Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1845-02-13

Ttie Zpucilbnr0 yirntmiam.
THURSDAY. fEBRUaRY 10, 1916.
CORRUPTION IN HIGH PLACES.


are moi prepared for such astounding revelations. More
especially will this feeling be excited if there shall ap-
pear, from somewhat ndlslinct limitations from
other sources. that there good reason apprehend that
the case referred to only one Of many others of kin
dred Characteristic type OF cassgoing 10 show thai
the public Offices have been auclioned and sold like
goods IN the mart, 10 men destitute of thai honesty ias
the fact itseflmpes, if no Of that capacity which we
have been taught 10 regard as essential in all public
functionares.
The statement Of Mr.. Mcdonald is long and circnm-
slanal, and we thus abfidge it, During an iniecenum
in The Navy Department. contract was obtained.
through Mr. John Tyler. acting President Of lie United
States by one Col. Zabriskie of New jersey Tor SUP
plying the Navy Department with quantity Of live oak
timber The contract (Which Itself made in vo-
laon of law, no proposal having been advertised The
purpose Of the Navy Department TO let the contract To
the lowest bidder.) obtained by Zabrskc. npon
personal solicitations Of The President TO hon he rep
resented The sacrifices he had made in his service per
sonal and pecunary--hat he was completely oul of
pocket-and that, unless favored by him with this CON
tract he must be rrelrevaby ruined The President
told him he should have H. aud the necessary papers
were directed 10 be prepared. Mr. McDonad GOES on
to say that The contract, Obtained gotten by Ia
brskie mol for himself but for third person (snpposed
10 be Mr. Swift Of New Bedford. Massachusetts, who
had agreed 10 pay Iahrskie len thousand dollars for his
agency IN procuring il, but who, afterwards ehanpino
MS mind, refused 10 give than eighi thousand dol
lars ior his share Of the pchings and srealngs-
sum Zabfshe finally agreed accept. Blu, il SO hap
pened Thai two Of the principal officers then in the Ma
Wy Department, who aware of lie villany Of the
whole Transaction and who were indeed The Instruments
oil lis preparation, determined that i! should mol he con
ssmmated without obtaining Heir share ofile peron,
sites also being opposed to nlonopoes even in crime =
Upon the ca principle of dog dog one of them,
Mr. Voorhees,, chief cerk OF le bureau Reconstruction
aud repair. stole march on Zabske, by carrying the
papers, as soon az they perfected moi 10 The nomi
nal, but TO the actual contractor, [Swilt) who paid
him at once the of $500. voorhees, having thus
the bribery fund in his hands. aud possession being
the eleventh point oilaw determined 10 hold on upon
half Of the amount, which he did, in despite of Ia
brshie's furious proesatons, who length however,
seeing, that IL was one of thuse in which silence
was the only prudent course consented take the other
moiety. But unfortunate fellow he was compelled to
submit TO still another reduction upon his commissions
of $1,000 for the benefit Of Mr.. Scott Navy Agent at
Washington city, This statement Mr.. MeDonad pro-
lesses have received directly from Voorhees, himself in
confidence, and under pledge OF secrecy 5 Is
months ago,-a pledge from which he has been reeyed
by the recent death Of voorhees, Such is the state
men-and lit be true, what will the country think Of
President who resorts to such corrupt Of the pat
ronage with which he is clothed, for the purpose of
wardng his heggay partlzans, and il possible, Of
ring thereby his own reelecion2 1t may De said that
such story cannot be truetha Mr. Tyler is too high.
minded and honorable thus 10 have posiitnted his pow.
ers and degraded himself. We hope il may turn out to
be SO; but we rather apprehend that il will only turn
out 10 be true, hut thai it does stand soary and a
lone, An isolated illustration of the depth of conup-
ION into which We have already plunged. AT all events
The accuracy Of Mr. McDonald's statement will soon be
tested by the scrutiny Of the committee on Public Ex-
pendi,ures, TO Mhom it has been referred for exaina
ton
We alluded above to certain other "ndistlnct intima
tlons' OF similar abnsesand it proper that we should
he more explicit upon that point The Washington
Globe. few days ago broadly insnuaed that "a GER
tam Haslington edtor.' meaning doubtless the limo
cent Jehu Jones Of the Madisonan } has rccered gya
tutes from certain persons cho hare obtained places''
thus indirectly mrung bribery the official editor
the court organ. Amos Kendall for some reason or 9TH
the public are not so dull Imagine, as not 10 be able
10 give pretty good guess AT it, pretended To think
that he was aimed at in this insinnalion-ant in let
ter TO the Globe. that immaculate patriot declares that
although BRIDES HAVE been rendered him. to use
his influence to obtain flee for applicants he has al
ways been lar too honest 10 conaminate his hands with
The base lucre-and he adv erses that heuceCnrtb ali
such tenders will he sterny rejected But what saws
John Jones2 Does he deny 'lhe soft impeaehment9u
No lie contents himself by meeting the Globes impIi
alton oil has honesty, with "a direct charge AGAINST the
Globe Itself He says not word in vndcaon Of his
own 'nesrIty-bnt rather implied, "eonfesses the
cern. and then seeks place the Globe on The same
level OF niamy' by affirming that that paper has been
guilty Of br'bhg an officer offbe government. by civ
ing TO that officer $500 secure its editors some 400
ooo worth of printing, TO subsanate which allena;ion
the Aladlsonan says it is prepared with the proof,
hat viii the country say 10 these DEVELOPMENTS q
do they no, show that radical change is necessary in
'he officers OF the governments thorough "reorm in
all The Departments effective publication in the Au
gean STABLE the offensive odors of which rival already
the putidlty of European Courts, and smell rank to
Heaven Bad enough is il when in the subordinate
stations, deauer is detected and is permitted !, IA
nn"hipt OF justice, bat To the President of the nj
ted States degrading his high position by giving iacil-
ties To fraud and corruption by giving Offices and con
tracts 10 his parasites and curriers' in order 10 enable
them to fill their purses by brides aud perqusiles, is hu