Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1861-12-28
rug ,.r Mrcx sKrpnr.

OfAll the occnrfeuces OF this war nothing
has caused more pain to the public ban the
/ report OF the Cougressiopsl Select Committee
= Of which MIR. Van W,rk 10 chaitnsp. That
at o time When the .cgDlat revenues OF the
government bad become totally unreliable,
and the Treasury Department was driven TO
the most extraordinary exertious to raise the
reaus OF meeting ..our enormous liabilities.
men in high places should be found base
|, enough to increase our endorsements by
FRAUDS OF the mos: astounding description,
seems to US a depth Of depravity disgracefui
! to human nature.
Public opinion seemed to have pretty
clearly marked out the points OF these frauds
long before the report OF the committee made
its appearance. The atrocous and gigantic
p!underng in Missouri by the herd OF spccu.
lator8 who cUugregated around General Ere.
mUnt fully equals all that has been said about
it, If we may credit this report. The 6nsu
cal management Of that department seems
to have set at defiance all systems, laws, regu.
latious, principles aud honesty. The horse
contracts almost everywhere appear to have
been 50 conducted that the government bas
paid The highest price for good horses, and
had palmed off upon it the worst lot Of old
worn out animals that could have been scraped
| together. The case ot The steamer Cataline
was early ventilated. and 1t settled the has
OF the Union Defence Committee Of New
/ YORK, which for time Grrogated to Itself the
Whole Infringement Of the war The report
OF the Van Wick Committee traces this case
10 the reckless haste OF General Wool, by
which he suffered The agents Of the Union
J Defence Committee to impose upon him.
/ The purchase Of vessels for tho Navy De.
! rartment by government Bgeut 10 shown TO
have put into the pockets Of the latter nearly
/ a buDdred thousand iy.!ars.
One thing in this report must have been
remarked by most readers oil the frauds and
extravaganza revealed ore traced directly by
this committee 10 other agencies than tae
I War Department ard lis able bead, General
Cameron. Notwithstanding oil the ramors
Which have CONNECTED the Secretary and the
department with these abuses, no case is visi.
o,a ~ ibis aepor, wherein the agency Of either
for evil purposes is dlsceruablv. Aud as this
is matter oi Importance, let US call attention
10 the points Of the report
/ lst. The C1talinc was chartered by order
/ Of General Wool, when be aud the Union
Defence Commitiac were aelIpg Independent
iy Of the War Department.
"a. 20 the matter "f purchasing vessels for
the navy, the arrangement was made by the
Secretary oi the Navy.
81. As regards the purchase Of arms, the
eHtravegaBce Was caused by the prices being
rnn M. IL coDseqncoco of the agents Of the
Unlca Defence Committee, General Fremont
/ The Governors c! tbe States aud the various
generais, colonies, cities aud home guari or.
ganizatians being all ir tie narke, competing
against the government, and New Yutk spe
cr'a.crs took aiyag:aga of this TO rue up
prices, hud hold the arms tiu they forced the
government 10 yield ~ their terms.
lib .yety dang done il the Western De.
pdr!Gent by Fremont was on b,s own reepon-
sbility, and Nitnnut ats r.ieieuce to The de-
partmeut a. Washington.
5th. The purchase of horses, mules and
wagons occurred u Tie Quattetwsster Geue
erals Department.
The Whole expose is truly lanen..ble. and
betruys shameful disros ton to take advau
tase Of The puGiic calamiiies, which, in our
Judgment, ii IS the imperative duty Of the
goTerumeut to puIish. ilrmunt was prompt,
iy punished lQr his Infringement by dismissal
from hii command Wool VAS sterIiy order.
ed from New Yo,k back to the Troy rseuu,
and there lett to his thoughts ;or many
mouths. Vhe Cgion Eef-nra Conmittpe
srHGeulg found its prrposte'ous pretensions
Pot down VITA stfuGg hard. But this is
not enough. The spcculntors and peculators
ought all to ba prnsfcGted crninaiiy and i'm
prsonel fur Tia offences they have committed
Ani il thccc ara st.!i cny cuiprits 10 Office.
they ought to be dismissed and their places
supplied Ny better ;Icu - P.i!a. " american
THE STONE FLEET AT CHARLESTON.
The sinking OF the Stone Squadron in the
channel nf Charleston EaIbOr has been for so
long a iorsgonc conclusion that the announce
meut illS morning that the old whalers have ac'
lualiy done tne.r work viii hardly tc news The
|-te r.rlr. ls'f.b
roe on Saturday, actually t5wed ninc Of them up
to Charleston from Port Royal. and seven follow
ed a:'cr, inshIng sixteen in all, which were the
next day sent 10 The bottom 10 become The nuclei
for the accumulation Of the shifting sands and al
luvial deposits And there may they lie forever.
There was Kind Of poetic justice even in the
burden The old seairgs carrcA--they were laden
/ with Massachusetts rocks, thus avenging the old
Bay State OF many an insult end many an injury
done her citizens by South Carolina.
II is difficult 10 imagine any thing much nearer
ruined city than is Charleston. by the double
visitation OF an &C, Of Justice aGd piece of fate
/ The great lire has already ronsumcu the very
heart f the city, aud how the sunken vessels
have 'rrr'r H!ocked up her port. Thus passes
away the glory of Charleston And the shadows
on Ihc canvass deepen ana intensity when CON
tras'ed With The dazzling future which those peo'
! pie painted 10 themselves as the certain result oi
seccssion--N. Y. Times.
/ NEA7H OF AN1Es SNYDER.-This week, Mr.
Autes Snyder, son OF tue late Governor Sny
Ger, and for muny ych;s 10 the employ of the
| ReGdr9 huiiro0d Company as riyil engineer
died IN lo,istown, Mr Suyder owned bu
! RAJ iul bere in whlch two of his children are
! nlerird. aUd his remains will be brought bere
To-day Tor tuFal -NinerS' JprYJal, 2lSt iHs,
/ Judge Snysrr OF Norri.own, Vim. Mcclellan
/ Esq, Of Frank!i" TO-. and lanes n. Sterret
~, o! A!icgany Co., are revising the Revenue
fa~s Of PeHn'a, q, hsrr'sJprg.