The Albany register., September 29, 1876, Image 4

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JT THE EEOI3TEK BUILDING,
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Charged 20 cent 9 muti-$2 70 for the year as
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Aleuts for the EtcgiHter.
The foHowinjr named pent
Ized to itw-etve. and receipt
to the Kn)LTKR in the local H
cmen are author
for sulseri;tion.9
ies mentioned :
Brownsville.
. . -O-awforlsvillo.
Ifalsey.
IlarrWmrft.
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Sliedd.
Junction Cltv.
Scio.
Salem.
Mnwrs. Kirt A Htllne
Koticrt fJ?Ms.
W. P. smith
. V. Tonmklns
. H. C.H"5-riton ,
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Messrs. Smith Jt Uraslleld.
J. B. Irvine....
Tbos. H. Reynolds... ,
FRIDAY SEPTEMUER 29, IS76.
TTIie Democratic ISeoorrt Dare
(lie Aatloit Trust Such a
Iartj-?
When a political patty goes before
the people with a c-aim for their suf
frage aud the control of their Govern
ment ami public affairs, the first and
most natural impulse of the public mind
is to know something of the pait public
record of the claimants. In order to
aid in this very proper and necessary
investigation the following facts and
figures have been drawn from the of
ficial records and published. They are
presented without note or comment.
The reader will draw his own conclu
sions, and at his leisure answer from
his own convictions the question : Dare
the nation trust sucli a parti f
JACKSON iSD HIS TIMES "TO THE V1C
' TOES," ETC.
On March 4, 1820, Andrew Jackson,
pledged to retrenchment, econouiy, and
reform, was inaugurate I President of
the United States.
Proclaiming the maxim that "to the
victors belong the spoil," Jackson let
slip the "Furies of the Guillotine" in a
whole-ale . proscription of the old and
tried officials of former Administrations.
John Q. Adams, in the preceding four
- years, had made but twelve changes
all for cause. In the preceding forty
years, all his predecessors together had
made only 132 changes of these Jef
ferson had removed 62 ; but Jackson,
in the genuine spirit of a Democratic
reformer, in one year removed, it was
estimated, 1,500 officials iu one year
nearly twelve times as many as by all
his predecessors from the beiinning of
:the Government. , The officers removed
-were experienced, capable, and trusty.
The character of those who filled their
places ,"Slamro, Bang fc Co." is at
Xss.ted by tie reform which followed.
HE GREAT PUBLIC AND INDIAN LAXD
GBAliS.
A rago of speculation in the public
lands distinguished the 'period. Gen.
Lew's Cass, Secretary of War, who
pocketed illegally, as extra allowances,
the sum of SG8.000, muted with Martin
Van Buren, Secretary of State, Menja-
tnin F. Butter, Attorney General, and
others, in a land Credit Mobi!er for
peculation in public lands tor specu
lation in sales by the Government, of
which they were members. Amos Ken
dall, the Fourth Auditor, and subse
quently Postmaster General, in like
, manner united with a Boston land cotn
ranv. for a fee of S50.000. in the whole
sale robbery of certain Indians in Missis
sippi of their lands all swindling en
terprises in contemptuous violation of
the law, of which they were the admin
istrators. (II. R. 194, second session
Twenty-fourth Congress.)
THE GALFHES SWINDLE.
Id 1834. John Forsyth, of Georgia,
; succeeded Lewis McLane, of Delaware,
as Secretary of State, in Jackson's
Cabinet. In 1850 the payment of the
notorious "Galphin swiudle" scandaliz
ed the nation. By the Democracy it
was denounced as "infamous" as
"without a precedent" as "a clear and
unmitigated swindle!" Their memo
ries were bad. In 1837, before the
Wise committee, John Ross, the Chero
kee chief, testified that in 1835, in the
Cherokee treaty of that year, an article
covering the "Galphin" was inserted
directly through the influence of "Mr
Forsyth, Secretary of State." that it--was
urged, in the negotiations of the
treaty, that Mr. Forsyth had great in
fluence with the President ; that "Mr.
Forsyth could and would induce the
President to grants sum sufficient to
coVer the Galphin additional to the
sum stipulated in the treaty if the
Cterokees would sanction a treaty upon
such terms." The article was conse
quently inserted. Mr. Forsyth admitted
that he "advised its insertion, as also
his personal interest in the payment of
both principal and interest, lie had
applied to- both' Secretaries of War,
Baton and Cass ; as Secretary of State
. had certified the papers from the De
. partmem of State to the Secretary of
War. Gen. Cass Lad told him that the
claim was just ; and when the treaty
- was. pending before the Senate had
"conversed" with Senators nrcrinsr its
; . -...V,.- , - - f - ' V..-V,
his "appeals" were "founded solely on
the justice of the, claim" "the hard
, ship of the condition of the claimants.'!
JIc- lobbied in 1835 by Forsyth,
Jack: .Si's Secretary of State, approved
by Gen. Cass, his Secretary of War,
and justified in 1837 by the Demo
cratic majority of the Wise committee,
engineered through Congress, in 1849,
by another distinguished Democratic
reformer, Mr. Burt, of South Carolina, i
and the principal paid by James K.
1 oik, the question of interest was only
reserved and its liquidation by Polk
only defeated for want of time.
THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT "1NSOL
VENT UNDER- DEMOCRATIC RULE.
In 1834, after a hard battle, (from
1830,) Senators Thomas Ewing, of
Ohio, and John M. Clayton, of Dela
ware, forced an inquiry by the Senate
Committee on Post Offices and Post
Roads into the condition of the Post
Office Department. It found the De
partment "insolvent.'' a helpless prey to
maladministration, corruption, robbery,
and fraud. In the pr?eeding adminis
tration, under John Q. Adams, the De
partment had been not only self-sustaining,
but had contributed annually $1,
103,063 to the revenues of the nation.
