The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-05-17
Washington News, Not Telegraphed


Was bright on our brave old tree
Washington News, Not Telegraphed.
We have already rumors of gross cor
ruption in the War Department, in the
awarding of contracts for provisioning
troops. We would not wonder if the Ad.
ministration, in some respects, had caught
second Floyd in the present head of that
Department. The New York Times says
that every true friend of the Administra-
tion will regret to learn that system of
disgraceful jobbing has been commenced in
connection with contracts for supplies of
troops. Some of these operations are too
glaring for concealment. The Times cor
respondent says:
The beef contract to which l referred
last night, understand is for twenty thou
sand head of cattle. The price to be paid,
am told, is eight cents gross-equal to
fourteen and half cents net-a most ex.
travagant rate, and which will yield profit
of several hundred thousand dollars. Bids
would have procured contract on terms
saving the government quarter OF mil
lion of dollars on this one item.
Another close contract made with John
F. Coyle, of Washington, was for blankets
and knapsacks. Price not transpired, but
will surely be found largely in excess of the
terms which responsible parties in the trade
would find remunerative.
Another Pennsylvania has received
contract for blue cloth and DR.. Mehaftey,
of Pennsylvania, late one of Forney's SUBJ
ordinates in the House of Representatives,
has heavy contract for forage.
Army officers express intense disgust at
the evident jobbery. Close contracts for
supplies for immediate use may be necessa-
ry-but contracts for these large amounts
of supplies, to be furnished far in the flu
ture, ought to be awarded to the lowest
responsible bidder. 1t is the duty of the
press promptly to expose these delinquen.
cies, and it is to be hoped the President
will find the remedy. The circumstances
under which the jobs alluded to have been
effected, and the very names OF some OF the
parties concerned, constitute prima fac'e
evidence of corruption. The country has
had enough OF that under Floyds admins
tratioD, and will hardly tolerate it again.
The Committee of the Maryland Legis-
lature, in the interview with the President,
on the 4th, admitted both the right and the
power of the government to bring troops
through Baltimore or the State, and to
take any measures for the public safety
which, in the discretion of the President,
might be demanded either by actual or rea'
sonably apprehended exigencies. They ex,
pressed their belief that no premedltated
effort at secession or resistance OF the fed
eral authorities would be attempted by the
Legislature or State authorities, and asked
that in this view the State should, as long
as possible, be spared the evils OF militia
nv occupation or q mere revengeful chas-
tisemeut for former trangressions. The
President replied that their suggestions
and representations should be considered
but that he should now say no more than
that the public interest, and not spirit Of
revenge, would actuate his measures.
Associate Justice Campbell has resigned
his seat on the bench of the Supreme Court
of the United States, be having heretofore
announced that he would follow the for
tunes of Alabama, though not approving
of secession.
A patent for an improved mode OF train
ing horses was granted to-day to Comm0>
modore Daniels, of Barnwell Court House
South Carolina. The thing was done az
expedltiously, and with no more trouble
than if he had belonged to New England.
From the best unofficial calculation that
can be made, there are now, May I'd, about
fifteen thousand troops in the city, includ'
ing the militia of the district. Add to thi:
the Eigth New York, Thirteenth Brooklyn
New York Firemen Zouaves, Col. Corcor.
ans Sixty-ninth New York regiment, ano
three regiments from New Jersey, all al
Annapolis, or en- route to this city IRON
there, together with the splendid flying ar
tillery sbatteriesl from Boston and Provi
dence, with twelve of James rifled cannon
each. and the number of troops now here
and within three hours transport will
amount to twenty-f -four Z thousand three
hundred men. ri sassa g.. sasass.z
In addition to this, there are four camp!
in Pennsylvania, within striking distance o
the capital, viz: At York 5000, Phila
delphia 5000, Harrisburg 1000, Lancaster
1900. Besides this, there are ten regi'
ments at Chambersburg and one regimen
at Gettysburg, making reserve force o
2l,OOO.
Some of the features which dis6gure al
camps and garrisoned towns appear here
though as vet not very boldly in open day
The presence of many Objectionable char
acters is now noticed, but the eye of th'
proper authorities is vigilantly open.