davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
, 1861-12-27
Ctr Gtibt1ttt.
THE VAN WICK INVESTIGATIONS.

TIE VAN WICK INVESTIGATIONS.
The stolidity Of the New York press on
The subject Of the report of the mvestiga-
ting Committee Oh Government contracts,
cxcites general surprise aud disgust The
Herald simply ridicu1cs the affair because
the larceny was not planned On a larger
scale. "Hoot awa' mon,' says old Afr.
Bennett; where Floyd and Van Buren
pocketed their millions, these modern
scapegraces have bagged only few hun
dred thousands. The sole thing worthy Of
notice, according to the Herald, is the
'lugging IN Of few respectable names"
in connection with the Cataline and Cum
mings jobs. This 1efersto Thurlow Weed.
The ancient quarrel between Weed and his
friends on the one side, and Bennett and
his Herald on The other, has been made up,
and:now Secretary Seward and his Albany
suategist have no more sturdy champion
anywhere than their old time antagonist,
James Gordon Bennett
The Tribune stops in its publication Of
the report just at tie place where it begins
to pinch certain person. The New York
Times is deaf, dumb and blind as to the re-
port, and not through ignorance, for Mr..
Raymond himself is st the Capital The
'Forzd isnot the newspaper to censure Mr..
Alexander. Cummings for reposing such
high confidence in 3lr. James Humphrey,
for purchasing straw hats, linen pantaloons,
Scotch ale, London porter, picked tongues,
selected herring and other deEcAte entress
for our volunteers, and for being so back
ward in fling his accounts In the War Of
fee, And Of course Mr. Cummings is not
the man to cry out against other peoples
peccedilloes, with this record standing
against himself Pot must not call kettle
black
Forncy's Philadelphia Press has not get
announced tbst the Committee have made
report. Certainly it has not alluded to
any Of its revelations. The country at
large has learned to look in this paper and
the New York EeraM to find the earliest
inti1nations of the Administration policy,
and when it does 50 it is rarely misled or
mistaken. When it is seen that Fo1ney's
Press is renarking upon the possible con-
tiugency that Mason and Slideu may
be surrendered, it is to be taken
for granted that it will be done; and when
it is observed that the same journal is omit
ting all reference to certain alarming rob
berries, is not the assumption somewhat
just that publicity is not desired IN minis
terial circles. 4 distinguished Senator
asked the other day whether it was fair to
expect that the Government would be more
honest than the public press, and whether
the people could expect Congress to right
these egregious wrongs while the most III
huential newspapers are either sneeTfng at
their efforts, or ignoring them by shameful
silence. Has the time arrived when
the stealing Of few MILLIONS more, or less
from the public treasury is not accounted
crime, to be reprobated and punished
No nation can long survive the loss O
public virtue; no nation ought to. These
resolcmn words, but we appeal to the read
e1s Of the TRIBUNE, we appeal to the Presi
dent Of The United States, whose finger:
have never been soi!ed by dollar that wa
not honestly earned, whether they are no
fF11n
, 1861-12-27

N.A5AlN1TnH, urCemDcT lo0l.
Gen. Pope's successes in Missouri are hailed
By members with that e1ultation which may
be pardoned among persons who had settled
down in the belief tlat defeat and disgrace
arc our allotted portion. Congress is indeed
beginning to look with much hope towards
Gen. Hal}cck and the Western army. Frank
B}air's attempt to explain army Order No.
has had good effect IN one view, namely, thst
people believe he spoke with the consent Of
Gen. Halleck, if not ut his request. There
never was q timo in the worlds history when
warm-hearted, eelf-sacrifcing people wereso
ready to heap rewards upon energy, capacity
common humanity, and common sense in
their rulers or generals, as in this our day and
generation. Who shall pluck these immortal
honors
The financial question is exciting some in
terest, now that the House Committee on
Ways and Means have taken hold Of It. We
have run through with nearly all the specie
| that the people will lend us, and hare come
| to the uncertain resource Of paper The
| banks Of issue are making an enormous effort
to induce Congress to add Treasury notes to
the existing paper currency Of the several
1
therefor. In other words, they want the
paper circulation doubled, and they are trying
| to show that no bad effect would result from
such policy-that prices would not be sc
greatly increased as some people might imass
inc. This plan is in direct contrarention o
Secretary Chasc's Recommendation. His pro
position is to put the Treasury notes il
thc place of the existing paper currency, anl
not to pile it on top OF that currency. he say
that tho banks have borrowed some two hnn
<drd.mil1ions Of dollars from The people in th
form Of notes circulating "a money, but th
| people would rather lend this two h0ndre'
millions to the Government than to the banks
therefore. let the banks gradually pay back th1
money, SO that the people caa loan it to til
Government. The plan which the banks {
Issue present, proposes to get something OF
ofnothing-to eat your cake and have it too
to set up . Lind Of perpetual motion in th
Treasury building to furnish the GovernmcI
4 With funds to all eternity, aud never run Or.
Anew plan seems to have been devised h
. some of our generals on the Atlantic coas
l. for dealing with tho negroes, namely: to ire
them SO ,barbarously that they will prefer
, 1861-12-27