But now, iu a few brief years, under
Democratic reform, it was bankrupt,
a burden upon the treasury. (S. 11.
422, first session Tweoty-third Con
gress.)
Mr. Felix-Grundy, of Tennessee, the
Democratic chairman of the committee,
was opposed to the investigation.
Postmaster General Barry refused to
recognize its authority, lie declared
that lie was responsible, not to tlie Sen
ate, bnt to the President, and through
him to the people. He refused to furn
ish the committee the information it re
quested, and it was forced to prosecuta
its labors under the greatest difficulties,
among mutilated records and fabricat
ed accounts in the greatest confusion.
But even under such disadvantages it
developed a condition of affairs utterly
without a parallel in all our previous
history.
THE
'EXTRA-ALLOWANCE" FRAUDS
DEMOCRATIC TIMES.
IN
One of the greatest abuses of the De
partment was in its extra allowances,
aggregating hundreds of thousands an
nually, frequently given without an in
crease of duty or service, without the
authority ot law, and in many cases
where there was an increase ot service,
"unreasonable, extravagant, and out of
all proportion with such increase.''
These extra allowances actually ex
hausted the whole postal revenues of
states, ana were granted practieallj- as
pensions to party favorites. This fa
voritism took a hundred shapes. Cer
tain contractors were compelled to sur
render their contract? for the benefit of
others. Contracts were granted on bids
different from advertisement, aud others
were altered or changed in material re
spects after they had been accepted.
Proposals for carrying the mail were
withheld from advertisement. The
contracts, as in the case ot the route
from Chicago to Green Bay, actually
"giveti to cler'ks in the Department un
der other men's names, ai.d the compen
sation on bids raised without an increase
cf service. Mail lines were authorized,
"at a heavy expense," to run more than
once daily without benefit to the public,
and steamboat lines were established, by
private contract without authority of
law, at an enormous expense. Oppres
sive monopolies were actually establish
ed by the Department for the benefit of
private parties. An instance is given
in which an agreement, drawn by an of
ficer of the Government and adopted at
his pressing instance, with the sanction
ot the Postmaster General, and was eu
tered into between two companies ot
mail contractors to put down all oppo
sition lines of coaches all competition
of passengers on their respective mail
rentes.
The conractors, in turn, divided by
handsome loans never repaid gener
ously relieved the Posmaster General of
his debts, and enabled the chief clerk to
speculate largely in real estate in Wash
ington. They also furnished the table
ot both with the most choice wines !
"With shrewd business foresight the
contractors lent their credit to the JJe
partment when thretened with collapse ,
and the Department responded by
pledging its funds for the benefit of
contractors
THE DEMOCRATIC SPECIAL-SERVICE PLUMS.
The "identical expenses" of the de
partment not its "contingent expenses,"
which were separate, distinct, and ad
ditional, but its "secret-service fund"
in a single year, (1829,) increased to
$56,471, "exceeding that of any former
year." but in 1832, during the Presi
dential election, it suddenly swelled to
$88,000 ! It was principally the news
paper fund. After deducting the sup
port ot traveling partisan emissaries,
under the title of "postal agents," it
was the fund but of which the numer
ous party presses were permitted to
richly share the plunder. So the
Greenes, of the Boston Statesman, the
elder Greene (Nathaniel) being post
master at Boston, and certifying the ac
count which were tor "printed blanks;
twine, etc." So the Hills, of the New
Hampshire Patriot, Xhes Shadrach Pent is,
of the Louisville Public Advertizer,
the Albany Argus, New York Courier
and Enquirer y the Washington Globe,
the national organ, etc. The prices paid
to F. I'. Blair ot the Globe were "enor
mous." Of the 22,957 08 of "inci
dental expenses" during the Presi
dential election of 1832, $13,673 31
were paid to the editors of newspapers.
Of that Blair received $8,386 50! Dur
ing the election he received from this
secret fund aloi.e about $116 daily for
every day his paper was issued. The
details are disgusting. JHaladminstra
tion, corruption, and fraud run riot.
The aggregate excess ot expenditures in
four yearp, as compared with the pre
ceding four years, under Adams, was
"$3,336,8591" The amount of funds !
actually "sunk" by the Department
since 1829 was "$1,032,933 ;" and the
aggregate ot .its "indebtedness" April
11, 1834, was $1,123 600 !" To avoid
immediate exposure by the col'apse and
closing of his Department, the Post
master General was forced, besides his
loans from contractors, to unlawfully
contract loans, bearing interest, from
the banks. There was no evading the j
judgment. (8. II. 422 first session i
Twenty-third Congress.) At the next !
session- the report ot the Democratic i
Committee of the House was even
more damaging than . the Senate's.
Hence, under the unanimous verdict of
Barry?
was compelled to resign to accept pro
motion, to the commission to Spain,
with its lucrative outfits and inits.
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTT "PET BANK'
- ROBBERIES.
About this time the affairs ot the old
Bank of the United States and its
branches began to wane. By the law
the bank was the depository of the
Government revenues, and in conse
quence was the Treasury of the nation.
-In 1834, bv a daring act ot usurpation,
President Jackson remove 1 the depos
its. He transferred them to certain
"pet" State banks of the Democratic
reformer, who claimed the revenues ot
the nation as the "spoils" of "the
party !" The destruction of the Bank
and the subsequent explosion of the
"Pet. Banks" involved the loss of mil
lions, the destruction and ruin ot thou
sands of the business men and the busi
ness of the country of $500,000,000
of private capital and the consequent
suffering and want of tens of thousands
of all lanks and classes throughout the"'!
Union. The Democratic reformers,
nevertheless applauded. They laughed
at the misery and ruin they had
caused, and belittled their magnitude,
and maintained and justified the re
moval in all its bearings.
