Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-06-12
WEEKLY sen TIN Ell.


WEDNESDAY.......... JUNE I2, 1881
The Gonmissary General end the
House.
The Journal is out in a labored apology and
defense of the late COmmissary General. 1t says
the action of the House in eondemning the admin
istration of the duties Of the Commissary Depart
ment "was more than unjust-it was mean" In
addition to this, it charges that the House
just and ungenerOus for prOnouncing Commissary
MANsUR "incOmpetent and dishonest" and for
removing him from Office without giving him
hearing, and without allowing him a fair chance
70 present testimony in his own behalf before the
committee" 1t makes a great difference with
that paper whose OK is gored. Democratic
officials have been tried and condemned in pre-
cisely the same way by Republican investi-
eating committees, their characters blasted, yet
the Journal justified and gloated over the pro
eeedngs. Let US look at the facts in the case. A
majority Of the committee were the political
friends of Mr.. MANsUR and Governor MORTON.
Is there any doubt that under such circumstances
every leniency would be extended to the Com
missary. Now, what do this committee say in the
report which We publish elsewhere? They re-
mark
We have, in addition to the testimony taken of
the soldiers, visited nearly all the companies, and
received their statements, which correspond, in
every particular, with the testimony taken. We
have, also, personally inspected provisions on
hand IN the COmmissary Department, and have
come % conclusions, as set forth in this re
-s.ssr- frnm personal inspection, as well as from
the testimony
The resolution of censure passed UNANIMOUSLY,
and it should not be forgotten that the House is
largely Republican Now it is not for a moment
% be supposed that the representatives were nfu-
eneed by personal considerations in their action.
Wewill take it for granted that the Houseis COM
posed generally of gentlemen, and that they
would not violate their official oaths in the dis
charge of unpleasant duty. Yet the Journal,
without any qualification whatever, pronounces
the action of the House. the entire House, for it
was an unanimous vote, with not only being un-
j4st, but mean
We do not desire to injure Mr.. MANsUR in any
way. He has, however. been most unfortunate
in selecting his apOlogist The defense is lame,
weak and offensive If conscious of his inno-
should not have resigned his position II he had,
and the Governor believed him guiltless-if, as
the Journal says, the vote of the House "did an
honest man a grievOus wrong, and deprived the
State of valuable officer as friend of Mr.
MASsuR he would have refused the resignation,
and stood manfuIIy by his appointee. But the ac-
ton Of the Governor in accepting the resignation
Of Mr.. MaSsUR. only confirmed the action of the
House
The Journal defends Mr. MANsUR in a singular
way 1t gives him great credit for being econom-
ical in one particular. He furnished the troops
with cheap ground coffee or coffee and poor beans
ground up together, which all the witnesses tes-
tilted was very poor, and some state that it made
them sick Queer economy that. But when he
came to furnish his pork, he had different ideas
of economy. Mr.. McTAGGARr, pork packer,
tint he would have sold the same article
for o. cents per pound that MASsUR charged 7
cents for, and that on the 9th of May he pur
chased shoulders at 5 cents per pound
We have not space to day to examine the tes
timony in detail We will aIIude to only a few
facts. Hon. VIM CUMBAcK, who was a private
in company, testifes that if compelled to live
upon the issues to the army chez should call it
poor, very poor fare, but the soldiers in his CON-
plny got along comfortably from the fact that
friends at home sent them many articles of food
We admit, with the Journal. that commissariat
is difficult position hil. and that Mr.. MASsuR
had nc experience whatever in its duties, and in
fact did not even know what ration was. 1t is
not singular, therefore, that the charge of incom-
potency should hold against him. But MASsuR
IS a shrewd business man, and knows how to
make money, and his a passion for making it
Mr.. ISRAEL McTAGeAKr's testimony hits the nail
square on the head in exposing the considerations
which influenced the COmmissary. McTAGGARr
demanded that he should furnish fair portion of
the pork, but MANsUR demurred to that, and why?
We copy from McTAGGART's testimony:
In the conversation with Mansur he stated that
IL was a hard business, any how and if there was
anything to be made at it he (Mansur) might as
well make it himself, or what was the same thing
furnish his own pork
But enough for to-day. We have no desire to
add a feathers weight to Mr. MASsuR's troubles
or even to wound his feelings. If he employs
an advocate, ne should select one who will not
provoke criticism by palpable indiscretions 1t
was enough for the Journal to carry Mr. MANsUR
upon its buck, without condemnng the action of
those who have at least equal reputation and bust
ness capacity as Mr.. MASsuR, with being both
unjust and mean. We do not think the Repub-
lican members of the House will feel compli-
mented with the criticisms of the individual who
thought them all very honorable gentlemen, until
he secured their votes for the Office of State
Printer.
We know that the editor of the Journal is
violent secessionist, but we do not think him so
devoted to the principle as to induce him to Sc
cede from lot of MASsUR's fine sugar cured
hams. He would, however, insist upon the best
quality of hams and repudiate most decidedly the
soldiers fare the thin, untrmmed, oyersalted and
in some cases sour shoulders, which they swear
were furnished them. So far MANsUR's rations
are concerned, we think he would stick to his IA.
vorite principle of secession