Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1859-02-23
s-p- ROW. EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR.
CLEARFIELD. PA, FEB. %, 1859.
MORE CORRUPTION.

Our readers no doubt all recolect how Wig
orously Mr.. Buchanan, in his famous Duquesne
letter, inveighed against the use of money to
carry elections, and that he was wonderfully
exercised lest s.public virtue" should be s.cor-
rupted'' and s.the people, become .'venal-" !"
We were somewhat at loss at that time to
know what motive could have actuated the
President to write that letter, but we now be-
gin to think that it was the s'knawings OF con-
science,'' and that he must have had in his
mind such facts the one We mentioned last
week, brought to light by the Naval Investi-
eating Committee, namely, that man who
has secured fat contracts for live-oak timber,
paid to the Pennsylvania Democratic State
Committee, in 1856, about SIG 900 to secure
the election of this same pure, upright, cor
ruption-detesting James Buchanan. Another
significant fact, which has within few days
past como to light, may also have stimulated
him to indite that famous epistle on political
ethics. Mr.. Wendell, publisher of the Union,
as we learn BY a telegraphic despatch from
Washington City to the n. Y. Tribune, was
before the Printing Investigating Committee
on the 18th February, and made some inter-
esting developments egarding distribution of
large sums of money made by him for politi-
cal purposes in past elections, especially since
he had control OF the Public Printing. 1t ap-
pears that he was too shrewd TO invest S. 900
against Mr.. Covode in Pennsylvania, when a
letter was handed him by Mr.. Buchanan re-
questing him TO do so. Wendell said he knew
better than to throw his money away fighting
Covode. And we will here take the opportu-
nifty of remarking that, after knowing this,
we are not at all surprised that so-called Dem
ocratic papers should abuse and viliify Mr..
Coyode for proposing to have inquiry made
concerning the use of money in elections, and
charging him with such reprehensible practi-
ces as are now being proven upon their party.
While on this subject, we may as well men,
tion another case, which is likely to attract
some attention. The Philadelphia Daily Near,
charges Mr.. Gideon G. Westcott, postmaster
of that city, with having ssplundercd from the
Government the very snug sum of fIreniy ttOg-
sand dollars, during his term, by means OF a
practice which cannot be esteemed as anything
more or less than forgery The fraud, it al
leges, was committed BY taking from the
about twenty per cent. was added to the a.
mounts paid to them, when they were filed
up and sent to Washington as the vouchers
for Mr.. Westcott's disbursements on account
of the Government The NeJrs wants to
know what was done with the money thus OBJ
tained-whether it was appropriated to the
use of Mr.. Westcott himself, or to the Demo-
cratic Executive Committee for the purpose
of paying for the perpetration of the frauds
committed in the Fourth Ward and other 10.
calities. When such things are permitted to
transpire under the very nose, if not with the
knowledge OF the President, it is high time
that they should be ferreted out, and an effort
made to apply a salutary remedy. Verify, Mr..
Buchanan ought to write another homily on
political corruption, and the decay of public
virtue in this land of ours.