INVESTIGATIONS AND EXPOSURES.
In 1837 the Garland committee pub
lished the "Wool-clip" correspondence
between Secretary Woodbury - and the
deposit banks, exposed the criminal
partisan favoritism ot the Treasury in
the distribution and management of the
dejKsits or revenues ot the nation as the
"spoils" of "the party," and pre
pared the country tor the disastrous ex
plosion of the "Pet Banks" which fol
lowed. (II. It. 193, second session
Tweuty-tourth Congress.)
The Wise committee unearthed "For
syth's Nankeen ;" exposed the com
plicity of the high-toned Georgia Sec
retary of State in the "infamous Gal
phin swindle;" exposed Postmaster
General Kendall's complicity, with "a
$50,000 fee," in the Boston scheme for
the wholesale robbery of the Mississippi
Indians of their lands; aud developed
Secretary Cass's corrupt favoritism in
the dispensation of his patronage. (II.
R. 194, second session Twenty-fourth
Congress.)
FORGERY. ABSENTEEISM. EMBEZZLEMENT,
" . AND EXTORTION.
One T. B. Waterman was a protege
a copying clerk in the Pension Office,
appointed by the General. Waterman
forged the initials of Secretary Cass to
an account ; aterman coniesed the
forgery, aud the General paid the ac
count. (II. R. 194, second session
Twenty -fourth Congress.)
D. Azro A. Buck was a model re
former. He was appointed a clerk by
Secretary Cass, July 8, 1835. About
the same time Buck was also elected a
memlier of the Vermont Legislature.
Hence he did not report at the War
Department for duty until Decemler.
In January, 1830, General Cass paid
him for five months' service, when Buck
had rendered but one. (II R. 194,
second session Twenty-fourth Con
gress.) Lieutenant Thomas Johnson, a dis
bursing officer, lost, in gambling, two
United States drafts for $1,000 and $1,
500, respectively. These drafts were
protested by a deposit bank the Union
Hank of Louisiana, at New Orleans
and an appeal for their payment was
made to the War Department. The
tacts were all known. The Hon. Am
brose II. Sevier, of Arkansas, -and the
Hon Richard M. Johnson, of Ken
tucky (mode! Democratic reformers), in
terested themselves in their payment,
the pious Attorney General (B. F. But
ler uttered a favorable opinion, and
Secretary Cass drew a warrant for their
payment even after Woodbury had de
clined. (II. R. 194, second se3sion
Twenty-fourth Congress.)
At the same time Garret D. Wall,
then United States District Attorney
at Perth Amboy, N.J. , and subsequently
United States Senator from New Jer
sey, a distinguished Democratic reform
er, assessed his modest tees for his in
fluence with the Administration. 11.
R. 104, second session Twenty-fourth
Congress.
In 1839 resislenco to investigation
was no longer possible. "No more
packed committees," was the fiat of the
nation no more committees appointed
by James K. Polk ; and accordingly
the House, by ballot, elected the cele
brated liar an committee.
Now the proofs were overwhelm
ing. THE SWAETWOCT SWINDLES.
In April, 1829, Samuel Swartwout
was appointed by President Jackson
collector of the port of New York. He
was notoriously impecunious, a reckless
gambler in stocks, largely in debt, al
ways in want or moneyr and whouy
irresponsible financially. -His default
began within a year from the date ot
bis appointment, and continued during
eight years for years with the knowl
edge of the authcrities at Washington
for years ifrom 1834 to 1837) with:
out bonds required by law to the Gov
ernment for tie safe keeping of the
millions in his hands. TIL R. 313,
third session Twenty-fifth Congress.
His default was tbr $1,225,705 69.
The causes of hU default, as the Har
lan committee declare, were his irre
sponsibility in pecuniary character when
appointed; the culpable disregard of
law aud neglect of official duty by the
naval officer at New York, by the First
Comptroller of the Treasury : the dis
continuance of the use of banks of de
posit ; the consequent accumulation of
vast sums iu the bauds of a stock gam
bler so - improvident and reckless as
Swartwout: aud the negligence and
failure ot the secretary of the Treasury
to discharge his duty as the head ot tne
Treasuiy. In a word, by the abandon
ment in New York and.. Washington of
all checks thrown by law around the
collection of the revenue. II. R. 313,
third session Twenty-fifth Congress.
Swartwout was not removed. Uis
commission expired March 28th, 1838,
and, being apprized in time, tie on tne
loth of August, fled to Ji,ngiana witD
this plunder followed within a tortnigh
the Senate, Postmaster General
by William M. Price, the District At
torney tor the soutnem district or jew
York, a confederate in crime, and, like
Swartwout.
deta liter in the sum ot
$72,124 06. The default of General
C. Gratiot, Chief Eegineer United
States aimy, was for $50,000.
CORRUPTION AND FKUAD REIGN SUPREME.
In eveiy bureau of the New York
customs maladministration, corruption,
and fraud reigned supreme, and here,
with the origin of Democratic reform,
began the "tyranny" ot assessments tor
party purposes, levied for national anrl
local elections upon the customs officers
and in the navy yard at New York, as
throughout the country and iu the exe
cutive departments at Washington.
The maladministration and corruption
in the col ection of the revenue from
the sales of the public lauds were as
flagitious as in the customs. Out of
sixty-odd . receivers of public moneys
titty defaulted. A few instances wil il
lustrate the whole :
THE RECEIVER'S OFFICE MADE A BROKERS'
DFN.
John Spencer was receiver at Fort
Wayiiejnd. In .iaj1836,the ecretary
complained to SSpencer that his accounts
were in arrears, and appointed Nat.
West, jr., of Indianapolis, as examiner,
to investigate the office at Fort Wayne.
