Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1860-09-17
FEDERAL CORRUPEEss AND
PROFLIGACY.
The Buehanan-BreckinrI = dnlin-
Istration-The Past and the
Future.

In previous article under the above cap
ton, We showed that the Buchanan reckin-
ridge administration was brought into power
By the instrumentalities Of fraHd and cor
ruptiOn, praetieed in some OF the larger and
more doubtful of the Northern State Il is
one of the evils incident 70 popular govern
ment, that having taken step in fraud
and corruption, the next is almost unavOida-
BILE The present administration found that
next step not only unavoidable but easy.
Whoever did most in the work Of his eleTa-
ton, fOund the readiest acceptance to the
Presidents favor. The greedy thrOng that
fastened to Washington GA his Inauguration
pressed their claims with 50 much immOdesiy
and imperIOusneSs, IS to shove uuObirusiye
merit entirely into the background. The
hoTdes from New y Ork and Pennsylvania, e.
pecially the former came as an invading
army, and would retire only with IN uncon-
ditional surrender To their demands. They
were divided into quaTFeling factions and
warning cliques. and the more noisy and cor
rupt wen the day. FOWLER took the N \.
Post Office; SCHELI-. the leader and purveyor
of the celebrated \. Y. Hotel Fund, took The
collectorship OF the Port; Capt. RrNDERs, the
marshalship; WENDELL continued in the
printing business, and as the organ grinder OF
the administration; SWIFT went on with live
oak contracts; and the subordinate appoint
ments were in good keeping with the chief
ones. But the extraordinary services rem
dered before tho election, imposed the neces-
sity of extraordinary rewards afterwards.
Men were employed and paid out Of the pub
lie treasury who performed little or 10 SER
viees-and some totally Incompetent to the
performance of their duties. In proof Of this
We subjou extracts of testimony taken before
the Covode Committee of the last Congress.
That the reader may understand what that
committee was and the purposes Tor which it
was appointed, We copy tIieresolulions under
which it was raised:
IN THE House Or REPRESENTATIVES.
March ;. IsCO.
'.On motion Of Mr.. Covode,
GResoIaed. That Il committee of five MEM
bers be appointed by the Speaker for the pur-
pose of investigating whether the President
of the United States, or any other officer of
the government, has. by money. patronage,
or other improper means, sought To influence
the action of Congress, or any committees
thereof for or against the passage Of any
law appertalning TO the rights Of any State
or Territory; and also TO inquire into and
Investigate whether any officer or officers Of
the government have. by combination or
otherwise, prevented and defeated or at
tempted to prevent or defeat. The execution
OF any law or laws now on the statute. books
and whether the President has tailed or re-
fused to compel the execution Of any law
thereof; that said committee shall investigate
and inquire into the abuse at the Chicago OF
other post offices, and at the PhiladeiEhia and
other navy yards, ard into any abuses in
cOnnexion with the public buildings and
other public works OF the United States.
ResoLUed, further, That as the Presideur. in
his letter to the Pittsburg centenary ceiebra-
tiOn of the 25ih November, 1855 speaks of
1.-The employment of money to carry cleo
tions," said committee shall inquire into and
ascertain the amount so used in Pennsylva-
MIA, and any other State Or States, in what
districts 1t was expended, and 10y whom, and
by whose authority it was done, and from
what sources the money was derived. and re-
port the names of the parties implicated.
And for the purposes aforesaid, said commit
tee shall have power TO send for persons and
papers, and to report at any time.
The Speaker appointed Messrs. COVode, f
Pennsy lvania, DIN, Of New York Winslow
of North Carolina, Train. of Massachusetts.
and j. C. Robinson, OF Illinois,.
Among those who received offices with
merely nominal duties To perform. was the
present editor of the Washington Constitution,
who was then editing the n. Y Journal Of
Coam4ros. The following from the testimony
of JOHN Fl. BRYANT before the Committee
will give some insight into other and similar
cases:
%. Where do you live, aud what is your
occuDation?
fee in the Philadelphia navy taaelI.s of
Q. Do you know Theophi!as Fiske. no,s or
formerly editor Of the Argus, in Philadelphia?
= A. Yes, sir. -
z. Had he an appointment in the custom
house, do you know?
A j do not know that he had.
e. How long have you known bin?
A have known him intimately for Two or
three years.
q How long have you been in the custom
house yourself
A have not been in the custom-honse: |
am in the navy yard.
q. Had Mr.. Fiske any position updcr the
naval storekeeper7
a de held the position of second clerk
e. When was he appointed?
A During the late administration of Mr.
Pierce.
.. How long did he hold the appointment?
A. L should think he held il about a year.
O. Did he go out With Mr. Pieree-s admin
istration?
A No, sir; be was removed by the present
storekeeper
q During the time he held the appoint
meat, did he, TO your knowledge, perform any
duty there? @i'
a. No. sir.
Q. Nothing
a. No, sir.
q. What salary did he receive?
a think the salary of the second CLERK
is $3.50 year.
U. Do you know whether he drew hi. navq
a L know that he dleW it sometimes. |
presume he did all the time; do not know
q. Do you know Charles Cummings
A. have seen him; | have had no ac-
quaintance with him, have seen him only
three or four times.
q. What is his business
A. do not know that
O. Had he any position ia the naval store
IN 1857
A. When Dir. Cummings removed Mr.
Fiske. he appointed Charles Cummings.
q. is he there stillZ
A No, sir.
Q. How long did he remain there7
A He held that position five or six months,
perhaps.