ING DH5354HE -EL3}EFllEtT-1TuEH ILE9EW u
Forcss-LiM Of the Regiments and
Spirit Of the Troops Prospects aud Promises
u. tie Expedition.
Especial Correspondence Of the Chicago Trihunc.1
ANNAPOLIS, Nd, Dec aoth. 1861.
reached here yesterday morning, in time
10 witness the review Of Burnside's division,
by Gen. Foster, accompanied by Gov. Hicks
and the members Of the Maryland Legislature.
This magnificent military spectacle took place
Oh the f1c parade ground, about mile from
Annapolis, On which occasion thirteen thou
sand Union volunteers were reviewed By Brig
adier General J. G. Foster. The day was de-
Gghtful and the field in excellent condition.
The review commenced at about 10 o'clock, a.
m., and finished about 12. The following arc
the regiments forming the three brigldcs re-
reviewed:
First B,i9ade-Twent5- fifth Massachusetts, Col.
| Upton; Twenty third Massachusetts, Col kugtz;
| Twenty-sevcnth massachusetts, Col, Lee; Tenth
| Connecticut, Cot. Russell; and the Twenty fourth
Second B,igads-Eighth Connecticut Colonel
fiarla7d; FIT y-first New York, Colonel Ferrero;
Fifty first Fennsylrania, Col. Hartrauft; and TIC
| Third BRIGADE Eleventh Pennsylvania, Colonel
| Coulter; Twenty first massachusetts. Colonel
Morse; and the Fifth Regiment N. Z. Y. Cavalry
l
| After Tic review they marched past the
General and members Of the Legislature, and
proceeded to their several encampments.
From their movements on the field, it would
be fair to suppose that Burnside's mosquito
feet'' would exert . loyali=ing influence over
any section Of country, and no doubt they
will put something worse than heas in the
rebcls' easa, presenting their bills in such 8
way that no exchange will be talked Of To
day (z0th) The division Was again reviewed b.
| Gen. Burnside, and the present indications art
that the expedition will move towards its dcs
tination in few days. To-day, the Conncc
ticut 11th Regiment ofInfantry arrived and tn
vessels Of the expedition, consisting Of fiv'
gunboats and numerous transports, now lii
in the bay ready to receive tho troops, Wit
seem to fsirly ache to get into warmer sec
ton Of country, and hare an opportunity tt
! warm up the inhabitants. The health Of tn
: soldiers is good, and tho present tino wcathc
has an exli1ariting effect upon them, SO tha
nc shall probably not be disappointed in CT
pecting good report Of them.
, 1861-12-27

It is estimated that nearly a quarter Of d
million stand Of arms have been brought to
this country during the past four months, by
the Hamburg line Of steamships. Besides
these, , large amount Of war material, ,!inelud-
ing infantry and cavalry equipments, have been
imported from Europe. The Bremen line,
which has Kept up monthly communication,
has, Of course, though some Of the ;cargoea
hare been very large, brought a less number.
But during the four or five months past, it has
undoubtedly brought hundred and fifty
Thousand stand. besides cuuipmeuts.
, 1861-12-27