Mr. West reports the office a brokers'
den for speculation and shaving, spen
cer was about to be removed. Hon.
Wm. Hendricks rushes to the rescue,
and urges that Colonel Spencer is "an
honest aud honorable man ;' that his
removal "would, to some extent, pro
duce excitement," "for he has man'
warm and influential friends, both at
Fort Wayne and in Dearborn county..
Uettcr let it be" Air. Woodbury con
cluded to "let it be" To Mr. Hen
dricks he writes: "I am happy to in
form you that Mr. Spencer's explana
tions have been such that he wih prob
ably continue in office." Mr. Sjiencer's
xplanations were: "My Democratic
friends think 1 ought not to leave until
after we hold our election for Presi
dent,", "which I have concluded to
wait.' II. It. 313V third session,
Twenty-fifth Congress.
Wiliey P. Harris was receiver at
Columbus, Miss. "General Harris" wa
indorsed by his Democratic representa
tive in Congress, as "uiie ot the mam
pillars of Democracy," as of "diffused
and deserved popularity," and as "one
of the earliest and most distinguished
friends of the Jackson's Administra
tion in Mississippi." Iu March, 1834,
Secretary Roger B. lauoy complained
of his conduct, and after fifteen arn
ings, extending through two years, from
Secretary Woodbury, '"General Harris"
was permitted to resign aud to nominate
and secure the appointment of his suc
cessor, "Colonel Gordon D. Boyd, of
Attala county." Whereupon the Sec
retary quietly entered on the uooks of
the Tre3surv : "Balance due from Mr.
Harris, $109,178 08." H. R. 313,
third session Twenty-fifth Congress.
FIFTY "HONEST" DEMOCRATIC OFFICIALS.
Colonel Boyd tell early into the
footsteps of his illustrious predecessor.
In June, 1837, Mr. Garesche reports the
Colonel as a defaulter to the amount of
$50,000, but adds : "All concede that
his ii.temjerance has been his greatest
crime." "The man seems really peni
tent, and I am inclined to think, iu com
mon with his friends, that he is honest,
and has been led away by the example
of his predecessor and a certain lo. se
ness in the code of morali.y which here
does not move in so limited a circle as
it does with ua at home. Another re
ceiver would probably follow in the
footstejis of the two. You will not,
therefore, be surprised if I recommend
hi.- being retained." So it was decieed
In October, Boyd was allowed to re
sign, and the Secretary entered aiiainst
his name : "Indebted $-50,000, as jier
last statement." And so with the re
mainder Linn, Lewis, Alsbury, Dick
son, Skinner, Hays, impson fifty in
all ; making an aggregate default ot
$825,678 28. ICR. 813. third ses
sion Twenty-fifth Congress.
JESSE IIOVT'S SYSTEMATIC ROBBERIES.
Iii 1841-'42 the Poindexter commis
sion investigated the maladministration
ot Sivartwout's successor, Jesse Hoyt,
the special protege of Martin .Van Bu
ren, whe was appointed in March, lb38.
At. the date of his appointment, Hoyt,
like Swartwout and Price, was notori
ously impecunious, irresponsible finan
cially, largely in debt, and a reckless
speculator in stocks. His maladminis
tration aud systematic robberies of the
Government and the importers amount
ed to piracy. Even in the incidental ex
penses of the customs in the matter
of stationery, printing, and the like
the pi lage amounted to tens of thou-
(sands annually. No advertisement for
the lowest bidder, no contract at stipu
lated prices for their supply, but ordered
extravagantly and iu the loosest manner,
with no evidence required of the deliv
ery ot the article, they were paidfor on
demand, at prices ranging from 100 to
200 per cen. greater than the current
New York rates. H. R. 669, second
session Twenty-seventh Congress.
George A. Wasson, "a sort ot facto
tum" tor Hoyt, had a monopoly of the
cartage at the public stores two priv
ileged carts, for the use and labor of
which, in three years, Hoyt paid him
$94,430 62. In addition to his salary
as storekeeper, Hoyt paid Wasson un
lawfully, as deputy collector, $1,500
per annum. H. R. 666, second session
Twenty-seventh Congress.
In the seizure of goods under Hoyt's
rapacious system of reappraisement,
Wasson was one of the "triumvirate"
Wasson, Cairns and Ives of Hoyt's
standing witnesses in the courts.1 This
trained trio were allowed to share the
plunder. In a single instance in 1840
Hoyt paid Wasson, without vouchers,
$1,767 33 oyer aud above the legal
fees, tor attendance on three trials, be
tween May aud October. Wasson wag
allowed to employ, for his private bene
fit, laborers hired aud paid by the Gov
ernment lie was a privileged pur
chaser, in his own name and in the
names of others, at the sales of goods
remaining nine months unclaimed in
the publc stores; allowed to plunder
the publio stores of goods in large
quantities ; to rob the cuetom-bouso of
coal for his private use ; iu a word to
indulge in "a multitude of illegal prac
tices and petty frauds" in addition to
the goods, the luxuries, the salaries he
al)soibed from outside parties interested
iu the ruin of importers. H. li. 669j
second session ' Twenty -seventh Con
gress. Cairns and. Ives, in like manner,
equally shared in the plunder.
In Jmiuiiry. 1340, a fire destroyed the
Front street store. The goods saved were
removed by tlie custoiii-hou-ie uUadie
placed in an open lot all entrance to which
was refused to the importers for tlie pur
pose of identifying and recovering their
property ; but the goods practiunlly skzed,
were made up into piles or lots in which
tlie vilest frauds were practiced to deceive
purchasers struck off at nominal sums to
prjvilegcd purchasers in collusion with the
officials, and tlie proceeds, after . deducting,
fees, etc., pocketed by the collector. .Thus
the owners were robbed of goods aggregat
ing in value $1.000. 000. the Government of
$400,000 as duties, and Hoyt pockeu'd
about $30,000 which should have been de
ported iu the Treasury for the benefit of
the owner.
