Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1862-06-25
EBENsBURG, PA WEDNESDAY,, JUNE. 25, 1862.

of Pennsylvania over which supplies are 10
be shipped, and he is invested with the con-
troll of $4,000, COO tn purchase equipments
for our army and charter vessels for trans
porting troops and supplies. lie takes no
oath, and gives no bond"
Such a system of public policy
must lead inevitably 90 personal favorit;sm
at the public expense, the corruption of the
public morals, and a ruinous prJfiigacy in
the expenditure of the public Treasury, or
ganizing an army of sappers ond miners
whose covert assaults on the nation would
scarcely be less effective than the open as
saults of its tTaitorUus enemies"
Again, on this subject:
Can the Secretary Of War pretend that
the national peril and the necessity for i'm
mediate actio1 justified these responsible ex-
penditures Of the public money with no set
[ ucmcnt for four months afterwards. even If
:here had been no responsible and eXperi~
cnccd public officers in New York 70 perform
/ the duties ~
On the subj ct Of buying arms. rs con
I dGctei by the late Secretary Of War, the
Committee state a loss Of over ninety thousaI 4
dollars to the Government In one transaction.
+ and Say:
.sNo Government that ever has existed
I can sustain itself with such inprovidence in
J the management Of its affairs "
( In regard to the purchase Of horses and
/ wagons for the public service the committee
sum up as follows:
1t appears from all the evidence which
| IS detailed ia the record of evidence accom-
panyiug this report. that the parties to these
/ discreditable transactions had perfect uu
derstauding with each Uthe-, and engaged in
a system of corrupt Tecuniary gains by
means Of acquisitions and receipts signed in
blank. and false invoices, 1T time when
the over-taxed fnluc,s Of tie Gov rnment
and the confidence Of a generous ard patri-
cite people demanded tie most rigid integ
rity."
Sir. in view Of this dark record Of atroci
Gus guilt. it is no wonder that the chairman
of that committee, Mr.. Van Wyck. in his
speech of February 9Th, on this floor, should
exclaim
The mania for stealing seems 10 have
| run through all the relations Of the Govern
ment Almost from the general to the
drummer boy, from those nearest the throne
Of power to the merest tide waiter. Nearly
every man who deals fr the Government
seems to feel or desire that it would not long
survive. and each had a common right IL
plumber while it lived"
Again. the chairman "a
While it IS no Justification. tle example
has been set IN the very departments OF TIC
Government. As a general thing none but
fayorites gain access there and none otier
can obtain contracts which bear enormous
pruits.' =. Tie Department which has al
lowed conspiraci,s after bidding had been
closed TO jufraud the Government Of the
lowest bid. and by allowing the guilty T.
reap the fruits IF their crime, has itself oe-
come pariirelss cri@slR'S-'
And well mi ght the able and fearless mem
her of tue committee from Massachusetts,.
Mr. Dawes in view + these revelations
also assert. a. he lid Iei,rr the House and
1 country. that 1" startling facts have come
I T. the uCtica Of the committee AMI to Tie
notice f the whole country, touching the
mode and manner Of the expenditure Of the
public money - that - in the first year OF a
/ Republican Administration. which came into
power upon professions of reform ard re-
trenchment. there Is inGubitable evidence
abroad in the land that somebody has plum
dered the public Treasury well nigh IN thai
single year as much as the entire current
yearly expenses of the Government during
the Administration which the people hUrles
from power because Of its corruption" Anl
further. that thuse heavy measures Of taxa
tinn which have been brought forward ul
The Committee Of Ways aLd Means w0uis
d" fall like dead pail upon the public, un
l less before them goes his assurance tina
. these vast and extreme measures INSTITUTED
10 rcs,lcitate and revive and Teplenish tht
Treasury, are not nicely for means anothe
D and longer. as well the already gorge
pockets Of public PlundeEers.'
But. sir. passing on from the evidence q
: fraud and corruption in the mismanaEemen
= Of our public affairs. as furnished 10y III
6 proceedings OF this House. | proceed {
: other fields. The result Of the la5ors # thi
committee are before the country. and ca
10 no more in my brief hour than t. cz
# tract n few conclusive sentences Bnt IN
y ves,igation of this kind has not been Ccntne
a alone 10 this body. The other branch &
e Congress has had the subject Of otficisi d
/ lipoucncv also forced upon their attention
It I hold in my hand a report Of the Seuai
-t Committee on Naval Aff,irs- relating TO or
It sincle transaction in which the Grvernme.
10 suffered loss of $4,000. l real from i
J. concluding portions:
1T Is said 70 he necessary. not only til.
Pr i,.tice should be done. but that the publ
OF sbouid be satisfied that II Is done; and
N this view your committee regret that IN L
oi c:tv of New York a man could not be four
to transact the business for the Navy d
n partln5nt. out Of the family connection
,d the Secretary, for however pure and hone
or his purpose may have heen in the seiectio
a. it cannot fail to give rise 70 suspicious tn
ne other motives than single purpose to su
IT. serve he public interests may possibly na
of influenced the choice that MAS made. /
.r- time. too. at which this arrangement y
is made by which such \ vast iisproPpr'io