The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1862-02-18
THE FRAUDS OF THE GOVERNMENT
mr.. Van Wyck's speech On the House.
SHOCKING MASS OF CORRUPTION.

~.
| .' ''NfiNf fth Lha "-gIm N2IsHs Df iIHh
On Friday last Mr.. Van Wyck, of N. ",
spoke in the House Of Representatives, on the
subject of the frauds perpetrated on the Gov
eminent during the past three months, AZ
ter touching on the cattle contracts, the case
Mr.. Cummings, which We have before refer
red to, the Cataline character. etc., he spoke
OF the.
. GENERAL MANIA FOR STEALING.
The mania for stealing seems to have run
through all the relations of Government -
Even in the matter Of the purchase Of two
saiIing vessels, two men Of New York, to the
crime of larceny, added the sin Of perjury,
that they might rob from the Treasure $8,.
600. In the case Of the Stars and Stripes,
the President of the New Haven Propeller
Company, after taking from the Government
Sl0,0 900 more than she coat, took Of that a..
mount nearly $4,000 to line his own pockets
and in excuse to bis company pretended that
he had to bribe an ex member Of Congress to
gain an audience TO the head of the Bureau (;
and from that institution an honorable, high
toned ex member of Congress, in Connect.
cut, had been Subjected to cslupny. That
Presi lent, before the committee, testified that
after taking $4,000 in profits from bis coun.
try, he was SO anxious to serve her in this, the
hour Of her extremity, that he appropria ted
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. The Department which has allowed
conspiracies after the bidding bad been closed
to d-fraud the Government of the lowest bid,
and 10y allowing the guilty to reap the fruits
of their crime, has itself become particeps
eriminis. Who pretends any public exigency
for giving out any private contract, without
bids, over 100000 muskets at fabulous pr-
cesa Who pretends public exigency to
make a private contract for rihlng cannon to
the amount Of $s00,O00
HORSE CONTRACTS.
Nv colleague on the Committee (Mr. Daw-
es) few days since, spoke Of the peace offer
ings of Pennsylvania politicians, and referred
to the horses of Colonel Williams reglm mt.
There is yet another case. A contract, not
made upon the responsibility Of the Bureau,
as the late Secretary said, but by his express
! order, and refused to be made until so order.
ed. | refer to the contract t. purchase 1000
horses, to b. delivered at Huntingdon, Penn
syvana Such horse market the world
never saw. Horses, with running sores which
we're seen by the Inspectors, and branded; !;
and It one outraged common decency, be
would be rejected, and an opportunity sought
the same LAY to pass and brand him. I'M
m 'diately the horses were subsisted by private
contract o favorites, at 90 cents per dav. and
they snb.let TO farmers from "a TO 60 cents
Over 400 of these horses were sent with Col.
Wynkoop's regiment, and the papers at Pitts
burgh report some actually SO worthless that
they were left on the docks. The remain NO
200 were left at Huntington for the b. n fit
contractors. In that single transaction over
$50 900 were stolent from the Government.
CONTRACT BROKERAGE.
The testimony of Mr.. John Smith, of King
ston, N. Y, powder manufacturer, shows that
IN the month of May he proposed to give Mr..
Weed per centage for a powder contract;
that he went to the Astor House, met Mr..
Davidson, whom he had never seen before;
inquired of him for Mr.. Thurlow Weed. Du.
ring the conversation he asked what Mr.
Smith wanted Of Mr.. Weed; on being told,
he inquired of Mr.. Smith what he could af
ford to pay; he replied five per cent; Mr..
Smith also says that Mr.. Weed asked him
what he could afford to pay. That afte.ward,
at Washington, he handed bis propositions for
powder to Nr. Weed, who took them to Mr..
Cameron. The result was that Mr.. Weed
was authorized to write letter 10 Gen. Rip.
ley, the head Of the Ordance department, to
divide the contracts for powder between the
States manufacturing. II is somewhat strange
that the Secretary should appoint Mr.. " eed
as his messenger to carry bis wishes to the
different bureaus. Mr.. Smith understood
that lie was to pay Mr.. Weed FIVE Ler cent.
MI. Latin also testified that his powder firm
de INJURED to paying Mr.. Weed five per cent;
tha Mr. Weed gave them authority to make
1000 barrels Of powder, but they preferred
having the authority direct y from the Gov.
ernment. He also testifes that the patriot
Dwyer, who figured in the cattle contract in
May or June. at Washington, told him f he
powder he could make; but LIlin declined.
TIE TREASURY DEPARTMENT
Even in the Treasury Departmes,-pure
and upright as l believe the Secretary to be
what business man could justify, or who,
ia his own transactions, would allow, tha.
contract of over half million expenditure
should be competed for by OILY two firms who
could combine or unitei it is no answer to
say that the work is done as cheaply as be.
fore the spirit Of the law has been violated
and the millionaire enriched; besides, the
products Of all the departments Of labor are
cheapened by the stagnation OF business. In
this matter Of the bank noto contract, as in
some Others, underings control the affairs of
the department; they say who shall approach
within the charmed circle, they say whose pa
pers shall be put on file, and whose shall be
gladdened 10y the eyes Of the Secretary.
GEORGE d. MoRGAN's OPERATIONS.
Mr.. George d. Morgan has prepared an
paper, showing tho benefits Of his
agency +, and rifles upon the fact that in near
ly every instance he paid less price than the
owner asked. We can test the strength of
his position by the Stars and Stripes. To
build her cos' $4,000; by her character the
owners realized $4,000 from Government;
they then ask ID 100000. Mr. Morgan pail
s55,0OO, $4,000 less than they asked but