The New York herald., 1862-01-08
FRAUDS IN THE REBEL ARMY
TIE CONNISSARIAT
From the Richmond Examiner, Dec. 80.


In Of the "quercs of the timcsn which proposed
days ago, and which has very naturally remained
unanswered referred TO the loose and fraudulent ar
rangemont Of accounts in the Commssary Department Of
armies
1t is useless to continue the form of interrogation
The duty OF an independent press expose abuses
positive form and by the indirecness of putting
questions TO witnesses whose interest it is 10 be silent
We shall ndeavor to explain with positiveness and clear
what satisfied arc enormous abuses in the
Cornmissary Department, by which the stonsdchS Of
army haze been rotted for the gain and pecaation Of
officers.
system OF bureaucracy sufficient to demoralize
any army in the world Of course, in our "pnch-
back imitation Of the government at Washington
have adopted this among other elements OF de-
morali2aion and corruption The great object Of the
bureaucratic system 10 consult its indoor conve
pences, and to haye its papers in such form as 'to
square, without reference TO any other consideration Of
the public interest IL is exactly through this bureau
cratic exclusveness TO squarng papers that room has
been afforded to the ngenuities of fraud and the public
interest sacrificed to the clerical conveniences Of the
ihoftcs at Richmond.
uouchery ia the C6nsaissdry Daytn uNessfand ol
the gooe,nmsi has Mrocn The oor open, atn,ast only
10 NE most ,,or0ts and shameful frauds and pecultios
We must to detect the cheat 10 the foundation Of tho
Commissarys accounts it commences there, and is built
up step by step as the primary papers or vouchers are
consolidated This foundation s the company provision
This return Is made out at stated periods and
under the caption Of ratons, has separate columns for
enumerating the quantities required OF fresh beef,
pork -four ~bcans, rcc coffee, sugar. vinegar, candies
soap ard salt Now it is to be remarked that this
turn is signed by the companys commander, and who
ther the articles enumerated are furnished not IL
serves as q rcccip-and the only receip-to the regi-
mental commissary who uses as voucher in his cob
sodatcd provision return, which is sgajp Yssd as
voucher by the brigade commssary Tho fact IT, that
receipt given in this way for articles which may
have been given OUT aud that this primary receipt in
its different forms " c0hsoldaton is the only voucher
G.siyed the gope,xmr For instance. there may be
coffee yet is charged in tho company provision
turn, whirh makes the requiston and this paper, max
ing Tho requsiion, for the convenience oil 'squarng
taken by the government as reei for all the articles IL
cnumcrates. Again, there may bo no coffee one week
and penty the next but no back rations allowed
and The coffee will not be given oat after the has
once been enumerated in the company provision return
by such q system vi vouchers the fraud is made so
easy accomplishment that may be said that the sys
TEN actually clers premium for it, To be sure II the
rcgmental commssary 10 coDscientious he might mark
out the articles enumerated in the companys provision
return ami write "none' whore there is actually
issued But if he chooses to charge the government
with what has never been received the government has
no course takes course but to pay 1t. The man.
ageent of the fraud requires, Of course coluson be-
tween the regimenal commissary and the brigade com
missary That Is all requires nothing else, and col
luscn between two men in fraud, which Is perfectly
OF accomplishment and which defos detection be
yond system OF vouchers and figures that the govern
ent cannot attack, is not very difficult or accomplish
ment. The papers at Richmond square" Indeed, u
make tbs papers squarc. it is made more convenient
for the conmssary chargefor the comrany provision
returns not, and the system proposes premGn oI
fraud The consequence ls, there ~ no check on Tho
fraud long accounts square, except in the com
patnH OF inc rflNatc these, VI couISc
| would be systematically unhccdcd, according TO tb
most approved system Of the bdreauc.atsc adjustment
| &C pablic accounts
40 invention could he more complete TO facilitate an'
usmper fraud than the system have exposed Tho
ceps complete, tho vouchers are unexceptionao!e
The apcs sqGarer Tho secret o; tine fraud Is ocke'
| un in the stomachs &C the soldiers
II l. 1cTe not for the ignorance cnd obstindcy Of pig
Leidei Ilr,dacra the sim o remedy would at once sug
ees itself TO the government chock and to expose hes
frauds Tho remedy vs. in fact rs simple in principle a
taking rccei for sixpence II s TO require receipt
10 be given only FOR what Is actually received Tho dc
tails light DC settled ia general form OF III quite a
convenient that OF the prcsct company provision re
turn: and the form o the receipt there might be aidc
an II articles ssGcd, from which the consoldaio
returns ostho regiment and tho brigade might easily
made M Where the irtes against fraud
and oby:srs te neglect tO ako them by the COVE
can only &c interpreted wanton aud criminal encoar
! aroment of Oh. al dishonesty anu pcculation.