Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-08-23

iahu' at snl higher hgures, and that when
there was time enough TO have adopted cheap.
er plan. Neither of these contracts was reyok.
ed when they were abused. The clothing con-
tracts were let without composition; and those
VINO took them were allowed to divide them
among themselves, instead of being required to
compete for them Sixteen dollars a suit were
PAID In this manner, where not more than ten
ooiiars should have been paid. So It has been
WIN almost everything else. All was charac.
Ierlzed oy the most fagrant waste and extrava.
gance.
"This was the fault Of the Department and
the Commissary and Quartermaster might have
Deen held accountable for IL. But the fact Ia,
tne governor usurped their duties and made
G1n'Eacts himself, that they should have made.
ne made himself the factotum of the whole
DePartmenf-lssued orders, made contracts, re-
celved depntations, and sent deputations 70 talk
with other Governors, met in Goyernors' meet
lngs, wrote letters and proclamations, revised
tue telegraph dispatches for the newspapers,
TAXED 10 the crowds. and heard the complaints
VI tne con1icting aspirants-in short, all the
Offices of Moorish Cadi.
"Ihere was hurry and hustle, aud confusion
OF course. Ii any one feels able to Justify ali
ibis he can try. We would specify still further.
we might mention the appointment of rela.
tions, family connections and friencs, to Office,
puL We let tnat pass now"
Ihis single witness, II creditable, substanti.
stes every charge embraced In our resolution.
IL had leisure and access to their files could
M volume with similar extracts from Repub-
iican papers. The Cincinnati CommsyeiaL, the
leading and most influential Republican
journal in the State, was constrained to testify
(June 7th): "While disposed to deal charitably
with the Governor, we cannot frame any decent
excuse Tor the reckless extravsgance which ev.
cry day Develops" Exposing the "tin cupn
anu camp Kettle" transactions, it declares
tnat It Will justify the "hardest public CEN
sure (June 6tb) IL sfirms "that an inordi-
nate amount Of personal favoritism and politi.
cal Jo6bing were mixed in the conduct of affairs
that Ohio had been disgraced In the ncompe.
.ency OF the executive officer, and that all
KINDS of corruption and neglect had been suffer-
ed 70 lnfest for time the commissariat."-
Again lJune l3th), "the people demand in
stant reform. They are sick of Co.. Dennison's
imoee,lity' We have heretofore aPologzed for
the Executive, reminding the people of the
enormous labors devolvipg upon him, ETC.. but
the result of Gov. d. q efforts leaves us no 9th
er motive but to confess that our charity ,sas
m'saiTected and that he toas sad failure" And
again June 2Oth), in taking the Gasttte to task
Tor "glossing over failure and defending official
malfeasance," it says: "The Gazette knows as
well as we do that the history of the admins.
tration of military affairs in this State has been
eminently disgraceful; that the promises of the
Governor were out of all proportion to his per.
lormances; that corrupt and swindling con-
tracts were given out repeatedly through the
blindness and connivance of officials who ought
10 KNOW better; that our volunteers were tri-
ned with and made the victims Of circumiocu-
TOD, delays and frauds which good business
| tUnuld hava idoA. ,boe
has been needlessly squandered and precious
time foolishly wasted; and that go great and
glaring has been the misconduct of affairs that
the press OF the city has unanimously, until the
OaSette's tardy apology, condemned the head of
the state Administration for inexcusahle neg.
lect OF duty. IL is therefore too late in the
day, even If there has been great recent i'm
provements, for the Gazette to seek to white
wash the dark chapters of our military arrange
ments or to cover the uakedness of our official
malfeasance BY expatating upon the enthusi.
ssm and efficiency and accomplishments of our
brave soldiery."
But l forbesr to cite further authorities from
the newspaper press. You will see that IL your
Administration has been maligned, IL Is the
work of your own political friends. They aid
ed In electing you to Office, they zealously sup
ported you until after the commencement Of the
war, and with reluctance they testify to your
incomretency and denounce the corruption, ex.
travagance and favoritism which have been
shown in the conduct Of the war. II is certain
thatthe people of the State, including the Dem.
ocratic party, have credited these witnesses.
For more than two months they have remained
uncontradcted and unchallenged. For reasons
best known to himself, the Governor has called
no one OF these accusers to an account. II
Democrats have erred at all, it has been in be-
lieying that Republicans tell the truth about
eacn other. You are the only person in the
state unadvised of the "psrtioulars" of these
charges. They commenced with that celebrated
contract said to have been signed by the Gov.
ernor in person by which two of his political
and personal friends were to be paid SO cents
per day for subsistipg all the troops in Colum.
bus, or ioho SHOULD be brought there duyiao til.
toar. They embraced those famous contracts
for clothing by which exorbitsnt prices were
: paid for Interior articles, as is best shown BY
the rate allowed the contractor and the sun
finally charged the volunteers on the award Of
the regimental board of referees. They have
regard also to the unnecessary expenses In.
Cured In transporting troops by way OF Colum
bus, when shorter and cheaper route wa,
open. 10 one instance, am told the Clevelant
q Pittsourgh Railroad Co. proposed to carry
them free Of charge, and you personally insist
. ed on the long route at o cost to the State o
$27OO. ' : ~ ~ l'' 60
could 60 on and fill column with item
sustained by these Witnesses and the concur
rent testimony of the returned soldiers, AM
gentlemen who have had occasion to transac
business with your War Department, such q
the "Teut Fole," "Tin Cup" "GuppoW oWde
4 contracts" etc., eto. It is possible these mat
ters may admit of explanation, notwithstan ndinJ
, the distfust created BY your long silence In re
gard to them. But one thing is certain--thes
: exposures had utterly demolished your oficia
, reputation for competency, long before the Dem
! ocratic Convention assembled. With your owl
! party you were already politically dead-so dea.
!, that not man or q newspaper OF that party ha
4 proposed your denomination for Cove nor. In
4 deed. so far as have observed, no one--excep
{ yourself--has taken exceptions to this very res
3 olution which we are considering. Many Re
publicsns distinctly approved il. The Cpcip
natl Commercial Of the oh inst. while critIc cI.
! ing the other resolutions, says; r, .yr,-.. i. ,
"Tae fourth TssolutiOn is one that shouLd /
! adopted By eutry Conpestton of epsry payty As
. assemblies in the State" sAF =
Thus you see that others must be deal. wit
! beside the Democratic Convention If 70
Q would retrieve your public reputation, you mus
0 commence your labors In the household of you
Q political associates and friends. Convinc
. these assailants Of their error--let them will
: draw their charges, and confess that they hav
j. wickedly and falsely accused you--and you nee
/, have no fear about the Democracy doing 20
9 ample justice. .ij,s -
d As to an Investigation, agree, you have
o right to demand IL; you ought not to rest unde
9 tbis general condemnation without an opportu
nifty of defending your conduct before the pee