Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1861-10-24
The Alleged Frauds in Army
Clothing.


clothing, taking occasion to give our views
upon the subject. When the announcement
was frss made, and, as sequel proves,
most unwarrantable hue and cry was raised
against the Executive of this Commonwealth
of completely in those frauds, we felt 1t to be
a duty we owed alike to truth and the honor
of the State, to interpose our feeble voice
against such rank injustice.
1t isno part of our present purpose to stop
to inquire into the motives of those who
could 30 disgrace themselves as to join a
wanton crusade against the honor and fair
fame Of the Executive of Pennsylvania, by
charging corruption without the most sub
stancial proof to sustain such grave charges,
nor to animadvert in fitting terms upon the
extent of the injury inflicted by such conduct
upon the honor and characte- of the State
but rather to state, in tho most succinct man.
ner, the results of the examinations of the
commission appointed by the Governor to
investigate the alleged frauds. together with
the presentment of the Grand Jury, Of the
city Of Philadelphia. who, at the instance of
the court, instituted most searching and
thorough inquiry. The commission referred
to. consisted of five gentlemen of the first res
spectability and standing, viz: Benjamin
Haywood, Jacob Fry, Ir., Charles F. Abbott
Caleb Cope and Evan Rogers. We viii
quote but two sentences Of their report, be-
cause they contain the pitch and marrow Of
the entire paper, and all that is necessary to
our present purpose;
"This commission having undertaken its
task with the single determination Thoroughly
to Investigate every transaction within its
scope, and in pursuan cs of this end, having
spent three days in Harrisburg examining
witnesses and making personal inspection of
the food provided for the soldiers, takes pleas
ure in reporting this latter most important
article to be of most excellent quality, the
bread ESPECIALLY being of the best descrip-
tion.
They also report, in general, as the re-
suit of their Investigation, that they have
found instance ofignorance, of incompe ence
of sharp-dealing never praiseworthy, and
here eminently disgraceful, of bad appoint
ments, which, although under the peculiar
circumstances of the times to be expected,
are none the less to be condemned but, Mith
the exception of one single instance which
will be found in the accom- panying evidence,
they have detected no fraud nor attempt at
fraud, either on the part of any agent con-
nected with these transactions, nor on the
part of the authorities at Harrisburg"
On the same subject, but few days ago,
the Grand Jury of Philadelphia made the
following presentment, which we prefer quo
ting in full because il disposes of the whole
question. with all its attendant circumstan-
ces, which are fully and fairly stated;
upon the duty thus committed to US, the
Grand Jury entered with an earnest desire
to learn the truth and bring to justice all par
ties who might De implicated. In pursuing
this investigation, we had the personal atten-
dance and aid of the District Attorney, du-
ring our examinations, covering period of
six days. We avail ourselves of the labors
of the Grand Jury of the United States Court
as well as those of the commissioners appoin-
ted by the Governor.
tin addition to which we had called tefore
US witnesses whose names were suggested by
members of the Grand Jury and by others,
ar d who were supposed to have any knowl-
elge of the subject matter of our inquiry.
cater careful examination of all the tes-
timony, sharing, as we did, in the suspicious
which agitated the public mind, we are con-
strained to say that we have no evidence of
any fraud having been perpe rated upon this
Commonwealth in the supplies FURNISHED to
the troops, nor Of any frauds on the part of
those persons, oficial or unofficial, engaged
in the management of the interests of the
Commonwealth.
From state of long continued profound
peace. we found ourselves plunged into
frightful civil war with those whom this Gov
erpment had always been taught TO look up
on as brethren. Pennsylvania had made no
preparation for such contingency. and at
no period in her history was she so utterly
helpless for defence or support to Govern
ment. In the confusion and panic which
followed the fall of Fort Sumpter came the
call of the President of the United States for
troops, with the intimation that each State
was TO supply its own commissariat.
:. Most of the articles needed for this de
partment were absolutely not TO be had at
any price, and the authorities Of PeDnsylva>
MIA were compelled to do the best they could
in this emergency, where prompt action was
of the last Importance. That there were
mistakes and Irregularities is well known
had it been otherwise it would have been
marvel Men inexperienced in the duties Of
providing for the outfit of an army were nec-
essarily employed and in all instances, SO
far as we have been able to learn, these per-
sons freely prof4red their aid, without re-
ceiying any compensation. That public
clamor should be loud against somebody is
no new thing. That underathe crcu mstan-
ces of this great convulsion many things
were ineficiently done is equally true but
that frauds were committed upon the State
none of the evidence before US as-tended to
dicloss."
Here we might pause, without one word of
comment !; but if we did, we feel that our
whole duty in the premises would be incom-
plete. When we first raised our voice in be-
half Of just and manly course OF conduct
towards the Executive of the Commonwealth
and those connected with him, at time
when all was confusion and alarm for the
Capital Of the country, then menaced by
bold band of conspirators against the Con-
stitution and the laws of the nation-when
the hearts of the patriotic and good men of
the land throbbed with quickencd impulse
for the facts of their beloved country, it's
fame. its glory and its flag, there were but
few who had the magma nimity and manli-