Litchfield enquirer., 1858-04-08
GBe &ittB6elb Gnq1uet.

1itchheld, Conn, Thursday, April 8, 1858. There has been quite a discussion betwecn the Southern Press, and the Courier and Enquirer of New York, which has brouglt out several interest ing facts, among which is the following article, which every Northern man will read with interest
 e We are on the eve of war with band of religious fanatics, the duration of which no man can foretell and yet it is said that the AdmniI- ifai"n has made contracts for supplies, which are Q continue during the War! It is supposed that for the carrying on of this war for single year, not less than fifteen thousand horses will be re- qnired. Certain parties, it is said. have received contract for the supply of all the horses that may be required during the var. to be delivered in Missouri a. one hundred and fifty-ni dollars each, or two million four hundred thousand do . lars for the horses required this year!! These horses, it is said, will nett to the contractors. clenr profit of one hundred dollars each. or one million five hundred thousand dollars on this years delivery !! How many millions are to be | made out of this contract?
 'I':en again, the item of Indian Corn for the purpose of feeding the enormous number of ani- mals required for conducting this war-viz: |: OK en, m"ies, cavalry and draft horses. It is said that contracts have been made with certain par ties, not o furnish certain quantity of corn. bu, to furnish al! that the Government may reqni uutiHS tnh WdIs deHVeIaDie III w WeStern MIsS0urI, at ninety eight cents per bu,he, when it is noto ri"us, that half that sum per bushe would afford an enormous profit! How many millions are to be made out of this contract
 6 Rnmor also says, that the first order for ln- dian corn under this contract, is two hundred and fifty thousand bushels and farther, that the con- tract for transportation to Salt Lake Valley, is equal to ten dollars per bushel
 Now, WE do not vouch for the correctness of cf.totp hnf havo bo for helieving them to be true. Let the War De- pertinent he compelled without days delay. to inform Congress in relation 10 kese contracts and if it be true that instead of being made for specific number of horses or fir a specific quan tiiy of indian corn, they have been made for all the horses and corn which may be required dur ing the war. all doubt in regard to the corrup,ion upon which they are based, will at once termi. nate. No Investigating committee is necessary to elicit information upon this subject. simple call npon the Department will bring forth the fact. # fact i De, and then the Kansas Commit lee should enquire in what these contracts have been divided and subdivided into species of joint stock associations, and how parceitd ou, among the advocates of the Lecon pton fraud, whether in or out of Congress
 "At alt events, let the call for information be made, and the answer to the call will abundan,ly demonstrate. whether there be or be not cause for these discreditable rumors Certain it is, that no injustice can he done to anybody by communica- ting to Congress what contracts for supplies and transportation nave been made with whom made, at what prices, for what period, and after what publication or notice of the intention of the Gov ernmpnt to make such contracts.
 ''Of enc thing, however our readers may rest assured All the efforts made by the Admins. traiion to buy up majority of the Peoples rep. Iesentatives, have failed. The Leccmpton fraud will be defeated; and let the Executive prepare to meet the constitutional consequences of gross and palpable Executive usurpation.'
 And in the Evening Post of the 18th, will be found the he4foowing
 vortism of the eAdmihistration-Ho it's Friends are Rrwarded-SuspiciOus Management of the Public Money.
 WASHINGTON, March l6,
 vary extraordinary affair has recently come to light, which, with other transactions lately de- veloped, and still others soon to be unveiled, 20 to show concluslvely that business in the War Department has been conducted by the present Secretary without the slightest regard to economy in the disbursement of the public funds.
 Hwas ascertained short time since that three thousand head of beef cattle were wanted by the Commissary's Department for consumption by the Army in Utah Upon enquiry at the Quarter. masters Department by various parties who de- sired to secure portion the whole of the con- tract, they were told that the Secretary of War had conferred the power to contract to Fort Leav. enwor.h. This naturally created a stampede on the part of those who wished 10 engage to fur nish the cattle to Fort Leavenworth. After they were thus shrewdly disposed of, the order trans ferrng the contract, if l had ercr been issued was coun.ermanded and the contract was let 10 the distinguished General Reed, of Platt City, Missouri. and to General Armstrong of Va, at the following rates:
 cts. p lb.for all cattle deliv'd al Ft Leavenw'h
 63 do do. do. do New Mexico. III do. do. do. do. Salt L. City.
 The cattle are to be taken at their gross weight, are be delivered at these different points t,e risk of the Government, and the latter engages furnish thc contractors with an escort of troops So exorbitantly extravagant is this contract con. sidered, that parties now in Washington assert that they would be willing to give fifty thousand dollars bonus and take the contract off the hanCs of Messrs. Reed and Armstrong.
 The parties who wore directed to Fort Leav- enwortn to make the contract, when they came to understand the terms of the contract and the man ner in which it was effected, were justly indig- nant. E. ...,
 There is record in connection with this trans action which it is well 10 sta.. in order to bet ter understanding of the matter This General Read is no other than the commandrr-in-cl,ief of the Missouri forces (s,ated at two thousand seven hundrrd) which invaded the Territory of Kansas in 1856, during Governor Geary's administration, wiih the avowed intention of destroying Law renee and subJuing the citizens, He was only defeated ill his purpose hy Governor Geary. who intercepted him in person at Franklin, five mi 5 distant from Lawrence, and ordered them to Tee treat, informing them if they did not, he should repe them forciby with United States troops. Reed ordered a retreat, and while his forces were about to return, portion of them sallied out, and committed a series of depreda,ions upon the peaceful Free State citizens in the vicinity of Lawrence, and murdered poor defsnseless crip- pls named Buffun. because he refused 10 be rob. government has given this contract, and thus he is rewarded fo. his expressions in Kansas. The other contractor Is said to be an old personal friend of MT, Lloyd, the Secretary of War.