The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-06-07
Complimentary.

o-N6 offy WV ehN
TAscality Of Cameron, Fremont L Co.
Some are denOuncing, others defending
them on personal and party grounds. II
has been proved and it is admitted thai
Cameron is an irreclaima6ie scoundrei, &
swindler on gigantic scale, and encour.
r aged and assisted "graceleSs pack Of
thieves" to defraud the Government but
is defended and excused on the ground o.
Estate necessity" 1t is 9 very pretty
family quarrel as it stands, and promises
some startling disclosures before it is set
tied. A spicy debate took place in Con-
gresS on the 2sth of April. which was
participated in by MesSrs Conkling,
Washburne and Holman, all Republicans,
and is thus reported in the Congressional
Globe, official authority:
The House resumed the consideration of the
report Of the Select Committee on Government
Contracts.
Mr.. ROSCOE CONKLING IN. Y denounced
the proceedings Of the Committee. They had
proceeded on EE p0Tte testimony, in secret
tried and convicted, and stigmatlSed and hung
up 70 fostering infamyj and, rs a case IN point,
be said the Committee had privIv and clan
destInely gathered evidence against General
Fremont to blast his character MS 4 citizen and
soldier, at the time be Was in command Of an
army.
| sald the Committee had been auacKeo oy every
'>"'-F - --hh'- --ho bod hrokeo iptO ibe
! Treasury. and that while the Committee were
engaged in their examinations, he found by an
official document the member from New York
besieging the door Of the Secretary Of War TO
get contracts fur MS Constituents. TfuSyy SAe
member was pretty man to come here and
lecture the Committee as to what the Commit
tee had done. In further reply, be said the
history of the department will show that in St.
Louis alone nearly two millions Of dollars bad
been saved by the Investigations Of the Com
mittee. Twelve millions of dollars bad been
saved BY the Committee, or as much ~ it cost
John Quincy Adams to carry on the Govern
ment for one year
Mr.. HOLMAN referred to Mr.. Cameron's pa
tronage ~ the Pennsylvania Central Railroad.
which was enormous, rs exhibited BY the tig-
ures.
On the subject of arms, Mr.. Cameron had
made contracts amounting TO 10000. OOO. and
on which the Prutts would have been & ,5OU, 900
over and above the legitimate profits. Yet
SSe>SA.1 Ag>vekI aSs-- s-Sssss SsrntnA, TSNlneo
hSd stood up like . Roman-hke y breAkwater
against the tide Of corruption. Mr.. Cameron
made these contracts with mere spectators
and brokers.
Mr.. WaShburne declared that "the
Committee had been attacked by erery
thief and ro66er teho had broken into the
Treasury" Pretty strong and pointed
language, considering that Cameron, Ere.
mont, Stevens, Wade, Dickson and other
prominent Republicans bad violently "at-
tackled the Committee" Cameron had
given the brother OF Stevens contract by
which he had swindled the Government
out Of niaety thoVsdnd dollars, which
was equivalent to employing Congressman
Stevens to defend the liberal patron of his
brother. Washburne saysthat Conkling,
who " denounced the Committee" and
defended Fremont and Cameron, "be-
sieged the door of the Secretary Of War
to get contracts for his constituents"
and his defending the Secretary Of War"
is conclusive evidence that he succeeded
in procuring contracts for his constitu-
entS" and shared in the profits. We es-
pecially direct the attention of tax payers
to one fact in the above, stated on the
floor Of Congress by Republican mem.
Der and not denied, that tnelre millions
Of dollars had been sared BY the Commit
tee" Another astounding fact "On the
subject of arms" says Mr.. Holman,
cameron had made contracts amounting
to $50, DOC, 900, and on which the profits
would have been seren millions .fre hun
bred thousand d0lldrs, orer and ADORE the
legitimate prcfts." Is not the above suffi-
Gent to irretrievably damn the Republi-
can party-a party which not only tole-
rates but defends and justifies such match
less villainy! And yet men are called
upon and appealed to to support and con-
tinue in power a party that appoints ana
upholds such rascalsl And for publish
ing, directing attention to and denouncing
such villainy Democrats are denounced as
secesSionists and traitt rs. We are eds
loya" because We dare exercise the right
Of a freeman, and hold up to the scorn Of
the people the thieves and robbers who
plumber the Treasury, who are enriching
themselves at the expense Of the Govern
ment and are kept in Office and defended
by the Republican party. Look at the
black and infamous record, tax payers,
and then pronounce whether we arc dc.
serving Of praise or censure for our course.
If it be patriotic to stand up for villainy,
we are not patriot. Ifit be treason to
denounce it, we are u traitor and shall
continue to be one.