The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1862-02-15
Startling Revelation from Mr.. Van
Wick. "A Speech of Thrilling
El0GuenCe.

Wick. "A Speech of Thrilling
Eloquence.
Mr.. Van Wyck addressed The Nation
al House of Representatives on Friday
of last week, on the resolutions submit
ted by his Committee, in censurc of the
corruptions practiccd in the conduct of
the war. HIS exposures of the unmiti-
gated rascality of the men who for time
appeared to have supreme control of the
military departments Of the Government,
are of a character to startlc the country :;
and his words of burning indignation
must excite sympathetic response in
every heart in the land.
The speech is too lengthy to publish
entire in the columns of The Whig, but
we present some extracts, showing the
magnitude of the crimes, pcrpetratcd by
the rascals who have been fcasting on
the blood Of the country
TIE MANIA FOR STEALING.
This was the cloud no larger than a
mans hand which increased and spread
until the whole sky has been wrapped
in gloom, and men 20 about the streets
wondering where this thing will end
The mania for stealing seems to have
run through all the relations of Govern
ment. Almost from the general to the
drummer boy: from those nearest the
throne of power to the merest tide-waitcr.
Nearly every man who deals with the
Government seems to feel or desire that
it would not long servivc, and each had
a common right to plumber while it lived.
Even in the mater of the purchase of
two sailing vessels, two men of New
York, to the crime Of larceny, added
the sin of perjury, that they might rob
from the Treasury $4,000.
In the case Of the Stars and Stripes,
the President Of the New Haven Propel-
Ter Company, af er taking from the Gov
eminent $4,000 more than she cost,
took Of that amount nearly $4,000 to line
company basely pre- ended .hat he had
TO bride an ex-mcmber of Congress to
gain audience to the head Of the bureau;
and from that cowardly insinuation an
honorable, heightened cx-mcmbcr of Con-
gress, in Connecticut, had been subjected
to calumny. Thai President, before the
committee, testified that af.er taking
$4,000 in profits from his country, he
was so anxious to serve her in this, the
hour Of her extremity, that he appro-
priated nearly $4,000 of his colleagues
money to his private use, so he could
devise some machine to take all the
Southern cities, and no one get hurt.
Colonies, intrustcd with the power of
raising regiments, colluding with con-
trac ors, bartering away and dividing
contracts for horses, and other supplies,
to enrich personal tavorites purchasing
articles, and compelling ftlse invoices to
be given.
PURCHASE OF HALLS CAREINEs.
Another remark bic transaction was
the sale by the Ordnance Bureau, to
Mr.. Eastman, of 5000 HALLS carbincs,
an arm which needed some altcra ion
to be useful for $3.50 each. This
private sale was made at time when
the Department was buying arms which
had been condemned, and sent from the
arsenak Of Europe. After an expcndi-
turc of from rs cents to $l.25, they
were sold to Simon Stevens for SD so
then to General Fremont for % dollars
No wonder our expenses are 100000
dollars per day-Govcrnment sells al
$50. and in Il short time buys back at
% dollars. Or. Cummings bought 70e
of the same carbincs for Is dollars.
The evidence of Major Hagncr show.
that Mr.. Stevens was an agent or aid Of
General Fremont. This Mr.. Stevens
denies. However, the relation was of ;
warm personal character. He had pro.
badly just left him with instructions t.
purchase. His despatch to Fremont
was just such as an agent would send
or one who had the assurance of the
necessities of the West, and that the
arms would be taken. At all events
the bargain was an unconscionable one
whereby Stevens was to make abou
$4,000 in one day, without mourning
any Or investing any capital.
CAMERON CHARGED WITH OFFICIAL
FALsEHooD ABOUT CONTRACTS.
There is vet another coSn A con.
tract, not made upon tho responsibility
of the Bureau, as the late Secretar,
said, but by has cypress order, ant
refused to be made until so ordered
refer to the contract to purchase ont
thousand horses, to be delivered at Hun
tingdon, Pennsylvania. Such horse
market the world never saw. The frs
inspec,or-an honest man-of the frs
hundred rejected three in five. The
next day owners refused to present
themselves, and by some legerdemain h
was removed and others substituted
then horses of all ages, from two t,
thirty; of all diseases and defects, secre
and open, were from day to day received
The whole neighborhoOd were in arms
The people demonstrated. Lawyers anc
clergymen were present at the inspec
tion, and sought to deter the buccan
nceriug crew by open condemnation tn
inspectors needed not this clamor, bu
ordered the horses to be ridden upol
the crowd, to drive them away,
possible.