Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1858-09-16
New Series---Vol. lit, No. 43.

of their occult art, and unanimously vote
the parties to it high priests in the temple
of the money changers.
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 Gov
ernment for 100000. The singularity of;
| the proceeding awakened local inquiry, 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 conf
dence Of the President, had purchased the
same tract Of the owners for 100000.
This was another heavy stroke (value $780,
0OO,) Of business consummated between
the Secretary and his friends. This was
also subject for investigation by Congress-.
and some OF the most respectable men III.
New York sWore that the tract was not
worth 100000, 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 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, mass of frauds will be
laid bare, stratum On stratum, which will
fill the public mind with dismay and aston.
ishment. But nothing but committee of
the House of Representatives can sink a
| bo4f +hvo1,h oil Tho lararc re hot Ill Inv
formation, of the flood of corruption which
this Administration has brought on the
country. We showed a few days ago how
the mule contracts-if contracts they can
be called-were disposed of; how they
were distributed to retainers of leading
Democrats in Congress; how the contractors
were left to their own discretion in fixing
prices; how private instructions, of which
the Quartermaster General was kept igno-
rant, were forwarded to Capt. Van Fliet,
directing him to allow large profits on prime
cost how Captain Van Viet has been ta-
ken to task for refusing to avail himself of
the profigate license conferred upon him;
and worse than all, how mules were bought
at S170 head, when the letter Of Messrs.
Caldwell and Geary was on file in the War
Office, offering 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 disclosures it makes are of black
er dye than the VYillett's Point purchase
or the Fort Smelling sale.
1t is not generally known that another
branch OF the same party of plundercrs
actually extend their operations to Fort
Leavenworth. The plot was concocted, the
machinery put in motion, and every prepa
ration made to reproduce the Fort Smelling
affair; but the plot was marred, and the
machinery stopped by the Chief Quarter.
master then stationed at that post, and By
the refusal Of General Harney, acting on
the representations Of Colonel Crossman,
to sanction the job. George Saunders, and
the firm of Rossell, Haddell & Co, and
several others, had carved out the greater
part of the reservation for their own use
and ownership, for the moderate sum of
twenty-five dollars an acre. The Secretary
of War was willing, but the assent of tbs
commanding officer was essential. He con-
suited the chief QuarteTmaster, who .ex-
posed the plot, and threatened to bid 500
an acre for it himself, if it were to be sold
This blew up the whole scheme; and so the
military reservation in Kansas has escaped
for the time the fate of the reservation in
Minnesota. These facts are known to gen
tlemen in this scity-civilians-fro whom
they are Immediately derived, and they are
known to most of the officers who were
stationed at Fort Leavenworth in the
| Vbo,- bo la,,,ol -
were not for the annoying interference Of
Crossman, and the provoking conduct of
Harvey, lot of fine fellows George Saun-
ders and comrades) would be now reyelling
in the green acres which surround Fort
| Leavenworth.
Glimpses are thus given to us of the
system by which the Buchanan Admins
tration governs the country. The corrup-
ton fund is enormous Plumber is boun
tifully and widely distributed 1t is sown
broadcast throughout the land, and fraudu
lent elections spring up from it, and such
fruit is reaped from it as the Lecompton
Constitution. The corruption fund is a
selfsupporting one The money that is
spent in carrying elections is reimbursed
from the public property or the public
Treasury by the votes of those whom it has
elected. That horn Of plenty is, always
full, though open at both ends; for what
it loses at one end it gains at another
The maw is insatiate, but the supply is al
so unlimited as long as the funds or the
credit of the United States hold out The
system commenced with the October cleo
ton, in Pennsylvania, two years ago, when
the Democratic nominees were fraudulent
ly elected by the aid of the contributions
furnished BY New York Bankers, politi-
clans, ocean-mail contractors, and such per-