Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-12-28

Tr Weekly, per gess.. ,.........,......,,.. 800
Woekty. Per year ~. ..'..s''t.i.!. ....,... 90
~
9n )ga otqlFrom the New York Tribune.l w Do
.Hs .4ploaIq eaJob and Bob. tD;su ca cl
The nation 10 In the depths Of agony and
peril. To the eye Of little faith, her race
seems almost run-Aher dissolution inevitable
her glory q feminiseence--h power q ruin.
Arstocfats and haters of liberty In every
clime deem It hardly necessary to vail ip de-
cent phrase their heartfelt exultadon over the
downfall and wreck of the Model Republic,
which their fond hopes tell them is already an
accomplished fact--a matter Of history Al
ready the vultures gather In hungry eagerness
to feast on her CARCASS ere IL have. time TO
grow GOLD. Already hostile despotisms shape
their policy as though this country had no
longer a substantive existence. The larger half
Of Hayti 10 ravenously clutohed by Spain, and
the three Western Powers unite to work their
will upon helpless Mexico; while the streets of
Richmond, of Charleston, Of New Orleans, echo
TO exultant shouts over the prospect Of British
Intervention to break the blockade of the Cot
ton ports, and sweep the starry flag from the
Ocean and the Gulf, bOmbsrding and burning
the Aapofte OF the loyal States. IL Is the blgk
noon Of Treason and Tyranny; they clink their
uubuoA 6iuboop ONoE tuC ULeT Vi huttlChU
erty, and shout themselves hoarse for their all
but perfected triumph in blottiug out forever
the Rights of Man and all tho "glitteriug gen
eralities" Of the Declaration of Independence
You are too fast, airs! The American Union
is not yet dead-on the contrary it is about to
show you that it was never before 30 tenacious,
80 full of life as at this hour!
For around her camp fires Halt Million
patriots are listening impatiently for the word
that shall let them loose on the black hearted
conspirators against the unity and greatness of
our country-whioh shall allow them to meas
ure their strength with the Would.be architects
OF our National ruin. Lack Of arms-lack of
ships-lack Of military dlscipline-lack OF fit
leaders--lRck of munitions and preparations Of
all kinds-have too long kept them inactive,
and enabled the traitors TO revel 10 dreams of
security, victory, invincibiity At length the
hour OF destiny strikes, and God prosper the
Right! -
The hostile array in front of the Nation is
formidable and desperate We do not seek to
disparage nor underrate its power. IL suffces
to tax and try the strength and prowess of our
loyal and true Twenty Millions. The struggle 0
ls great one--it summons TO the Nations de-
Tense every drop of her horoic blood Never
had quarrel greater argument than this--never
before did the earthly dtstnss Of the Human
Race hang 80 vsibly, palpably suspended on the
issue of war. Our brave soldiers who Aoun.
der over miry roads or ehiver around sleety
oamp-frss know we'll that theirs is no holiday
struggle, but one which taxes all their endur-
ance and their strength, awarding to many
wounds, disease and death; to all, danger, prt-
vation, and suffering.
But malignant and Rudacious as ara the enc
mics 10 front, those who bang about the rear of
the Union armies are scarcely less dangerous
and no whit lees detestable.
They are the vile brood of Jobbers, who lie
IN wait for chances to become Public Robbers.
Well may Heaven and Earth unite in loath-
ing their slimy greed, their shameless rapacity.
II 10 bad enough o. any time to seek wealth
ct the public cost--to burroW in some fostering
abuse and grow rich on the spoil Of the COM
munity. But what at another time might be
simple Knayery is now the blackest Treason
For the Nation, in her dire extremity, re.
quires OF her loyal sons not only rivers oil gen.
erous blood, but tunS Of purest gold. War, al
ways costly, devouring game, grows more and
more expensive with the progress OF civilization
Railroads and steamboats, collect recruits ant
move armies rapidly, but condense the cost al
well as the speed Of months march into {
day. Big guns charged With shells do feartu
|
dollars are required where thousands would
have served even fifty years ago. Hence it Il
plain that wars cannot last as they formerly did
for they quickly exhaust the resources OF ma
tions. .... I'd.
The necessary expenses Of q great war are
frightful: what then shall we say of the uR
neoessary2 Who can compute their vague but
awful magnitude?
Brave men grasp their muskets and rush Il
the field OF danger and of duty; mean mel
sneak after them, inent on making money b.
fair means or foul. Horses must be had in
hurry; the jobber is eager to aid his country b!
furnishing them, and makes the urgency OF thu
demand serve him In pslming off venerable
racks ofindifferent cr0wbait for mettled charger
at 500 to $3.50 each! Bacon must be had a
once for the soldiers; so he bribes commissAry
and palms OF q thousand tuns of what was ono,
the article required, but now crawls with vermiI
and reveals TO the most needless nose the cor
ruption whereby 1t was fosted upon swindlet
people. Clothing and uniforms, shoes aud knsp
sacks, are needed by the Millions worth: SO th
jobber oonspires with some scoundrel who give
ous the contract, makes out the specifications, o
inspects and accepts the goods, and steals o neV
block of stores by substituting Shoddy for Woo
and Pasteboard for Leather, A hundred thou
sand soldiers suffer; their quickly worn on
garments fail to protect or comfort them; the
can neither march nor fight as they would !
the were properly provided; the Treasury !
bankrupted by the continual demands for refits
but the Jobber has made bis pile, and Rhat doe
he care .'-
If contracts were properly ADVERTISED, speci
hcations carefully drawn, ample security 70
faithful performance rigidly exacted, the loves
responsible bid uniformly accepted, and ID
article received that was not just what it ough
to be, the Jobber would still be knsve, bu
would have no chance to become thief OF
cial Incompetence, laxlty, and villainous com
plicity, form the msnure.heap in which thi
most hateful and destructive of yermin /
quickly and multitudinously generated. Th
Provost Marshal of each Division should shoe
the detected speculatOr, but hang his official &C
completes on a galloWs 80 high that the specta
Gle would be edifying to hity brigades and ad
monitoryto five thousand contractors vi
I'VE have not time now 10 do Justice I,
that intense patriotism which pants to serve ou
distressed, imperilled country, but will onl,
consent to do so if arrayed in a Generals, O
at least Colonel's uniform, and benefced will
corresponding emoluments and allowances
would take a separate article TO do iustic
TO this fruitful theme. So the ghoul-lik
rapacity which, In this hour of Nationa
trial and sore need, sneaks into the Whit
House and proWls about the Departments, inten
on boring somebody into the bestowal Of Con
snlate, PAymsstership, Office, job or rsineoure O
some kind, whersfrom an easy living may b
extracted from our bankrupt Treasury, our aI
but dying Country-can language do Justice /
kha l0athaoma n aal fiahneaa the aoullaas oowa n