Hoyt also unlawfully rented five stoves
for the safe-keeping ot goods entered at the
custom-house. These stores yielded him
profit, per annum, of $10,000, at a cost to
the Government of 30,000; or, iu three
years, in violation of law, but with the
sanction of Secretary Woodbury. Hoyt,
through these stores, pocketed $30.000,a't a
cost to the nation of $1)0.000 ! (H.l! . 609.
second scs-ion Twenty -seventh Congress.)
These are but characterisi ic instances in
illustration of Uoyfs maladministration.
Their magnitude and extent were astound -i
1 1 jr. His criminal rapacity attained its
sliockiiijr results in his system of fraudulent
reappraisement. Goods regularly invoiced,
and ujxisi which all demands at the custom
house had been paid after examination and
appraisement by ihe lawful appraisers of
the customs, were followed Uy Wasson.
Cairns, and Ives to .Baltimore. Philadelphia,
and other cities, sigaio examined, reap
praised, condemned, seized, and held for
trial. At the trials the trained triumvir
ate" were standing witnesses. Neverthe
less, in nearly all these cases" thirty
two out of thirty-three" tried in the
United btates district court tor the southern
district of New York, "the verdicts of the
juries were iu favor" of the importers. A
like result attended the suits elsewhere.
But in every case, whether favorable to the
importer or not, the result to him was
equally disastrous absolute ruin to many
through the unlawful seizure, supported by
the systematic perjury of a trio trained in
the sei vice of Hoyt, with -the sane ion ot
the Secretary ot the Treasury. (II. It.
6.i9, second sessiou Twenty-seventh Con
gress. A shigle instance will illustrate a multi
tude ot similar cases. Mr. Bottomry swears
iu 141 : Mr. Hoyt has taken from me
the principal part of all llie property I pos
sessed." "til less than two years" Hoyt's
rapacity had mulcted Mr. B. in costs a;j
grvgating $;-!00.0u0. "One-third" of all
the Kujjiish importers were rained. Their
property (upon ihe sales ot winch they de
pended to meet their liabilities to the for
eign manufacturer), seized and locked up
for an indefinite period, their failure wa
the inevitable result ; aud tlurir bankruptcy
carried wiih it the ruin ot "a large num
ber ot Kngiish manufacturers." Mr. Bot
tomly had recently been in England, where
goods were unusually cheap, and swears :
"I could have procured assignment to the
amount, of $1,000,000 for the season (1641),
aud even more, it i could have assured the
assignees that they would not he sit-zed
alter they had passed the cu-tom-boue.
and tlie duties thereon had been paid. (11.
It. GUV), second session Twenty -seventh
Congress. As it was. they dared" not risk
their goods within Hoyt's puatical juris
diction. HOVT, BUTLER, AND THE "TRIUMVIRATE."'
Iii all this rapacious villainy, systematic
ally pursued under the forms of law. under
the grainiest protestations ot "patriotism'"'
and reform," again and again repeated,
ex-Attorney General Benjamin F. Butler,
Pre-ident V an Bureii's oid law partner, the
pious aud prayerful president of-the de
funct bogus '-Washington aud Warren
Bank" of Sandy Hid. and subsequently
Price's successor as United States Uistrict
Attorney for the southern district of New
York. Was Hoyt's adviser ami act ive coad
jiuator. Throi'gh it ail the Government
tiore all the enormous exix-nses. Hoyt,
Butler, and the "triuinvhate" Wasson,
Cairns, and Ives absorbed all tlie profits.
Besides the immense sums accruing as. lets
iu all the cases of seizure under reappraise
meut, Hoyt's practice ot retaining in liis
own hands, with the sanction ot Secretary
Woodbury, the amount ot duties in fuch
cases enabled him foi indefinite periods of
lime for years to use the vast sums thus
held for his private profit in loans to banks
and brokers and iu siteculations of all kinds
in bolstering, by heavy deposits of the
Government funds, such rotten institutions
as the "North American Trust and Bank
ing Company," in the stock of which he
was a heavy gambler. By his own state
ment Hoyt thus constantly held of the Gov
ernment funds, free of interest, an average
of 350.000, at a time in New York when
money was demanding 5 per cent. ier
mouth. The Mini thus held was shown to
be much larger, probably not less than half
a million, and "it was understood" and
believed that his deposits iu rotten "banks
were made under the sanction of the Sec
retary of the Treasury,," at a time when
Woodbury was 'borrowing" for the Gov
ernment "on Treasury notes bearing in
terest." - i :
The exact aggregate of Hoyt's plunder
is not known. J he agirregaie of his de
fault was not less; tha. 500.000. Uis un
lawful income the aggregate of Ills pillage
ot importers and merchants cannot be
exactly estimated; it was known to lie
prodigious; but his annihilation of the
commerce of the country, and the conse
quent heavy loss to the Government in its
revenues, while immensely increasing the
cost of collecting the customs at New
York, can be approximated. In one year,
iu 1S40, as compared with 1839. the falling
off of imports was $40.232.Tt3, involving,
besides the heavy loss to the traffic .of the
nation, a loss to the Government, iu its
revenues, of 7.651,760 5H. As compared
with 1S25, tlie first year of Adams' Ad
ministration, the falling oft' in the aggre
gate of imports aud exports in 1840 was
2,975,142, while ihe cost of collection had
increased iu a corresponding ratio. Iu 1825
the amount of duties received at the New
York custom-house was $15,754 827 54. at
an expense of collection of $211,571 87 ;
that is, at the rate of 1.34 percent. In
lh48 the amount received by Jesse Hoyt
was $7.591. 70 95. at an expense ot collec
tion of $5ti3,S29 39; that is, at the rate of
7.42 per cent. From 1825. to 1828, inclu
sive, under Adams, tlie average cost of col
lection was 1.43 per cent.; from 1838 to
1840, inclusive, under Hoyt, the average
cost was 5.20 percent., while the estimated
increase in number of officers employed iu
the collection "was three hundred aud
thirty-sevenjper cent.," and the increased
cost of collectiou "five hundred and fifty
per cent."
