Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1862-06-25
VOL 9---NO. %

ate amount of the public money was paid
for soincOnsicerable a service, was peculiarly
unfortunate. The country was engaged in 8
war in which its very existence was at
stake. The ration had been aroused, and
was contributing men and money without
stint to defend the national life. vinGicate
the national honor and restore the riShtful
supremacy Of the Constitution and the laws
The energies and the industry of the coun-
try were to be taxed as they never had been
before and the pressing necessities Of the
Government had compelled II to resort to
new and untried sources of revenue. The
hut OF property and the mansions Of wealth
were alike called upon to aid in bearing tbs
burden which rebellion and civil war had
thrown upon the nation All this MAS
borne, and would have bee borne cheerfully,
If the taxpayers had seen, or been convinced
that their money was to be faithfully and
economically applied u the purposes for
which it was TIisei. But when they see
immense sums lavished upon personal OF
political favorjtes for small and inoonsidera-
| be services, cofi6ence in the Government
! Is impaired, public credit IS paralyzed, and
| the very existence Of the natlOn is imperIl-
| ed"
And in commenting on tlis alarming state
! of corruption in the Navy Department,
very distinguished Senator Mr.. HaleJ used
| the following strong language:
! When the country was taxing itself Al
/ It never had before. when IL was bleeding at
! every vOre. when new and untried sources
! o. revenue were resorted to, when you were
/ taxing the necessaries Of the hUmblest in
| habi'aEt of your land. and when the land
/ was siralning itself and all its citizens, and
they were sending their young men, 10 the
field and giving their money 10 the Trcasu-
! IL l. - :.
| seemed as if the very existence Of the na-
ton stood in the scale. doubtful which way
it was tn turn George d. Morgan, a meT>
chant Of New York, brother-in law Of the
| Secretary of the Navy, was receiving from
| the hard earning Of this hard taxed people a
compensation equal TO about twelve thou
sand dollars a month"
He further says:
| Il regret to see what mas been stated ia
several Of the papers, not rhat they believed
this was an honest transaction, not that Il
was fair one, not that it was one that de-
served 10 receive the appreciation and sanc>
tion Of the Government but the excuse Is,
| .Lat 1t i not half so bad as what hiss been
done in other cases; and have no doubt
that Is true. l have no doubt that if some
of the Investigating Committees go On they
! will find that there have been transactions
] CblnpGr 2u Win WHICH tb,ttD - ~ y I'll
sum and that 1t viii be considered ungra-
/ Cious TO call up one Of these petty offenders
that has only taken $4,000, anu deal with
him when there are others going OF siagger-
ing Under the load o. hundreds Of thou
sands.
You are about 10 call upon this people
! for large taxes: yeu are about 10 call On
them for = large loan, 10 maintain tie pubs
lie faith and to enable your armies 70 prose:
cute tuis war succes,fUlly. | ask You, SEN
tors. W1ta what face You can 50 home to
your constituents when they see this thing
which they all know and understand; when
they see that SO. eco have been paid for tire
| services Uf one man for less than six months
! sr a time Of such distress as this. and appeal
: yCur own people and ask them to come
forward ard put then hands in their pockets
. and their shoulders TO the wheel aud forward
this car ? Sir. l do rot know what other
: men may do; / cannot; / dare not.
= should expect the finger Of scorn from the
hut OF poverty TO point me out as reckless
and faifhles~ for being here member or the
Senate. in this hour of cur Country's peril.
. if l had failed TO rebuke proAi2acy IL the
. expenditure Of the public money. let It be
I when and where it may"
Again. this Senator exclaims, from his ex-
, tensive knowledge Of the management Of our
affairs:
I DO not know but l may over estimate,
I entirely over estimate. the character of this
e transaction; but l tell you. sir believe,
T and I declare 1t upon my responsibility rs a
J ! Seuitor of the United States, that the iiher-
tics os this country are in greater danger TO-
f aay from the corruptions and from the pro-
I fiiCacv prac;iced in the various ID parsInents
G of this G ,vernment than it Is from the open
o enemy in the field"
S Sir ! might here pause and dwell uPor
this terrible accusation, coming from a quar-
80 high and 80 fully entitled to credit. s
! hostile army has been for wear in s. Iht q
Z. this Capitol. Treason has usurped by "a
d the largest portion of the territory of tn
= United States: cur rivers have been turneJ
l. to blood: car mountains have become Col
e gotLs: our valleys are the burial uiaoes o
+, our first-born. slain in battle; the wall Q
u mothers. wives. and daughters goes up from
one ocean to the other a. the voice Of Rachsr
/ weeping for her children, and refusing to b
AZ comlor;ed because they are not; the yer,
- SIM above oar heads seems veiled IN mourn
in ing over 7he funeral sorrows Of this one
be happy people; and vet; amidst Of thes
- thickening signs Of national calamity. 1t
a. announced by a Senator who helped 70 plac
os this Administration IN power. and empha
:; ~ized by an appeal To his senatorial honol
n. that a more deadly evil than them all cam
~ binei Is low asSaultiug the existence Of II
b. q ,vernment-'. that the liberties Of tn
ve country are in greater danger to-day fro,
he t, e corrTptinns and from the proiligaC
as rractioed IL the various Departments of tn
u Ga=ernmcnt than Il is from lie Crcn enem