The Bankrupt Law.
WASHINGTON, December q, 1861.
EditoEs Chicago Tribune:
You hare published IN abstract in your pa
per Of q bankrupt law, which you represent
has been reported to Congress by the Com
mittee appointed at the extra session in July.
This is d mistake. am not sware that the
Coumi. zee has made any report. Several
drifts of laws have been submitted for the
consideration Of the Committee. The defects
IN the Law you refer to in your paper Of tue
Goth inst, are apparent, and TINT law, am
confident, if sanctioned by the Committee,
will not pass Congress without material mod
ifcation- Truly yours,
JoHs HUTcH1Ns.
[REMARKs.-The Bill, an abstract Of which
VIC published, was the ono drawn By William
Allen Butler, ESQ.,, Of New Yorl, representing,
we believe, . Committee Of the New York
Chamber Of Commerce. Our own comment
upon it at the time was that it should, and
doubtless would, be greatly modified, if passed
at ALL No abstract has yet been made public
Of other bills in the Committees hands.1
, 1861-12-27
A-~ounanss Inqu1ry.

Editors Tribune:
Can ron inform the public why It is that
soldiers ore dependant on female Iabor for
the neccesaries Of life. In the first panic The
women we're anxious to show their good will
By testimonials Of regard in unpaid labor.
Now there are constant appeals to women for
blankets, woolen socks, mittens, Toolen
ebirts, &C., the most Indispensable wants ex-
cepting food. In the Revolutionary war the
country had no manufactures. Wool Vas
carded and spun by women, and heavy blank-
cts were found in every family.
Young women now do not card or spin,
and many do not knit, as machinery has
so far outstripped ali such tardy business.
The mothers and grandraothezs have toled
the long autumn, through the cares and duties
ofhousewiferY, to get the soldiers comfortable,
and still the cry comes, the soldiers want
blankets.
think had women kept back from the first
and aided only in home affairs, so that their
husbands might meet the taxes for the war,
the regular supply Of manufactured articles
would have. By this times found q channel
more satisfactory to au concerned. Nov the
supplies coming IS donations may be totally
unequal a soldier may have shirt so en-
tirely different from bis exchange IS to take
cold as he altern2tes from or:e to the other !;
blankets OF al qualities, instead Of 4 heavy
army blanket, and so on through the whole.
ny heart is panied to learn that young men
who have left pleasant homes to serFe their
country should die for want Of suitablc cloth
ing.
What are the Commissioners doing
Pocketing tho money appropriated, and
begging for the soldiers while they suffer
Some explanation is wanted We cannot
make blankets if they are to be bought. Il
is unjust to place our soldiers in the light Of
| suffering beggars.
, 1861-12-27
Seizure Of Rebel Property by the Uni
ted StAIeHa =

ted States.
AS the Constitution will not admit Of the
confscation Of the estate Of rebels, Mr.
Blair las devised q bill repeating certain por~
tions Of the act Of August 6, and by which
tue lands Of the rebels can be taken by the
Government without q violation Of the provi-
sion Of tho Constitution. The amendment il
as follows:
sEcr1oE =. Be Il 31.rther enacted: That 90
the public debt, and Tor othcr: purposes"
5sysd hud d M ISL If as Io2 go,ass sSs ao5. 5 The s
the following States, namely: Virginia. east
Of the Allegheny mountains. North Carolina
South Carolina, Georgia. Florida, Alabama, Mis-
sissipp, Louisians, Texas. Arkansas. and Tennes-
ece, be- md tho same is hereby repealed and the
title to all lots and lands in said Ststes above
and n fs PIT 9t 1ae sats o5
cl:ted to he vested in the United States. in case
| aaid States shall fail on Or before day -
% TFsasa17 Of tic Enited STATE. sheie proportion Of
the direct tax assessed against said states By tho
act entitled 'sAn act to provide increased reTenue
from imports to pay interest On the public debt,
| and for other purposes"
| SEC. p. And b j! further enacted. That, when
ever it shall be made to appear to the satisfaction
persons who werethe owners Of any lands or lots
in any Of the aborc-named States. are and have
been loyal to the Government ofthe United States
he shal be authorized by patent to revert the title
to the parties who formerly owned the same, sub
ject however, to the just claims Of lien or all loyal
citizens, and Of citizens Of all foreign government!
st peace with the United States.
SEC. 23- And he il further enacted, 1hat all sucf
lands and lots in the above enumerated States, Il:
shall appear to have been the property Of rebels o
disloyal citizens, ehau be held By the Government
for the purpose Of paying al damages suffered b!
1oJal citizens at the hands Of rebels, or at th'
fands Of the officers snd soldiers Of our own 81
mics, gnd also for the purpose Of satisfying an,
grants OF lands to the officers and soldiers Of on
army for their services during the present rebel
lion.
, 1861-12-27

