Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-06-26
The state War Department..

The efforts of the two Journals indianapolis
and Evansville) in behalf of Mr.. Mansur re
minds us of the lawyer who was unsuccessful in
defending client The case was clear one !;
the prisoner had committed the larceny and was
sentenced to receive thirty nine lashe5 at the
whipping post. (The whipping post is a third
"relic of barbarism, found now only in the slave
States.) The cute lawyer moved for new trial,
and proceeded to argue the case, citing authon-
ties and reading decisions. He was making a
magnificent forensic effort when his attention
was attracted to one of the windows; on looking
out he saw the Sheriff whipping the client "My
God, your Honor" the lawyer exclaimed, "they
are whipping my client" Never mind" the
Judge replied ego on with your argument; you
shall have new trial If the case warrants it, and
doubtless your client will be whipped again.
The proper time to defend Commissary Mansur
would have been before his conviction and punish
ment. We would advise against the effort for
new trial. for if one is obtained, the presence Of
the chicory and burnt beans in the coffee and the
sour meat served to the soldiers not be over
come; and the question of economy can almost
be tried by the "single rule of three" to wit: off
a ration of chicory and burnt beans and un-
wholesome meat can be obtained for IL cents,
how much will pure coffee and wholesome meat
cost"
Mr. Mansur has been unfortunate in his subor
dinate officers, and more unfortunate in his news
paper defenders The efforts of the two Jour
mails, though late, is a cheering sign-an evidence
of the independence of the partlzan press. The
two Journals kick the dead lion of the sover
eighty Of the State, after the honey is sucked
clean and dry from the carcass 1t is not proba-
BILE that the same men will ever constitute anoth
er General Assembly. One of the Journals, how
ever, lays himself open to a retort from his neigh
Dor Sentinel, whom be accused of ingratitude to
Gov. Morton short time ago. But that's none
of our business; the State Printer and the mem
bers OF the Legislature may adjust that little mat
ter to suit. We are not the apologist of either
Mansur, the State printer, or the General Assem-
bly,. But this we say: the Governor did not, no
member of the House did. nor did the Journals
raise their voices for Mansur at the time when a
successful defence could have, if ever been
made, and we are not disposed to make the ex-
Commissary or the Legislature the scape goat to
carry into the wilderness the sin of the success
sion of blunders which has characterized the ad-
mnstration of the States War Department.
The chicory and burnt beans have been punished
too heavily, while larger malfeasances go unpun-
ished-Madison Courier.
"How much will pure coffee and wholesome
meat COST" Under the administration of EX-
Commissary MANsUR a ration of chicory and
burnt beans and unwholesome meat cost, accord
ing 10 the Indianapolis journal, "htTteen cents
and nine teHths per day" According to the same
authority, namely, the Indianapolis Journal.
"Mr. Commissary General STONE is now feeding
the State troops at an average expense per man of
about frcelue cents per day" And he furnishes"
too, says the same Journal, provisions of the
most satisfactory kind" After the Journals
very elaborate defense of Mr.. Ex-Commssary
MANsUR, we did not look for this unkind cut, but
perhaps MANsUR's sugar cured hams were not
equal to the expectations of the Republican or
gan. BY the way, does our neghbor know any
thing about the truth of the report that Mr. Ex-
Commissary MASsUR has gone East to help pur
chase arms for the State. His experience in that
department of the military service will make his
assistance rery valuable.