The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-12-25

miilons OF his fellow citizens from Changing
tne ,at 0ovsrcmsnt Of which he IL himself the
impersonation, Mr.. Lincoln braves the evils
OF 1civil war, the end Of which 1t IL impoa.
.l0ie to foresee. He Is even disposed to risk
aireniar aGre1fn wsr ~ + we may adgs from The last
his country a dsbt Of several milliards, sacri-
nces the liberty Of the press, violates the
privileges OF the ha1eas corpus. suspends all
Inc guarantees o. the Consti tuition, inaugu-
rates q system OF onfiscation and passports
establishes an immense standing ARMY. ana
condemns ms country for many years to
come, II not forever, to the rule of the sabre
10 save the Union at all hazards, and at any
public"
Rspsrs sf shs van. Wyck Invsstie asins
Committee. Il
Van Wyck'a select committee 70 inquire
into Government contracts made a report of
their proceedings to the Federal House of
Representatives on Tuesday last. II was
presented by Mr.. Washburne, of Illinois. and
shows mp corruption among Yankee con.
tractors to degree never be- re surpassed,
Our readers are invited to a close perusal OF
IT. We copy from the Washington tele.
grsphic correspondence of the New York
Herald, OF the 18th inst s,
The report discloses. a startling amount OF
corruption, and exposes the authors, promi-
nent among whom are some OF the very pa.
triotie 'On to Richmond" drivers Of the Em.
plre State. The inevitable conclusion from
this report is that in too many instances in
the most important transactions OF the War
and Navy Departments, men totally unit
have been selected as agents of the Govern.
ment 10 perform without any security what.
ever Tor their fidelity, duties that could have
been much more conveniently executed by
sworn officers of the Government
In the matter OF purch asing vessels an In.
cost the owners $685. and after using hsr
one year, George ID. Morgan, a government
agent, appointed by Secretary welles. bought
ner ior $4,000 No. ana = turned her over 70 the Co.
tary Welles employed him with the under
standing that he was TO have two and half
per cent. from the seller for all ships ae pur-
chased The committee show that thus fsr
he has made over Que ndred thousand dol.
lars. This important and startling fact will
account for the course pursued by the Secre.
tary Of the Navy in refusirg to purchase many
valuable vessels when offered, unless the pur.
chase was made through a par ticular chan.
mel. Itis shown by the Committee that this
Mr.: Morgan was connected with Thurlow
Weed ia supplying The Oataline, ard the pure
World of New YoTr; nd D. 3. mssssson.s ssISe ~sc
Was expelled from the House OF Repreeenfn
tives for corruption.
In September last, the COMMITTEES requested
Secretary Weiles 10 discontinue the services
OF Mr.. Morgan. but he refused. Stuce that
time, the committee show that Mr., Nfof91n
has made over forty thousand dollars. This
is considered q fair profit for srosery dsslsf;
of the Navy. Of cotxse A. Is ali mat V1.e7se.
In regard to the spurchase Of tks Oatalfns,
there are some 'Sighf1eant facts II the tssti.
mony that are not alluded TO In the report.
It appears that the original cost f$is, ,0dpi Wae
paid in four notes of "a, 500 each, given hY
four parties-Tburlcw Weed, q. Dayidson !.
U h. Matteson, and John e. Develin Each
one OF the notes was signed by one OF theos
four, and endorsed by the others. @--- -
In the item OF purchasing army supplies.
1t Is shown that auth oIity was given To Gov.
Morgan and Alexander Cummings 10 dishurse
two millions Of dollars. No vouchers were
ferred his anthoxity to Geo. ID. morgan. Score.
tary Welles's special favorits, who. with
Cummings, made all the disburseudents -
Weed & Company appear to have controlled
the employees OF these agents, and TO . cer. !.
tain extent dictated their purchases.
Corning Company, hardware men OF Al.
bany, were selected to furnish groceries and
among the purchases made by Cunminss . were
not recognized as army clothing, and vere
probably never used.
ltisshown in this testimony that an efFbrt
upon Cummings the control Of the Suhsio.
tence Department in New York, but II failed.
on account OF Major Eaton's deciining his ee1.
vices or assistance. - =
Au0 AkAP4OVAo0oC0 0oQ Ieckke0D oxtYAYA.
Gance Of General Fremont IL shown In glsr.
ing coiors. The simple item OF buying con.
dsmned Ausirian musksts will sunics for an
example. Twenty-Five thousand Of them
il 10 probable that the arm had been rei.cted
from the Austrian service, and purchased on
speculation and sent TO this country in view
OF the extraordtnary demand for arms. The
chased, will certainly never be used by our
army. and when altered as proposed, tts IN ..
riority to tho arms which are rapidly ac-
cum uiatinE. toeethsr with the almost mt.
vers1l prejudice OF our soldiers TO altered
arms. viii almost certainly sxclnde it ffom
the army. The amount claimsd for the arms.
including the special amm unftion. 70 about
ele6 600. The committee are of tkS opinion
that tho arm will never be % any service TO
the Government, and will never be used ex
cept In some case Of unforesesn and sxtrtor.
dinary emergency. 4as 80
The purchase OF the arm was an act oi
manifest imProvidence, and ths less sxcnsa.
even at less price than that paid b. Gen,
Fremont by the experienced Ordnance ofRcer
at New York. The immediate nscessiyy Isl
arms can Scarcely be considered a. fusniSainG
less until altered, and 70 effect that delay VA
inevitable, and the purchase was mss3e $sttA.
ont any examination Is 70 the practioahilis
Of improvement BY alteration. - =.
The committee found large nunbsr oi
these arms IT Cairo and n0twishSfandtn6
the urgent necessity OF arms st thst pp1aS
whole regtmentss even on the eve of the hos-
tie Of 6slmonts were almQat destfsuts od
arms. These arms were LEFT II the boxes IN
whaen tnsy wsrs shlprsd from ths Afssnai -
Impeovidsnos and dlsssssrd Of rsasouasae
economy on the part Of the 0oyernmsnk On
the ons hand. and spirit Of rsthlsss speens
and Il is . Qusstion Of public jnsttce how 1hS
IL shall bs carried into eject. The cowMft