The entire Department Of Missouri is in ex-
cel1cnt order. Tic military telegraph ROW by
lines carefully guarded and kept open, keeps
Gen. Hal1eck, at headquarters, in constant
possession Of means of intelligence to and
from all quarters, and this advantage, Joined
to the railroad facilities also kept under strict
control, enables him to dictate and avail him
self Of The most efficient use Of troops. The
work Of breaking up and intim1dating the
guerilla operations Of Priec's hordes is being
vigorously pushed, and the late brilliant sue
cess of Gen. Pope's division at Clinton and
Milford, will have apowerful effect in this di-
rection. Gen. Prentiss is doing excellent
work in Northern Missouri. The brigades Of
Nyman and Sigel arc also participating from
Rolla in the same work, and the erraud Of the
gallant Jennison On the Western border wall
not fail Of like results. Price will want
$1,000 n1cn'' much more than ever before, and
Missouri will never supply them
, 1861-12-27
A DAY AMONG THE POTOMAC
CAMPS.
Col. FarnsWorthss Cavalry Regiment

tO14 T81n8HFOE&u78 IaFAkTy KE&x[1H1GAER
Especial Correspondence Of tho Chicago Tribunel
WAsHtsayoS, Dec, =, 1851.
Yesterday spent the day riding among the
hills Of Virginia, and visiting the camps and
forts on the extreme left OF the army Of the
Potomac. These were the camps Of the rcgi
mcnts composing the divisions Of Generals
Heintzelman and Sumner. Fort Lyon, near
the headquarters Of Gen. Helntzelman, is tho
largest fort in Virginia It occupies seFen-
teen and a l4Alf acres, and, when completed, is
to be MANNED by two hundred guns. a large
number Of these arc already in position, COM
mauding the whole country for miles around
Tic cminence upon which the fort is built is
but two or three miles from the Potomac, and
furnishes fne view of river scenery, includ-
ing Ale1anlrie and Washington There arc
at this time sofnc three hundred men con-
stautlf at work upon the fortifcations, which
1t Is supposed it viii take two years to finish
Quc1T-Does not this look to something be-
yond the rebellion?
Mason's Hill, as 1t is called, is some three or
four miles southwest from Fort Lyon, and
was tho homestead Of DR.. Mason, now sur
geon in the rcbel army. The PLACE has been
abandoned BY the proprietor, and found six
OF eigh. Of ths boys Of t4e Michigan ;fnnt Second
taSins o cap6oards ses R''tea sad the nes
which they were about carrying off for
! fuel. The nsuaI order Of conbscation had
been followed in this case. That is, the fences
are first taken, then the ort-houscs, thirdly
| the barn, and lastly the house. They "reck,
oncd t1e Doctor had better staid ct home, and
been good Union man. Whether mans
| Union sentiments avail him much there, how
ever, is questionable
| Seeing company Of soldiers carrying of the
fence at another place, and noticing that they
] were fast approaching the house, in tho con-
| flRcafing process. I stopped and asked ono Of
the soldiers If they made no distinction oc-
| tween tho property Of Union men and rebels.
"Wali," said lie, II guess they IA pretty
much all setsh about here, anyhow
| The camp Of the Sth Illinois Cavalry, Coi.
FaTusworth, is situated near Clouds aisl,
about ~ miles west Of Ale1sndziAs u Is On
hill side, sloping to the south, with a 1ne
stream Of water running at its base, aud Il
well adapted to the purpose for which it was
chosen. Here found the Colonel, and many
other old friends. including Lieut. Cotonc1
Gamble, Major, Bcveridge, DIS. Aard and
Crawford, Adjutant Wajte, Capts. CleFolaad
Mcdill, Duston, &c, &c.
".All were well except the sick, and Us
general thing tho men seemed contented anc
happy on. the 'eactcd coil" There we're on
l eight or ten in the camp hospital, and none o
those were considered dangerous, Some ter
or i dozen, however, had been left in the hos
pita1 at Camp Illinois, besides which, nun
ber excused on account Of sickness, were oc
cupying their own iente.
! The whole regiment is now supplied Wall
sabres and pietols, and portion with csrhiue
besidcs. Tho hoya have already commences
active service, fifty having been detailed on
scouting expedition on Thursday night The
, 1861-12-27