A SAMPLE OF DEMOCRATIC ADMINISTRATION.
So in all departments of the Government
maladministration and corruption rioted
unrestrained. Contractors, commissioners,
Indian agent, paymasters, officers of the
army and navy, nd Governors of Terri
tories all defaulted for housands upon
thousands. The Indians were special ob
jects ot rapacity. Cherokees, chickasawa.
Creeks, and Choctaws, outraged and op
pressed In a thousand brutal ways, and
forced into hostilities, were niercilessly
murdered and deprived ot their lands. In
forty years, .in Indian wars, the nation ex
pended $500.000.000 ; in the Seminole war
alone, in seven years, $50,000,000 in gold
an average in gold of $7,000,000. Thus,
Indian claims were the fattest of rotten
nermiiires Their name was leeion ! The
robberies attending the removal alone of
the Cherokees and Choctaws, muter tne
treaties; of 1835 and 1846, are estimated
upon official data, at $7,358,064 60. In
these even Colonel Richard M. Johnson,"
Von Bureu's Vice President, indulged the
dominant propensities, aud assessed $18,
000 fees for fraudulent collections. . .
Necessarily, hi every branch of the ser
vice, the expenditures increased enormous
ly, while the revenues decreased. Under
Adams, the" heaviest annual current ex
penditures amounted to $13,296,041 45 ;
under Jackson's reform they suddenly
swelled to $29,621,807 82; under Van
Bureu's to $31,793,587 24. The aggregate
of the current expenditures of Adams'
Administration was $50,501.9x4 31. Un
der Jackson the aggregate of his first term
was $5(.270.480 62; ot his second term,
$83,275,930 4(i ; total $143.3S0.307. Under
Van Bureu's single term, $112,188,692 16.
POLK'S ADMINISTRATION AND FRAUDS ON
THE INDIANS.
Under Polk tlie Indian frauds were enor
mous. These areembraeed iu a settlement
by Commissioner Medill. and covered in a
report by William L. Marcy, Secretary of
War, .dated May 20. 1H48, to Congress.
Under the treaties of 1S35 and 184ti the
Cherokees were entitled to $5,000,000, less
S'l.OOO.OCO. lor the purchase ot lands to
which they were to emigrate, and the cre
ation of a national fund tor the tribe, leav
ing due the Cherokees $4,000,000, which
should have been paid them. Against that
sum. at the settlement, as per Win. L.
Marcy, fraudulent charges, by the agents
aud others, were audi'ed, amounting to
$3,315,000. leaving for the Indians only
$184,071 28 for their $1,000,000 under tlie
treaties. Of course the Indians demurred.
An appropriation was subsequently made
of $1,253,500 27 ; aud the agent were in
structed to demand from the Indians re
ceipts iu lull before the payment of even
that sous. The Indians were coniielled to
submit. Thus-, iu the r. inoval of the
Cherokees, under the treaties of 1635 and
184CJ, as per Win. L. Marcy's settlement.
tne Indians were deliberately robbced of
$2,743,499 27.
Coder the same treaties, at the same
time, the Government was mulcted in a
like sum. The amount paid by tlie Gov
ernment iu the transportation of the Indi
ans was $2,915,141 53. An ofl'er was made i
to transport aud subsist the Indians at $40
per head. Even the Indians proposed to.
transport .'and - atibsitX themselves at the
same rate $40 per head which for 13.
149 Indianflm number charged tor) would
amount to $525,960 showing a swindle, as
compared ith the amount actually paid
by the Government, ot $2,389,181 53. The
records of the Indian office show that the.
contractors charged for 1,633 more than
were aciually lemoved, which, at $40 per
head amounted to $65,320. The original
contractors were compelled by the Govern
ment agent to transfer their contracts to
second parties, and to the original con
tractors were awarded as damages the sum
of $227.0tj2 52. The records also show
that the Cherokee fund was defrauded by a
citizen agent ot $08,155 64. anil by two
army officers of $76,976 54. making the
total fraud against the Government $2,
827.000 28. In like maimer the Choctaws
were swindled of $1,787,535 05.
To recapitulate :
Aggregate fraud against Gov-
tr ent under treaties of
1S35-4J .$2,S27,000 2S
Aggregate fraud ngeiust Chero
kees under sa me treaties.. . 2,743,499 27
Aggregate fraud against Choc-
tiiws 1,7S7,5"5 05
Total.
7,353,014 60
THE
MEXICAN WAR AND DEMOCRATIC
CORRUPTION.
. The Mexican War exacted an expendi
ture of hundred of millions and the live
of 25.000 ot our citizens.. Corruption in
the Government stalked unrestrained. The
Eli Moore, the Purdys. the Morrises the
Patrick Collinses, the Beards, the Scotts,
the Keunerlit-S. the Denbys, and the Wet
mores a host ot pillagers Indian agents,
subTiidiau agents. Contractors, disbursing
"officers of the army and navy, nnvy agents,
pension agent, marshals, receivers of pub
lic moneys, commercial agents, suiveyors.
inspectors, and collector of the custom,
plundered their million.
Under Pierce Washington "ring" rejoic
ed iu msHHiioth fraud in the bidding ot the
Capitol wing and in the extension of the
Treasury binding, and were encouraged in
their pillage by Pierce. "outlaws of the
Treasury."' The actual and proposed plun
der wa immense. The aggregate amount
of spoils proposed iu the first Congres un
der Pierce wasestiiinted at $300 000,000 '.
