, 1862-08-16


We find The following paragraph in tho
Washington correspondence Of the Cmcin-
natl Gazette:
*tB1enker,s 9uartermaster said today. that there
WIS probability ttat Blenker woqld be sent ont |
The statement Is not fully credited here"
B1enkefs division, having become totally |
demorMized by reason Of his OWL rascalltJ,
has been broken up, and the separate regi-
ments incorporated with other divisions in
Gen. Siggls corps The last news given
to the public concerning Blenker was that
he had absented himself from the army to
avoid conrt martial This, whether true |
OF not, vas certainly within the range OF |
probabilities But there are other facts |
concerning Blenker which may serve to
point moral and adorn tale.
On the ffty-third page Of the second re-
port Of the Committee On Government
Contracts We find chapter On Suffers
in the Army" and OF the 503d page Of the
same report We find the sworn testimony
Of Louis B1enker concerning the subject
matter under investigation. The teshmo-
Of several suffers in Blenker's division is
also printed in the volume. The facts are
established, not only by the suffers them
selves, bus by Blenkers OWL admission,
that he {BlenkeD levied tax Of $1oo per
month on each Of the eutlezs in his divis-
ion, in direct violation Of law, and in de-
farce Of the Army Regulations, and cppro-
priated the money to his own use. Thus
$1,000 per month Was stolen by an officer
wearing the uniform Of Brigadier Gen
cra1, from the soldiers placed under his
command, for Of COURSE the suffers, in
order to make themselves whole, were
obliged to swindle their customers to an
equal amount Blcnker tried to make i.
appear that he had to support lot o.
seedy bRrons from Germany sin the style
to which they were accustomed" !" and tina
heexpended the proceeds Of the traudulen
sutler tax in champagne, cigars, canya!
back ducks and other gcntlemanly com
forts for these broken down adventurers
This was pretense OF course-a lie t.
cover fraud-but whether true or false, ]
was equally theft, equally in violation 9
law ,'and equally deserving Of punishment
The facts above narrated were long ag
known, and honest men wondered how q
officer could be guilty Of such fragrant IN
bigh-handed misdemeanor and still be II
tanned in command Of ten thousand 30
diers. But Blenker was not yet confirmed
and 1t was deemed impossible that th
Senate would award its approval Of h
acts by advising and consenting to his 81
pointmcnt. The Committee on Militia
Affairs Investigated his case diligently ar
thoroughly, and finally reported again
him. Accordingly, On the last day Of Il
session, the GenaM confirmed Bzenke,
But the chapter does not end here. Co
gess had limited the number Of Brigade
to two hundred, and the two hundred h,
already been confirmed. Blenker's mar
was the two hundred and first on the Ii
But shis commission dates back to Augu
1861, (his appointment having been ma
during the recess Of Congress), he m,
inevitably crowd ont somebody else, a
it is probable that he will deprive 30,
honorable and meritorious officer Of
well earned stars.
Such acts as these, on the part Of
Senate Of the United States, will lead !
people to demand ere long that the sec
session of that body be abolished II
will demand to know the names Of th
who vote to confirm scoundrels to b
erd rnanfnsfhfe Y,nnitione and %bor