The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1859-08-20
= Correspondence of The Cecil Wing

Mr.. EDITOR II notice an extract letter,
copied from The N. Y. Times. wherein is
essayed all exoneration Of the officials origi-
mating the contract with those government
carriers who modcstly claimed and received
800, 600 for their ready willingness to do the
hiding of Uncle Sam. The letter headed -
1.-The Utah Flour Contract" is herewith rnclo-
sed." 1t is signed q, as you will perceive
Which initial, | suggest, should mean guam.
Diary for into such the sophistry of the writer
has involved him. Two queries put to @
How is it the idea was not discovered: until
after the issue Of orders, that -four would not
safely transport across the plains in the month
Of April! Or if so discovered. was the orders
given IN the face Of the known experiment
Now, sir, one of the two horns Of the dlenma
you are forced to accept.
Were the officials ignorant Of lhe condition OF
The roads al that season Of The 'Je'u', and tie like
HhoOd Of flour receiving damage by such car
,ldee And if they own such ignorance, is
it, or is it not, culpablc ignorance, which
garnered facts in the archives of government
would have dispensed light upon, had they
been consulted. Do you, @, admit stupidity
on the part Of those you 50 blandly defcnd?-
Or wrllful disregard of the evidence in their
possession!
Secondly: Why shoald government rem.
dczvous mighty train to do Its will. and in
the covenant embody such contingency
when al excess of supplies can always be had
in those fertile counties which skirt the from
tiers? Or, if there not to be had, the great
western emporium is never known to a def
cheney, and is within a weeks communication
by steamer with Fort Laramie. May it not
also be known that the $l45 .000 expended
for means Of transportation was chiefly SO
expended for oxen, which do not deter orate
by this service, but are worth as much, or
more after the journey over the plains, than
before stating from the states. How forcibly
does the letter itself convince us of what it So
laborously attempts to disprove. How self
evidently glarlng does it sustain the concu-
sion Of fsr.sghtcd fnrtknowlcdge of the facts
in the sequel, so well known to the parties ia
the contract. Listen to what the letter says
by that contract it was agreed that these
parties on receiving notice should without
"delay provide the necessary means of trans
''portatlon for any quantity of subsistence
"naned by the Government. but ShouM The
"Gorernmem afterwards mol furnish Tie trG9h
"as per notice eiren, then the contractors uert
ito be ,ndennifed TO the fM amount Of Meu
''oWlon IN making 'hhe prcpUmi0a." Here
then, is a promise to pay for an intent Of ser.
vices, 1rhilst the employer spec, fes the time such
requirements acW be needed Of his sub. What
eXtenuation can be offered for this fiat, pue.
lille, one-sidcd, partial indcnture
The drlendcnts my urge the possibility Of
the discnntinuance Of the war: return Of tn,
army. Such pleawould not be inconsistent
with my former allegation: the war wa,
| waged for the benefit of contractors, and The
dispenser of contracts; to which dodge the
| leading rebels were not less involved thar
some Others of greater official Importance; anG
| also superior power to reap the seeming pat
riotc cmolunents o. a rigid discharge of duty
though meanwhile plotting treason to the Gov
ernment-so deyotcdy and tenaciously served
Mr. Editor, times have changed, sir, and il
is high time that maternal and educatona
tactics should change to suit the times. Lei
us return to the ancient habit of educating
the youth in scientific style practical dis
| honesty. Let US have conscicnces from TIN.
out fully up with The times. HAROLD.
*lhe letter was printed on our first page, las
| week