$120,000,000 in obedience to the decree of
the Ostend conference for the purchase of
Cuba ; $20,000,000 for the Gadsden pur
chase, and so in like acts all tor the ag
grandizement of slavery.
THE POSTMASTER GENERAL SWINDLES THE
-;. GOVERNMENT.
The maladministration ot the Post Office
Department under Campbell, Pien e'- Ptist
iti aster General, rivaled that under Barry
and Kendall. Even '-the sale of letters and
paper was made an item of revenue."'
Bank-bills, check, and insurance policies
were s!d in piles," ami a Connecticut
mill, buying 2.000 of these, exposed the
crime.
PRECEDENTS FOR ROBESON.
Secretaries of the Navy anticipated Mr.
Robeson in transactions now denounced as
crimes by the Democracy. Hundred of
thousands of the national final were in
i rusted to rottou banking institutions like
Fitch & Co. 's. But -1 mice Maou, styled
by the Union the Washington organ ol
Democratic reform a "the accomplished
and excellent Secretary of the Navy." re
formed even uou that. Nathanial Denby
was the agent ot the Navy Department it
Marseille. France. Osborne -was a Rich
mond merchant. They defaulted for the
sum of $159,433 67. At a time when Den
by had an unexpended oalauce on hand of
nearlv $60,000, with no demand. for its
Use, Judge Mason deposited with the Rich
mond merchant (Osborne) $100,000 for tlie
use of Denby. Denby had no use for the
money. He." even, from his prison under
Fillmore, urged in extenuation of his de
fault that he had had no-adViees" of this
deposit, with Osborne. But Osborne says:
"These moneys ($100,000) I received as
Mr. Denny's "gent, paying interest for
iheni.- aud eonseanently. as would be in
ferred iom this circumstance., and alo by
express understanding.: had the use of the
fund until called tor. All tliese funds
were in the hands of various Euroean anp
American houses ; and in consequence of
their failures my losses were so great a to
involve my whole estate in ruin and leave
ine destitute."
THE CONGRESSIONAL PRINTING FRAUDS AND
OTHER PARTY SPOILS.
Under Buchanan, as under Jackson and
Van Bnren. the revenue and the offices
were again the "spoils" of "THE PARTY."
Loyalty to the Administration, allegiance
to slavery, were the conditions ofa division.
The profits of the Congressional printing
were great.; The-billsot the Printer im
mense. But the profits of f tie Executive
printing and binding and the printing of
the postal blanks were enormous. - Out -of
these profits the newspsjier corruption
fund, disbursed by the notorious .Cornelius"
Wendell presses' like the Pennstflvimian,
the Philadelphia Arytt-i,- the Washington
Union, &e.i received a subsidy a a condi
tion of slavishly supporting the administra
tion. Papers like the Cleveland 'National
Democrat were establlslfed under the pai
ronage of the Government by office-liolders
--These foots ahrt flarnres are from official
Ktatementa and tables prepared at the Bureau
of Indian Affairs. - . ; .......
fur like purposes the defense of border1
ruffianism. lA?compton,and sectional strife.
The navy-yards, custom-houses, and l'Obfi
offices were degraded into corrupt party
maclrines. Editors of servile sheets, ten-.
derlng to Government no service, were
borne upon their rolls, drawing pay bk
Baker, of the Pennxylcanian, and the noted
Theophilus Fisk, of the Argun, at Philadel
phia ; Wm. M. Brown, ot the Journal of
Commerce, at New York ; Harry Scova!,- cl
the Free Press, at Detroit, and the Henry
.f. Alvorri in other- sections men like
Cummings, at Philadelphia, pocketing"
in the name of subordinates for which
pay
n
services were rendered.; Hkr Clements, at
the Philadelphia nayy-yard. unable tor
write, but useful as a politician, appointed '
and drawing pay as clerk while working
a bricklayer ; like tlie Infamous Michael
yard, and the principal in a $30,000 jewel
ry robbery ecfaincd as party strikers.
Fealty to party covered all crimes. Swin- - -.
dllng contracts, like the notorious llveoak
contracts to Swift, were awarded to party
favorites in -payment'- of party services.
Thousands of dollar were regularly assess
ed for party purposes, even- three times In
the same year, upon the Departments at
Washington, upon the navy-yards, custom--
houses, and post offices throughout the. ,
country ; even assessments, iu tlie form fT
contributions, for the support of the' organ?
the ComUitution. Woe.w the unfortunate
wight who rebelled ; his independence'
was instantly rewarded by decapitation.-Office-holders
were organized Into merceu-"
arv corps for the control of National and
State politics ; and by wholesale frauds a C
elections by frauds upon the registry by
the issue aud distribution of 'fraudulent)
naturalization papers by balh)t-4ox stuffy
ing and frauds in counting votes, enabled?
corrupt minorities to dominate for years .
the intelligent majorities ot the greatf
States of Pennsylvania and New Yorkv.
Defaults like Isaiic V. Fowler's, the postx
master at jew ioik, lor fo.uuu, we
bnt bagatelles compared with Thompson'
and Floyd's grander system ot pillage.
The ab-rraetkui by Floyd's- nephew,'
Godard Bailey, in lSe.0. froin the Interior',
Department, under Jacob Thompson, of
$.S70, 000 of Indian trust : bonds, and their
transfer to RnseIl."Majors & Wandell, up-"
on Secretary Floyd's fraudulent accept-
anees, under a contract of that nrm witnr -the
War Department, and similar ' fraud'
ulent acceptances by Floyd, as shown by
tin records ot the War Department la the"
amount of $5,339,335: aggregated a fraud?
ot $6,137,395, to be borne either by the"
Government or the holder. :
THE INDIAN BONDS THEFT.