It is said the President has determined to
confer The post Of Brigadier General on Col
Corcoran, as soon as he Is released.
, 1861-12-27

Gen johnson, Of the rebels, and Gen. Mlroy, |
the Federal commander, has fallen off largely
since tue first reports. From being the +" most !
brilliant achievement Of the war" it has come |
TO stand beside Belmont, and requires labor
ed argument to show it was not defeat.
Gen. Mi1roy took parts Of some four or five |
regimcnts-thc I'd Virginia, the 9th aud 18th
Indiana, the 25th and SD Ohio-1narched |
from. Cheat Mountain to the Alleghenics, some
thirty miles, and came upon the enemy in am
bush, some two thousand strong, With his
own men quite exhausted.
Our men discovered ut the first fire that
great mistake had been made. They had been
led to expect a different meeting. Scouts had
reported the enemy only about . Thousand
strong, aud in = place where they could easily
be taken. Our 1ncn we're all eagerncss to bag
them. They supposed themselves double as
strong as the enemy. Instead Of that, they
vero scarcely more than half as many. No
wonder, then, that finding their mistake, and
coming on heavy fire, one or two of the
regiments dinched badly at first. The 25th
Ohio gave way in bad confusion, as We nnder-
stand It, and our boys Of the I'd Virgiuia
WINGED considerably also, although not seri-
| ously. Both regiments, howovcr, came up to
| tho zor1r in "a abort t;ma and ua bovo II m
good authority that the I'd acquitted them
| selves with great credit after they had re-
covered. Tho expedition 8as volunteer ono
altogether, and companies were made M from
! the different regiments inst rs individuals
| offered.
-, - -,
ac,.N .s,o 's "a; a.... A. ~ m.s .@',s'
80 81. W =! ". =. onte ~, "ses " ~ 1us'o!'
- ~ ~. -
~.,~aNa.1-. W sAs wv" ~ 'eo' 90 -,
49, 49,. 1v.1e. ~ 1o;~a ~ ,,,,:,1. sA
a,,.;a. n1.:. u-so.s ~.
:2, -, ~ acl, 1ss sus saHene eoples ~
s,.... 49,, ~up, Wv
ported mainly by the same class Of readers,
Willie enc mas issued in the morning aud tho
other in the evening, thcv did not come di
rectly in competition With each other. But
since the Times is to be Issued st tho satne
hour es the Journal, the twain will bt
eating from the same doughnut. AZ
to the TRIBUNE, it represents dit
ferent class Of people-the unconditioua
Unionsists, who arc for saving the great Re
public. though slavery NAV be wiped out i1
J the struggle to put down the rebellion, The
TRIBUNE kind of subscribers arc the straieht
ston I1nion ,nen. vho love snd defend III.
Trr,o FIR +bo s,1-a of tbo fao ;ns+;tn+;orc +b
o.;o- :. r,or 80 ~ atr..,:o., 81
', T.4..-,. a,.. - ,,a..1a
~>..ss ''-1.e -.,.a,1;a -. 49,.
~ p'eeet'e tae e1ase " lno 4eu'1'ioi w olee'
{ 4u'u1o "a1s s4to o4s''''is' Lucy "an' eon
, 1861-12-27

Correspondence Of the Chicago 4Tfibune.l
LoDA, froquois county, Dec. a. 1851.
The Loda Mills, at this place, took fire this
afternoon, and were completely destroyed.
The loss is probably $4,000, with no insur-
ance, G. & s.
, 1861-12-27
The Reported Escape of Col. Corcoran.

