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[299]

In what I have to say I have no desire to screen my officers from just charges; in fact, I have taken instant measures to bring to trial any officer against whom there seemed to be any well-founded accusation. It is a fact well worth considering here, that of thirteen assistant commissioners there was but one whom the inspectors were able to condemn, namely, the assistant commissioner of North Carolina; and he, though held up to the country as a liar and a dishonest speculator, has been acquitted by a decision of a fair and honorable court, so far as the charges were concerned.

Again, in the departments of Virginia and North Carolina, of over two hundred agents, accusations were brought against ten only, seven officers and three civilians. The majority of them have been honorably acquitted of the charges preferred against them. The Reverend Mr. Fitz, of such terrible notoriety, who was having his case investigated on the arrival of the inspectors, proves to be not a reverend, but a young man of eighteen years, a quartermaster's clerk during the war, and personally guiltless of the cruelties imputed to his charge. All these cases will soon be officially reported — I need not refer to them further.

I may say, however, that the charge against an officer of putting men in a chain gang had no foundation in fact, but in another part of the same State another officer specially selected by the inspectors for unqualified commendation had issued an order to place delinquents as vagrants in a chain gang ....

Their final objection is to citizen agents, and in order to reduce expenses, they recommend that all such agents be discharged-given in the following language: “A great reduction in the expenses of the ”

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