853.
These are the "bRlanCes" which welI
transmitted by the creative genius Of thC
Democratic national campaign committee
into "detslcations," and were joyousl,
welcomed by the Democrats OF Long Is
land as conclusive proof OF Republican
turpItude in administration.
My letter TO you Of Sept. q showed ths
these alleged balances" were not tdeia!
cations" nut were in the main upsettlet
aCeouuts against which there were unsd
juStsd offsets; that they were, therefore
apparent" and not real "balances;" thai
II not more valuable than the recently ad
iusted "debt" ot the United States depos
ltary at BllIimore, settled by Mr.. SeCre,
tary Manning, they were worth about II
cents In the dollar; and that the entire
sum OF the "halRnCes" claimed since 1861
81, ,S0S 476 4S-wRs, therefore, worth 10
cash about SiGl ,18S and this upon bus.
iness Of nearly $37,0OO,0OO.
On this showing thess "balRnCes" were
described as practically "bogus." These
figures Of the register, although autheuti.
Gated by the Acting Secretary OF the
Treasury, were Ppoken Of az "balloon fv,
ures, and this whole business OF alleged
"deialcationh" was tsrtly characterized as
q magnificent humbug"
No one concerned iu preparing, priut.
ing or circulating this extraordinary doc.
umsnt has disputed single statement oil
fact or single dednGtlOn made In the
letter Of September 27, or has denied the
sullcienCy Of ths proof brought, that the
list as published was both a ialsehood and
q fraud. But an now able to state that
after duly ponderIug these proofs, the
register has determined to admit In his
forthcoming report, to be printed next
December, substantially all which has
b sen charged against the list, and to 10y
the blame OF II on the imperfect manner
In which he has kept his books. quote
this suggestive paragraph from the Eve.
ming Star, Of this city, OF October l6, q
paper friendly to the Administrations
REGISTER RosEcRANs' REPORT.
Rsgiat RosecranB' report will be ready
in few days. He recommends that a
book Of balances bs kept. The balances
shown 10 the book recently issued by the
office gives only the "apparent F" balances.
Some parties who found in that book
statements ol money due them from the
government have applied to the Secretary
for "a settlement. Ia these cases II has
generally been found that In reality there
was nothing due them from the govern.
ment, On the other hand, those appar.
entity In debt to the government In many
cases have really settled their accounts
honestly. This grows out ot tho imperfect
manner ol keeping accounts OF this sort.
This paragraph admits three things:
First, that the "balancss" shown to be due
from the United States arc dsluslye. SEQ.
ond, that the "balAncss" shown to be due
to the United S!atea are false, being from
perAols who In many cases have really
and honestly settled their accounts.
Third, that the registers bills, as now
kept, DO not disclose tho truth as to either
class.
The letter OF September 27 assumed
that the register aud the Acting secre.
tSry oi the Treasury, when they sent the
listto the House Of Representatives, be-
leved that the "balances" shown were
upon statements Of accounts which were
worthy Of credence. The charity Of judg.
ment was probably an error. The list
puIported to be Of balances" as "shown
by the books Of the Office OF the
register Of the treasury" Did
tho register o tho acting secretary know
on the 2Sth day Of July last that the
'halances" thus shown werG delusive as 10
tho creditors, and false as to the debtors OF
the goyernmentF II so, why did they
not accompany the list with such sug.
gestions IS exposure has now extortel
from the registerp We're they guilty Of
deliberate suppression with q view 10
mialeadY Of were they indifferent 10
the Impressions which their figures were
calculated to give. These are grave ques.
tlons, and they convey grave implica.
tion. Au imperfect statement Ia false
statement. And suppression Of essential
facts 10 an official paper is an official
crime equal 10 false statement,
"oNLY A MAss or FIGURES.
This ex. doc. 3G3 Is now confessed to be
q mass OF fgures without verify. 1t was
pslmed upon the House Of Representa-.
tives and the public as having verify.
The register, in whose Office It was COM
piled, now admits, when Oonoealment Is
no longer possible, that the document is
in all Its parts. In its 2O2
closely printed pages are the names Of
almost i30On "credtors" Of the United
States, who are now informed that they
are not creditors. In II are tho names Of
about \, 800 "debtors" OF tha United States
who are nov admitted not to bs debtors.
Thousands Of innocent men, unjustly
branded as "defaulters," and falsely osrLI,
hed In unalterable official print 10 hay.
ing the governments monsy in their
purses, are, In point ol fact and by the
governments tardy and iniorcsd Confet,
sion, neither debtors nor defauters, and
have not at any time been either. So un.
aCrupulouSly haVo tho registers office and
the Acting Secretary OF the Treaaury
welded their power to hArABs and dc.
fame.
To call such an act an atroclty is to use
Language Of tenderness when compared
with what Il deserves. Ia what motive
had this shameful act its oriRinH Did II
come from ignoranCe9 Let us pity the
country II its administration has enthron.
ed stupidity. Did II coma from malice
working through Concsalmentp Let ts
pity the administrator II II lacks Ia ita
deallnga with the people the elemental
virtues Of irankuess aud honesty.
II mist now be apparent, II Il was ever
doubtful, that the preparation Of che
list was d sUutvy partisan trick. The reg.
istei's office was the tool the necessities
OF the Dsmocratlo campaign the insplra,
tIon. II has not only failed, but II has
feauIed. II has heen disCfeditsd. And
II has taught the country not hereafter 10
accept without question the certified
sLateiuenta oi the Offices which arc lnvuly.
cd 10 thld deiamAtory pstverslon oi pub
lilo iaOIB,
DO not apprehend that the Democrats
Of Long Island will ever again allude u
The reglatef'a list Of "bAlanCss," sxcspI
with the dsriBlon and contempt which Il
Justly eIcltss. | am, very respectfully
l-...g IufY..s..a