The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-12-19

TO raise funds for carrying the war to a success
ili ISSUE Meantime committees from the three
commercial cities Of the North--New York
Boston and Philadelph ia--ought to proceed to
Washington to demonstrate with the leading
members of Congress upon the criminal folly
OF that body in agitating itself and the country
| upon an abstract question Of social science, IN
stead Of attending to the pressing, urgent wants
OF the country, the most important Of which is
TO provide the means of carrying on the war
| for the existence Of the republic. At the same
time it would be well, especially in view Of
recent Developments, to have friendly talk
with Honest Abe Lincoln, in order to recon
struction OF the Cabinet, and the replacement
OF members OF the present administration by q
class OF men equal to the terrible emergency in
which the country is placed. -
~ -------
Explorations or the Van Wyek Conn nit.
tce-Much Ado About Nothing.
We have received the report of the Vars Wyck
| Investigating Committee, a document which has
been looked forward to with some curiosity;
but owing to the pressure Of the English lcws
upon our columns we are again compelled to
defer its publication. The discoveries which il
has brought to light exemplify as amusingly
tain as any stupcndous mares nest that has OF
late years troubled the consciences Of our poll.
teal busybodies.
We have few words to say about the origin
Of this committee before we touch upon the
facts of the report itself Some little while ago
an individual from Mr.. Van Wyck's district
went to Washington big with patriotism and
IF fat Ia .,th ,ot
smart enough, or had not credit enough, to push
his little job through the departments, There.
upon he went to Mr.. Van Wyck, and poured his
grievances into the sympathizing breast of his
representative. "A clear case for commit
tee replied the restless NJ c.; and forthwith
he introduced a resolution into the house ap.
pointing rowing commission to institute an
investigation into all contracts entered into by
the government or its agents. Under the
authority of this resolution, Mr. Van Wyck
and his associates have been roaming about
the country, living like fighting cocks,
spending largely Of the public money, and
having good time generally. ,
And now for the results of their labors First,
we have the affair Of the Catalina, with the par
ticulars Of which every one was previously &C.
quain ted and which seems to have been intro.
duced in the report merely to afford an oppor-
tunity Of dragging in some respectable names
Then we are told Of the smart doings of a
New York broker, who bought couple of ves-
sells at New Bedford at low price, and sold
them TO the government at an extortonatciy
high one. What is there unusual in this The
thing is done on our streets every day; and
when Uncle Sam goes into the market for an
article of pressing Importance to him, he must
expect to get skinned like other people. Next
we have figured up to us the sums made by MIR.
G. D. Morgan in the way of commission on tho
vessels purchased by him for the Navy Depart
mcnt. DO Mr.. Van Wych and his associates ex-
poet that Mr.. Morgan, because he il Secretary
Weles' brother-in-law, is to work for Unclc
Sam for nothing! Preposterous assumption!
TIE Spartan virtues are not cultivated
in these times, and We consider the
experience, the intelligence, the acquire
ments. the knowledge of wood and metals,
&c. &C.. &c. which Nv Morgan brought
to bear on his task as dirt cheap at The
two and half per cent commission which be
charged the government. "A to the high prices
paid for bad arms, wo do not very clearly SEQ
how they could have been avoided.
Uncle sam was in q hurry. aud could
not afford to wait OF course spectators took
advantage OF his necessities and made large
shave OF him. The sun total Of which the
government has been fecced on all these trans
actions is not more than from two to three hun
drci thousand dollars mere fleabite when
we consider t..at in the lst few his its cx-
pendture has been upwards OF a hundred mil
lions. Then it must also be borne in mind that
the sums thus gained were moi made by awind-
ling. stealing or other illegitimutc processes
which might have brought them within the
grasp Of the law. They were simply profits;
and every one knows that nowadays patriot
ism ana profits 90 hand in hand. Patriotism
and profits, profits and patriotism Only just
consider Tie opporunitie, and look at the beg
carly result Why. under any other admins
tra.ion the gains of individuals would have
counted by millions instead OF thousands.
Had Floyd been in Office he would have at least
bacgcl i've million; for his share whilst Ike
Fowler would certainly moi have been content
with less Tar half that sum. Under she Van
Buren, 4 administration the pickings and steal
ings did not an 3un 10 less than len millions Of
dollars. Of which Swartwous and Bill Price
pocketed Il million and a halt. Under
Buchanan the country was robbed of from ft
ten to twcnty millions, Of whicl,a large pro-
portion went into The pockets of the members
of his Cabinet. We have therefore to congratu-
late ourselves rs the result of the committees
inquiries, on the discovery that our politicians
are advancing in honesty, and that less of the
public money finds It's way into the pockets of
rogues than formerly.
We have not alluded to that portion of the
report which deals with the Fremont contracts.
for this reason. that they we've for the most pass
male without the authority of the governments,
and we believe without any knowledge of thsir
fraudulent character en- the part Of General
Fremont hi,ngclt Where this can be shlan
they will. Of course, be rrpudiated, and tho
country will lose nothing by them. Tasan al
together, il will be found that the aborssaf this
fol i.,,ll Ia ..3l