Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1862-06-19
FRAUDS IN ARMY CONTRACTS.

An article appeared in the editorial col
umns Of the Democrat, of the 9th inst.
charging Schuyler Colfax with ..legislat-
ing for thieves" which for mendscity and
bare-faced meanness we have seldom seen
equalled in the editorial line. The author
of that article certainly knew that he was
misrepresensing facts when he wrote it.
Colfax has never lost an occasion to de-
nounce severely the perpetrators of frauds
upon the Government. In his speech de-
Tending Fremont he uttered not single
word in defense of army frauds which
have been committed in the Western
Department: (and it may be as well to
state here that the ring leader in the
frauds committed in that Department was
a simon pure democra,.) but denounced
such transactions. generally, with great Bit
terness. and only defended Fremont's mil
itary movements. He has been more sc-
tive in furnishing frauds against the Gov
eminent than any other man in Congress s.
Not one democrat in Congress has touch
ed his pen to paper in the way Of legislat-
ing for the punishment Of such frauds. and
yet when Colfax reports a bill insuring
speedy punishment the democratic papers
censure him for it. The ignoramus who
penned the article referred to in the Demo
crat says. why not put the eristing laws
in force instead Of passing new ones? We
would inform the BOBBY that although
democrats have ruled this Government for
two thirds of the time since its organiza-
ton. they ALWAYS found it too profitable
to swindle the Government to pass law
furnishing the swindlers. and not until the
Government has passed into the control
of Republicans has Congress ever at
tempted to pass law furnishing such vii
lains, otherwise than by martial law
The Democrat is the only paper which has
uttered . word Of censure against Colfax' $
movements Of this kind: its whole article is
a tissue of falsehoodsfrom beginning to end.
and exhibits nothing SO plain as chron-
ic disposition to censure . politi cal orpo
nent whether he do right or wrong. In
conclusion we copy the following article
from leading exchange, which in speak
ing Of the probable adjournment Of Con-
gress at an early day. says:
"But at all events there should be no
adjournment till the Revenue measures are
perfected. including readjustment of the
Tariff TO the Tax bill now nearly matured
And it seems to us imperative that the bill
proposed by Mr.. Cofax. furnishing fraud
ulent contractors and their accompiices in
he public service. should become law
The wfetches who amass wealth by sup
plying our brave soldiers with guns that
are more dangerous to those that handle
them than to those at whom they are aim
ed. with shoddy uniforms. horse hair blan-
kets and paper shoes. with tainted meat
and musty flour. must not be suffered to
go longer unwhipt of justice. Grant that
but one contract in a hundred is thus
shamefully fulfilled. that is just one in a
hundred too many. and costs the country
q million dollars for every hundred thous-
and made by the swindling contractor
He is public enemy who merits condign
punishment. and it is barely less than
treason to withhold it. Let us have law
that will insure that his cowardice shall
overbear his knavery. If Mr.. Colfax's
bill. as reported yesterday by Mr.. Thomas
Of Mass. does not attain the end it seeks,
let us have better one; but at all events
let us have no adjournment until fraud
in the ful6llment Of Government con-
tract is made as perilous to all concerned
as it is essentially Infamous.