M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1861-08-29

a.
bill Of particulars" aud demand
the evidence upon which the assault
is based. You eourteously invite
me to look over the files Of the War
Department, and prefer me the dis
tinguished privilege Of "interrogsting
the officers of yoRr staiflH and you
more than intimate that a decliuation
of The service is to be construed into
, proof positive OF the "stimu!ated pa
triotsm," political ambitior," "palty
avarice," and sundry other uuamiablc
sins Of the Democratic party.
My reply HAY not equal your ex.
pectations, but it shall leave you no
cause to complain of the want of can,
dor or frankness, and if unpleasant
truths are related, | beg you to re-
, member that the writer, though po.
/ litical opponent, is more friend than
an enemy.
And first let me correct one or two
errors into which you have fallen i'll
regard to the purport and scope OF the
resolution. You seem to consider its
accusation aimed principally, if not
exclusively, at the "Governor Of
Ohio," and the other Estate authori.
ties" But the language expressed
condemns the corruption, extrava,
gance, incompetency and tavoritism
shown in the War Departments of the
State and Federal Governmental p
A fair proportion of this censure was
intended for, and should be assigned
to the War Department at Washing.
ton and that it was just and merit.
ed requires no further proof than the
declaration Of Mr.. Van Wyck. the
: Republican chairman of the select
committee raised at the recent special
session of Congress, to investigate the
transactions of that Department -
"That within two short months there
, has been system of plunder, which,
for audacity and wickedness, has ney-
| or been surpassed" That corruption
and iavoritism, when exposed, should
: be severely condemned, everybody
will assent to but whether it is good
policy ia expose aad correct them dur,
ing the tendency of the war, is a
, question on which men may, and it
} would seem do, differ. | infer your
, opinion to be that such exposure and
| condemnation of abuses tend to "dep.
Q reciate the public credit" and compel
! the "National Government 10 a dis.
. graceful compromise with armed trea,
Q son." while others, with equal SINGER.
&. ity, believe that this war will never
D be brought to a successful termina
i tion until men oil admitted competency
f and unquestioned integrity are in
trusted with its administration 4; and
: in my opinion the President, by nj
= one act Of his, would so effectually
strengthen the public credit and mar
shal and nerve the national forces toI
the prompt suppression Of this rebel
lion, as by the simple displacement
OF Mr.. Cameron and the appointment
of Judge Holt in his place.
Another error into which you have
fallen is in extending the censure Of
this resolution to parties for whom
most probably twas never intended.
If these charges are "well founded, ,"
you say "the State authorities ought
Immediately to resign their official
trust" The Auditor, Treasurer Sec
retary, Controller and Attorney,Gen-
eral, as well as the Executive, are usu.
all Y classed as State authorities.
am not aware that any charges have
, been preferred against the incnmbents
of those offices. And should the va,
, lidity of these charges against yJur
war Administration be established,
sec no reason why they should resign,
unless it he from a profound commits
Grafton for the Executive" Neither
was it intended by those who voted
, for tie resolution to impeach the ca.
pacity or integrity of the distinguish
, ed gentlemen who have more recently
been called to the principal positions
on your staff. | will go one ster
further, and say for myself, that ir
approving the resolution, l had nc
intention of imputing corruption" tc
yourself personally.
What was intended by the Conven.
ton and what a fair construction o.
its language import is, that in the ad.
ministration OF the War Department,
which from necessity employs numer-
ous subordinates and agents, through
the incompetency or connivance Of
those acting in behalf OF the State,
improvicent contracts have been made,
extravagant prices paid for inferior
articles ofclothing and supplies, frauds
have been perpetrated, and personal
and partisan favorites have profted
at the expd&be Of the public treasury.
Or it may be paraphrased in these
words, "The Governor, who is really
very clever gentleman, and who
with his staff was abundantly compe.
tent to discharge the duties of Com