Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1862-07-16
From the New York Journal OF oommerce.
Small Profile.

Fraud and corruption in high places have be.
come the standard subject of national reprob1-
ton. We have seen a retiring Cabinet officer
censuFed by vote OF tho House of Representa-
tives for the most disgraceul acts, involving
citizens whose reputation had before been un.
staiued. We have had O Tremendous job 10
the chartering OF vessels for transportation, we
have volumes of testimony duplicating high
officers in the army and their assistants, We
have q pending resolution to expel Senator
who received pay for procuring contracts for
muskets, and there is long roll of charges
OF fraud and vlllalny in high and low places
remaining for investigation, which are enough
to appsl a man who wants to have faith In hu.
man nature, and American character.
Bat is it only these gross frauds, these grand
robberies which demand invssHgatio07 Is 1t
not sadly true that vast number of men who
are servants of the Government are willing
to receive money which is not strictly and
honestly their due, If there happens to be any
old custom of receiving 1t 10 that way to keep
quiet their conscieUces2 And is II. not true
that the prevalent habit of getting money from
the Government on any and every possible pre-
tense, in email sums and small ways, by Sena.
tore and other officers, leads to the great trauds
which aetound and shock the moral sense of the
ooun ry3
We have before us letter of the clerk Of
the House of Representatives In aoswer to q
resolution of the House on the 9tn ut., trans.
miitlDg en- account of the expenses Of select
committees appointed by the House. The ac-
count elbows the profit made by members Ct
Congress (who are paid also by the year, as
every one k0ows), when they serve on select
committees. The items are mostly EN- all, but
the aggregate makes Thousands Of dollars.
The items are chiefly mileage, at ten ceuts q
mile, and "expenses" az three dollars day.
Perhaps these charges are reasonable and pro-
per, bat On looking down the account we are
startled at two items which are inexplicable,
according TO our views Of the duty OF Senators,
and the ect of Government in paying them
an annual salary,
| SAmong the expenses Of special committees
to investigate the destruction of the Norfolk
Navy Yard, are the following items;
J. W Grimes: servces as member OF the Senate Com.
mttse to invest gate the sur ender Of Norfolk Navy
Yard, etc., from nov. to Nov. 81, 1861 inclusive,
~ days, at 81 per day. ay..'.''."'s''..".". SIG w
Jan. l3 1859. Reed payment.
Approved: JOHN P. HALE.
John P. Hale: serv ces as memsr of Senate Committee
| to investigate the surrender Of the Norfolk Navy
| Yard, e,o., from November 10 November 81. inou
sive, 10 days at e6 per Sl9e on
Mileage. 5s9 miiss At 10 0ssnIs'",..""",... Iuj eu
ss33 Gu
We do not know what is the custom in regard
to paying Senators eight dollars per day for ser.
vices as members of committees of investiga.
tion. But it is certainly proper to suggest the
Inquiry, and that 70 the end that If such Gus
tom exists, Il may be at once discontinued
The small leaks must be stopped If the ship Is
TO be saved. There are terrible stories told of
hospital frauds, in the way of fuel, amounting
in gross to large sums, aud lhese in the city OF
Washington. There are accounts Of robberies
of army stores, charges of corruption in the
purchase of supplies of every kind, and there
is universal conviction thsts large percentage
Of the great exoense of the war goes 10 the
pockets Of robbers. But II Cabinet officers ant
Generals set the example. and Senators snC
Representatives pocket email sums which fall il
their way, what Can be expected?