Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1862-01-04
From the North American IAN Administration paper
The Frauds OF The Government.


ing has caused more pain to the public than
the report ofthe Congressional Select Com
mittee, Of which Mr.. Van Wyck is chair
man. That at time when the regular
revenues of the government had become
Totally unreliable, and She Treasury De-
partment was driven to the most extraor.
dinary cxertions to raise the means of
meeting our enormous liabilities, men in
high places should be found base enough to
increase our embarrasments by frauds of
the most astounding description, seems to
us depth of depravity disgraceiul to
human nature. These things cannot now
be regarded as standing upon any ordina.
ry basis. When the country was prosper
Gus, and i n the enjoyment of revenues far
exceeding its wants, the temptation to
amass wealth by means of peculation was
no more than what had always existed in
public affairs. But at period when a
great crisis in the nations history demand
ed all the patriotism of its people, when
everybody was ready to make almost any
sacrifices to restore the Union and crush
out treason, this swindling in contracts
strikes us as an offence of the most helm.
Gus description, and one which deserved
to be exposed as it has been, and to be
punished, as it has not been.
Public opinion seemed to have pretty
clearly marked out the points of these
frauds long before the report of the COM
mittec made its appearance. The afro.
cious and gigantic plunderng in Missouri
by the herd of spectators who congrega-
ted around General Fremont fully equals
all that has been said about it, if we may
credit this report. The financial manage
ment of that department seems to have
set at defiance all systems, laws, regula-
tions, principles and honesty. The horse
co n.racts almost everywhere appear to
have been so conducted that the govern.
ment has paid the highest price for good
horses, and had palmcd off upon it the
worst lot of old worn out animals that
could have been scraped together The
+ case of the steamer Catalno was early
ventilated, and it settled the hash of the
Union Defence Committee of New York,
which for time arrogatcd to itself the
whole management of the war. The re-
port of the Van Wyck Committee traces
this case to the reckless haste of General
Wool, by which he suffered the agents of
the Union Defence Committee to impose
upon him. The purchase Of vessels for
tho Navy Department by government
agent is shown to have put into the pock.
cts OF the latter nearly hundred thousand
dollars.
One thing in this report must have been
remarked by most readers: all the frauds
and extravaganza revealed are traced di
rectly by this committee to other agencies
than the War Department, But some of
the extravaganccs, we think, are traced
directly to agencies Of the War Depart
mcnt - Mr.. Alexander Cummings, for
example-Ed Gas.] And as this is n
matter of Importance, let us call attention
to the points of the report.
1st. The Cataline was chartered by Or
der of Gen. Wool, when he and the Union
Defence Committee we're acting indepcnd-
emily Of the War Department.
I'd. In the matter Of purch hasng vessels
for the Navy, the arrangement was made
! by the Secretary Of the Navy.
Sd. AS regards the purchase of arms,
the extravagance was caused by the prices
being run up, in consequence of the agents
Of the Union Defence Committee, General
Fremont, the Governors of the States, and
of various generals, colonies, cities and
me-guard organizations being all in the
market competing against the government
and New York spectators took advantage
of this to run up prices, and hold the arms
till they forced the government to yield tc
their terms.
4th. Everything done in the Western
Department by Fremont was on his owr
responsibility, and without any reference
to the department at Washington.
5th. The purchases of horses, mules
and wagons occarred in the Quartermas
ter Generals Department.
AS to the irregularity Of purchasing
supplies without the formality of adver
tising for contracts, there have been man
times during this war when that was una
voidabIe, and unless the committee shov
G clearly that in the case referred to the il
$ regularity was unnecessary, they must b