The Kanzas news., 1858-09-25
. From the ST. Louis Democrat.
The Jobs Of the Administation--.At-
tempted Sale of Fort Leavenworth-

tempted Sale OF Fort LeaVenWoftn-
We are not going to enter on the ques-
ton whether any member of either OF the
Whig Administrations which interVened
between Polk and Pierce was implicated IN
the "Galphin and Gardner frauds, but we
do know that the present Administration
the firm of Floyd & Co.-have done the
heaviest strokes IL the plunder business
which the secret archives of Federal cor
rupt:on will have recorded. In the first
place, the clandestine sale of Fort Smelling
stands revealed to the country as mon
strous plunder Job. The records OF Con
sress exhibit it in that light. In a body,
most of whom were National Democrats, no
resolution yindicatiDg the Secretary of War
could be got through, and the majority re-
port of the committee appointed TO inEesti-
gate the subject condemned him explicitly.
Without advertisement or notice of any
kind, 100000 worth of property was al
ienated from the Government, and the
equivalent exacted for it was $50, ,0O0!-
The sale was not only clandesline, but the
price was nominal. The parties to the con-
tract were National Democrats exclusively,
and after the reservation including the fort
was sold, some troops were detained there.
and $4,000 a month barrack rent was
charged TO the Government ~ the new
proprietors. The $4,000 purchase mon
ey, or the greater part of it, has thus been
discharged. This Fort Smelling sale We
submit has been an unique one, and wor-
thy of the highest fnanciering genius
Wall street brokers and absconding bank
Presidents must regard it as the most re-
nowned achievement of their occult art,
and unanimously vote the parties TO it high
priests in the temple of the money chang
ers Next in order comes the Willett's
Point transaction. in New York. A site
for fort was selected where no fort should
be, and the ground was purchased by the
Government for 100000. The SINGULAR
ty of the proceeding awakened local inqui-
ry, and it was discovered that few days
before the Government purchase was made,
two or three prominent Democrats from
the city of New York, known to be in the
confidence of the President. had purchased
the same tract of the owners for 100000.
This was another heavy stroke value $780,
O0O) of business consummated between
the Secretary and his friends. This was
also subject for investigation by Congress,
and some of the most respectable men in
New York swore that the tract was not
worth 500, ,OOO,- and that they could have
bought it.for less, if they had chosen to
do so. Congress, it is true, did not openly
pronounce Secretary Floyd rogue, but
they passed an act forbidding him to make
any more private sales. This was indica-
tive enough of the nature of the opinion
which they formed regarding him.
The third and greatest job is involved in
the contracts for the Utah army; and we
venture to say that, if the facts connected
with these contracts ever see the light, a
mass of frauds will be laid bare, stratum
on stratum, which win fill the public mind
with astonishment. But nothing but a
committee of the House of Representatives
can sink a shaft through all the layers of
that alluvial formation. of the flood of cor
ruption which this Administration has
brought on the country. We showed a
few days ago how the mule contracts-if
contracts they can be caled-were dispos-
ed Of how they were dist, ibuted to retain
ers of leading Democrats in Congress; how
the contractors were left to their own dis
cretion in fixing prices; how private in
structions. of which the Quartermasler
General was kept ignorant. Were forward
ed to Capt. Van Vliet, directing him to al
low large profits on prime cost; how Capt.
Van Vliet has been taken to task for refu-
s:ng to avail himself of the profigate IL
cense conferred upon him; and worse than
all, how mules we're bought at S17o a head,
when the letter of Messrs. Caldwell and
Geary was on file in the War Office. offer
ing to supply all the mules that might be
wanted at S85 and 500 head. This is
the third chapter which has been opened in
The black book of corruption, and the dis
Closures it makes are of blaeker dye than
The Willett's Point purchase or the Fort
Smelling sale.
II is not generally known that another
branch of the same party Of plunderers
actually exteRded their operatiens to Fort
Leavenworth. The plot was concocted.
Tue machinery put in motion, and every
PREPARATION made, to reproduce the Fort
Smelling affair; but the plot, was marred,
ind the machinery stopped by The Chiel
Vuartermaster then stationed at that post,
and by the refusal of Gen. Harvey, acting
On the representations of Col. Crossman,
o sanction the job. Geo. Saunders, and
'ne firm of Russell, Wsddel, 4 Co., and
several others, had carved out the greater
part of the reservation for their own use
and ownership. for the moderate sum o.
"enty five dollars an acre. The Secretary
" War was willing, but the assent of tbs
~mmanding officer was essential. He con
suited the Chief Quartermaster, who ex-
FOsed the plot, and threatened to bid S10C
q. =. acre for It himself, if it were to be sold
y uiS blew up the whole scheme; and 50
military reservation in. Kansas has es-
;epeo Tor the time the fate of the reserya-
~'a IN Minnesota. These facts are known
gentlemen in this eity-ciyilians-fron
,. tnon they are immediately derived. ant
g are known to most of the officers who
ere ere Stationed at Fort i1eavenworth in the
Fnns- They cannot be denied. If i
ce csfe not for the annoying interference o
TStOSsman, and the provoking conduct o