Under the numerous Indian treaties, up
to 1801. with the Cherokees, Chickasaws,
Choctaw., Creeks and others, funds in large
an omits (held under the solemn pledges'
ot the nation in trust for those tribes) bad'
accumulated in the hands of; the Secretaries
of War. Treasury, and Interior. : These;
were invested by Secretaries Woodbury and
Thompson in nearly vshleless Southern-
stocks and State bonds. Even the Smith
sonian trust fund ($538,000) was sunk with
the rest. By Woodbury $1,744.166 66-
were thus invested, upon which the Gov
ernment has paid as interest $1,57L7CS.--Of
this fond, under Buchanan, Secretary
Thompson iu like stocks and State bonds'
$1,970,800, upon which the Government v
ha paid as interest $1,575,435. all in vio
lation oi iaw. and causing a total loss tty
the nation ot $6,872,109 63
Hence, under Buchanan, under Demo
cratic relorni. the loss to the Government
by (It fiiilii and fraud -was $3 81" in every"
$1,000 collected and disbursed Under Lin
coln, but $0 76 ; under Grant, only $0 34,
Under Buchanan five times greater than"
under Lincoln. Under Buchanan, over
eleven time greater than Under Grants
Such is the brief history ot Democratie
reform such the character of it3 public
men not of ohe period only, but of it
every period, from its origin under Jeffer'
son to its ch s.r. iu 1SG1. under Buchanjfti.
Maladininistraiion,' malfeasance. , spolia
tion, corruption, and fraud every vile ad-iniui-irative
crime dominated ii.nid ex-'
ecutive usurpation and military tyranny
supported by laws outraging every human"
right- ' .'.'
THE DEMOCRACY Op TO-DAY.
Turning from tlie past terrible record ot"
the party, tlie question naturally arises :
Has tlie Democracy, a a ptirty", im
proved ?" "Is it the author ofa single'
good act in the last? quarter ot a century 1"
Thi. question has been asked before, but'
never acwered.- Take, for example, tlie
nomination ot Samuel J. TiKlen for the
Presidency: It is fair to conclude that as
is the man ot their choice st is the party
he represents. One illustration of his char
acter for veracity is sufficients Take the
following :'- " . ' :
On December 26. 1883, In bis answer to tlie
Mr. TUden swore, to a complaint In the Cir
retnrii, under oatli, iu cuit Court of 1 he United!
which- he suul : States In ihesuit of the
"I hereby certifvthat St. I-onia, Alton and
the following is a true Ten"- Haute Railroad
and faithful statement Company axalnsi luni
of the sains, profits, or self and other, wlucli
Income of Sumnel J. answer was died recent
Tiirten, of the city of ly, Mr. Tildes swore
New York, and county under oath as follows'
and State .rf New York, "That for Buch servi
wbether derived from ces the defendant, Til
any kind of property, den, made a charge of
rents, inieresls, dlvl- (10,000 Bfratnst said sec
dends, salary, or from, ond mortgage bond-'
niy profession, trade, holders., and the said
empioynient, or voca-charge was paid by or'
t ion, or from any other on behairof said second
source whatever, from mortgage bondholders
1st day of January, toon bel7thof Oetobor,
31st day of Decern tier, 1462; thattiietle
isj2, both days inolu- fendant, TUden, for a '
si ve, and subject lo an part of his services
income tax nnder the aforesaid, also made a
excise law of theUnlted charge of Ihe likesurn '
Slates. Income from of 10,000 on account of
all sources, (7,113." iprolesHiof.al eervMt-
rendered to the tlr-tt
rnortKace bondliolrina
and the mceivers.
which was paid to bi-j,
by the Bald A sarin ii .
V Iters' ; and whleiit
pay men t a npeara nn,j,r
dam of Noveuii'r
lSfti, in statement an
nexed to the brst. m.
port aforesaid, as lo r
Inuf been reeeipid l'tr
iby aald Ttlden. on tuf
count of proteStoioiua
services.
Is Mr. TUden a willful perjurer ? And if
so, i- he tit person to be President of t&s
United States? , ;
DARE THE NATION TRUST SUCH A FARTT ?
Dare tlte nation again trust such a parti ?
In what have Republicans forfeited t! .3
confidence of tlie Republic? Shs.ll Bel
knap's single crime his fnle ot a pot
tradership to the Democratic SI.-:rsh t;-?
only offense of which it lias been cnvls -,
an accidents not the rule of the ado i.
tratioit blot out its record ot iun-.-tn;'
achievements its triumphant re-to:-,- ,
ot tlie Union against tlie tnnrdcrom t ;,, . i
of the Democracy to destroy it ; i : -development
and careful husbandry '
grand resources of the Nation. hKrvL-'j -immensely
the wealth and -happifi- t
comforts of the people ? Eveu a-Ji
Belknap's Republicanism a uioott i (
tion into what llJIiputlati proportloi ,
character and degree does his sinM , ' ,
dwarf before the greater and u:o, f
villainy of the DeiiKKsacy be for? r i
of its highest officials it truest, re" I
tatives iu office it - Richard M. .?.
Vice President ot the United
Martin Van Buren and John Fotsri 5 " "m
retaries of State ; its Levi Worn ' -
i-etary of tile Treasury : ' Its Lewis " ,
John B. Floyd, Secretaries n ;
John Y. Mason, Secretary tt r '
it Jacob Thompson, Secretary , '
terlor ; its William T. Barry t, ,'
Kendall.' Postmaster Generals - I
Harris , and Boyd, whose mi,"
tiou and corruption stand w . .
allel In history ? A single crim
paratively pel ty oflensv, by .
tion loses nothing, not a peunv
multitude by which the natim i
pillaged ot hundreds of ml !
through the rebellion, of t
niilJious I