Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-04-16
Frauds upon the aovcrnmcnt-No g.

Frauds upon the Government-No 8.
We come now to the last item in the invcstiga-
lions Of Mr.. Sherman's Committee. We come 10
transaction involving the personal character of
one Jehu G. Jones, ex.rreacher, ex-Whg. cx-lor'
tor ex-Member Of Congress, AMI er every element,
in our opinion Of personal and political integrity
1t appears that this immaculate patriot was.
last year, one Of the stockholders in the Eeain
Forge Works--an iron establishment located III
the town where Jones resided. When the forge
work Of the new sloops of war was let ont to con
tract, Jones Was an applicant in behalf of the
works above mentioned, Mt Reading Besides his
direct interest in the establishment, it is proved
by the testimony Of the Secretary and Treasurer
Of the Company that Jones 10 get commits
sion Of fire per cent. upon oil contracts he could
secure from the Government
As Jones was favorite ut the White House
being at that time the chief fuglemao Of Mr.. Bn-
chanan in the House of epresentativcs-hc had
no difficulty in advancing the interests of his cs-
Enlistment One of the contractors at Now York
made statement to the effect that be was
"obliged" to get his Iron work done ut the Read
ing Forge To another one of the contractors m
intlmation was given from headquarters that his
employment of the Reading Forge to do his work
"would be acceptable or satisfactory to ccrt.na
parties" A hint, in matter Of this sort is all
sufficient. When the King orders, who shall dis
obey? When Mr.. Buchanan, from the imperial
throne of the White House. expresses n wish thus
his friend Jehu shall have certain job is any
body so green" a. to doubt that Jchu will et,?
But Jones ia convicted by his own testimony.
of completely in the dscreditable transaction. A
letter from Jones himself is published, addressed
to the Secretary Of the Reading Company, in
which he states that he had Just had interview
with the Secretary of the Maryland "the Score
tary will not give the contract to the forrest bid
der" OF course not That superHuous
declaration, Mr.. Jones. Secretaries, and every
body else connected with the Government, seem
to think it their business to spend all they of
the public money. The idea of giving a con-
tract to the lowest bidder, or Of saving the peo-
pies money in any other way, seems never to have
entered their precious skulls
In the case alluded to, the immaculate Jones
secured the work for Ms Forge amounting to ten
or eleven thousand dollars Besides his profit on
the job as one Of the proprietors of the Forge,
Jones also received his five per cent. commission
for securing the contract.
The fact Of Jones' Agency for the Company has
never been denied The Secretary of the Compa-
ny testifes that the agency OF Jones lrequcnt-
ly talked of in the meetings Of the Board of Di-
rectors, and that they also discussed the amount
Of compensation they were TO pay him.
But, feeling themselves guilty, the Managers of
this Reading Forge were ashamed 10 charge upon
the books the amounts paid Jones. from time to
time as his commissions. The paid him was
always covered up under some other pretence,
purely fictitious. Thus, upon the books of the
Company. under date Of October end, 1854 &C.
ours the following credit of the cash account, ITO
pay J. Clancy Jones' expenses to Washington City,
$35O.OO"
The expense Of going to Washington city from
Reading-staying there week-and then going
back to Reading-would not exceed fifty dollars
at the outside. Jones' commissions are here COW
cred up under the rretence of Expenses to Wash
ington city" Perhaps there were some homes,
stockholders who would have rebelled at the TIA,
action. if it had been correctly defined upon the
books Of the Company Hence this circumocu
tory dodge Of saying expenses to Washingt,r
city"
In another place there is charge of $3.50 OF
''sent to =. CLANCY Jones for EXPENSES in procu
ring work for the Reading Steam Forge" These
pretended Expenses" were all moonshne. The
two hundred and fifty dollars were Glaneey's com
mission. He had no expense" about it.
In another place is charge of money .'borrow.
Cd from Al. Nichols, to pay Hon. J. Clancy
Jones. erpensss TO Washington city" CLANCY
was 70 keen for money. that when the COMPANY
didn't bsvs it. be made them 'sborrow" il, to nav
HE pretended expenses-really, his Commits
.siese u
Gsw; tAsss ass several special acts Of Congress
kthi1isg - nsmbsis thereof, under heavy pep
90 aaaing interested. directly or in
dt q 4IS ecntssot with the COVERINGS,
1hexsH 6fsasA : thing any one may zee at
glance. Tho necessity for such q law everybod
nnst admit
The latsst Of these scts was passed in l853-an
= Declared chat the penalty Of any member