The Reported Escape of Col. Corcoran.
In our recent dispatches our readers were
informed Of the rumor that Col Corcoran had
escaped from jaf at Charleston during the
late great fire in that city. The intelligence
was brought to New York By Lieut., Samuel
D. Hurd, Of the Second Maine regiment, who
was recently prisoner in Charleston jai1, and
arrived By way of Fortress Monroe. Lieut..
Hurd states that the flames spread to the jail,
but that no movement was made to lot the
prisoners out The guards usually stationed
around the building we're away, and no soldiers
were visible. Mr. Hurd states that Col Cor
coran wss the first one to leap through the
window, exclaiming IS he went out, Here
goes for Beaufort OF the North" Mr. Hufd
was the next, and as he struck the pavement,
he says half dozen others came npon him,
and the whole room was speedily emp lied Of
its inmates. They spent the night in the ri
einity Of the flames, keeping together as well
as they couid-manY Of them being severity
wounded. They had nothing to cat and
nothing to drink, except some liquor which
portion Of their number got from thecellars OF
houses from which the occupants had been
driven BY Tie fire.
At shout ten O'Clock guards were sent to
take them IN charge, They treated them With
great brutality, striking with their guns those
One Of the soldiers told the sergeant of the
guard that Colonel Corcoran Eas missing:
His reply was that perhaps he was bufned-if
not, he must be hunted up. Men were sent
to look after him. At two o'clock the prison
ers we're driven to Castle Pinckney again,
where they were left in the open courtyard
through the whole Of that day and the follow
| ing night, without shelter Of any kind and
| with no other clothing than that in which
| theY made their escape. Colonel Cozcorau
was not in Castle PinckneJ with the rest of
| the prisoners, nor had Mr.. Hugd been able to
| obtain any intelligence concerning him. He
| thinks it probable that lie made an effort to
| escape to Beaufort
| On Thursday, Hurd and half dozen others
t Of the wounded prisoners We're told tknt they
would be sent North. Six others, named
Frank Tunes, Of New York; Nicholson, Of
Vermont, and McBrien, Wilson and MilIott,
I were also recessed on taking an oath not to
! serve again against the South nor reveal any
thing they might hare learned there. They
wcre all put into railroad train and taken to
Richmond, and thence to Nonolk-having
| nothing to eat or drink Oh the way. From Nor.
| folk they were sent under 8 flag Of truce to
Fort Monroe, and thence to Washington.
/
There are preparations for ], 600 guns fol
the defence Of the harbor Of New York, ba
there are not eco guns ready, and q long TINT
must elapse before they can be supplied soms
ave hundred good guns, however, arc in place
in the inner and outer harbor, and two hun
dred others of an inferior quality. The Gov
ernmcnt is prosecuting the work as fast q
! rossible
, 1861-12-27

left camp about midnight, but o few minutes
after receiving the order, md did not return
until morning. They did not meet the enemy.
, 1861-12-27
SIS TO sal PER moNTH
FIRST REGIMEN q.
Go==39artnersbips.

nISSOLUTION.-The Co partner
- ship heretofore existing under the d,m Of Hall
SEY ElAt1 Ia thia day dissolved by mutual consent
All Indebtedness due to the tn Is to be psIt to G. S.
Haley. Who Alone s authorized to sign The rm naIne
G. 8, HALSEY.
EDWARD King.
Chicago. Dec II, 1851.
IB C. s. Halseg viii continue The business Of the
street da3a hg7s-11
, 1861-12-27
OUR KENTUCKY LETTER.

Fl ON The 34th Illinois lah a6zs,- on Grce7.
Raee- Why soe do not more Fb7,nard-Lsci-
dents Of the lats .Ffgaz. Trophies 70 be Sold
TIE sin ordered ont on daay-C Condition Of
The Regiment, DC.