, 1861-12-27

In every country, in every war, there arc
three classes Of men. One class labors, feeds
and clothes the army, and supports the Coy
cTnment by furnishing means ; another class,
the soldier, protects the Government d'peo-
pie, and gives fair equivalent for the labor Of
the lux pnycr; another and q most dctestable
class, is those, who like plundcrcrs Of a burn
ing city, seize upon the misfortunes Of their
country, to load themselves down wish i'll
gotten wealth. A portion Of this latter class
has recently come under my observation, and
I propose 10 make some OF their misdeeds
known to the country.
You will remember there was some muir
muring about the manner In which the con-
tract for building the gunboats was let. The
suspicious then existing have proved more
than true. It now turns out that the time
limited in the advertisement was only q frs,ud
to keep of honest and filir bids. Any man
with his senses about him knew that it w;ls i'm
possible to complete the gunboats by thetcnth
Of October. Government officers were dis
tinetly told 50, md we're beggged to extend the
time SO that eoat-bul1dcrs could hayea chance.
That, however, did not suit the purposes OF
Frank Blair and lis friends, Eads d Co. The
time fixed WAS insisted upon, and mark the re-
suit. After the coutracts were given to Eads
& Co, and before q blow was struck the time
was extended for a longer time than was asked
for ~ other competitors, and time to finish
has been extended repeatedly, and the boats
subjected to no forfeiture. Ind also, the boats
have cost s77,Q COO apiece more than parties at
Cairo offered to build them for. Swindlcrs
may dance, but the people must "pay the fd-
dlcr"
It has been matter of great surprise that
the Government has taken no notice Of the
corruption and rascaGty which has been prac-
tieed in the Quartcrnlaster's department. at
this post. Tint it exists no one doubts, for 1t
stalks abroad with unmasked face. It hns be-
come 60 common here that officers and sol
diers who have anything to do with this
matter Of course When q Quarter1naste.
boasts Of having ninety OF more mules,
eight or ten wagons and piles OF lum.
ber more than be has receipted for, there
is little faith to be placed in his honesty.
But when mules are sent to the Quartermas.
ter's farm 1t looks Ike asport<His, to use nc
hareher word Investigations have been had,
facts Of this character have been reported te
headquarters, yet the gentleman holds his com
mission undisturbed. By the way, speaking
| Of wagons, puts me in mind Of curious facl
coming to my knowledge. have learned tha1
| paid round sum for wagons, who, when the
rebellion first broke out, declared that 1t was
| "D1ack Republican war; and that any st,
tempt to "coerce'' the South By the Northern
army would be met and resisted By sixt,
thousand Southern 1uinoisians. His patTio!t
declaration did not prevent him from getting
contract from "Black Republican Admin
| istration.
You have probably seen statement goinE
the rounds Of the papers, about the lulnbe
purchased in Chicago, in which the receipt
were presented and signed, for one dollar mon
| on the thousand than WAS actually paid. It i
too true; and similar transactions arc quit
frequent. Not less than million and a hal
feet of lumber has been used in making wintc
quarters for orr troops, and you have only t.
use little arithmetic, to sec how much th
Government has been swindled in this articl
alone. How long is it to be expected tia
the people, who furnish the money to carr
Oh this war, and who see enough ofsuch swind
ling, will sit quietly By and permit this bus
ness to 60 on!