Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1856-07-17
The United States military Asylum.

We are informed that the United States Military
Asylum in this District, erected at an enormous
expense, has been constructed "under military
superntendence," in 80 understandable manner
that the interior arches have nearly all fallen in,
and the roof settled so much in consequence, that
ithas been necessary to construct new one to
prevent the total destruction of the building.
Workmen are also now engaged in rebuilding the
interior arches and in repairing the damages caused
by their giving way
In addition to this we learn that many of the
exterior stones ard window-caps have been frac.
tured by the settling of the walls, and that the
edifice in general is extremely dlapidated.
The Secretary Of War has dismissed the officer
who had charge of the construction of this build
ing, but at the same time ordered him to Massa
chusetts to superintend the construction of the
United States Naval Hospital near Boston. As
this is intended to be one of the most superb
buildings in the country, we hope the conductors
of the press in Boston will keep bright lookout
upon him. Ifthey do not, he may spoil their hos
pital as he has spoiled our asylum.
The junior organ of the administration recently
minated that the frauds committed on the Trea-
sury in the way Of contracts were committed by
employees Of the late administration. This is a
gratuitous assertion all our citizens are aware
But suppose it were the case, why has not this
immaculate administration exposed themH What
have they been doing for the last four years, that
they have not been able to discover and expose
these frauds?
But the assertion Of the junior organ of Pierce
the Defunct is totally unfounded. It Is known to
the whole country that on the incoming of Pierce
he ordered, without the shadow of legal authority
the superintendent Of all the public buildings to
be vested in the War Department at the head Of
which Is Jefferson Davis. In pursuance OF this
order, officers Of the Army, as ignorant of pract
cal architecture as a horse is Of mathematics were
intrusted with the construction of buildings that
were to cost from 100000 to 81, 00O, 900 each.
Tho consequence has been, not only the most
enormous frauds, but numerous gross blunders in
construction, which will involve future loss TO
the government Of hundreds Of thousands of dol
lars.
Mr.. Ball, of Ohio, in his recent searching speech,
exposed numerous frauds in the instruction of
the Capitol and Treasury extensions. But he only
commenced the work. The half is not yet told
When the whole history Of these frauds and blum
ders is published, the people of the United States
will learn what has become Of portion Of the
rightly millions per dan,ea which Franklin Pierce
has squandered upon proHigate wretches who, If
they lived in California, would have been arrested
for wholesale swindling by the Vigilance Commit
tee, and been transported to Botany Bay. There
Is at this time den of thieves" in this city, com
posed ofthose holding high and responsible sta
tons under the General Government, whom the
committee Of investigation will so expose as to
render their names infamous for life. For corrup-
ton and fraud Of every description they are baser
than "the Greeks Of the Lower Empire"
But enough for to-day. We intend to sift
these frauds thoroughly to the bottom, not emitting