The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1862-01-10
on the goods mentioned IN your testimony o
yesterday and this morning?
Answer [ shnnld think 50

Answer. l should think so.
While the investigations of the committee
have impressed them with the conviction that,
with few exceptions, the Quartermasters and
Commlssaries in the regular employment at the
Government as members of the old regular
army are gentlemen Of ample and equal Ca
.pacty and fidelity, and in the midst OF our mis-
fortunes have been ever jealous for the public
welfare, the occasional aud irresponsible agents
employed by the departments 10 purchase sup
plies have, either through want OF experience
or of integrity sacrifced the public interests.
Ii is proper to remark that in furnishing
supplies in the Western Department the COM
mauding General was peculiarly unfortunate
in the character of the men by whom he was
surrounded. The system of public pIunder
which pervaded the DEPARTMENT was Inaugural
led at the very beginning, and folloWed up with
bntiring zeal; the public welfare as entirely
overlooked and as effectuay ignored as if the
war was gotten up 10 enable mammoth. scheme
Of speculation, at the expense of the people, to
De carried out.
TO illustrate The importance of system in the
purchase OF these supplies, as we'll as the pru-
dence Of only employing the reasonable agents
~ oONNib'HSHt III cAVCuNUu vi IfuOliC tIuslS3
instead Of irresponsible Temporary agents, thro'
whom system of favor,ism could be consum-
mated, the Committee call the especial atten-
ton of The House to the purchase Of supplies
" Alexander Cummings, in the city of New
York, under he directloa OF the Secretary of
OF War. The purchase of these supplies, with
ont advertising for competition, was clearly JUS
tiiable. But the failure TO employ in this
business an experienced public officer, furnlst,-
el just ground OF public complaint,
These purchases were made on the spur of a
pressing necessity, commencing about the 2lst
OF April but at thai time there were in the
city of New York, at the head OF Quarerma.-
In and Commissary Departments, gentlemen
familiar with every want Of the army, familiar
with the New York markets, aud possessing
every other advantage which years OF exper-
ience could confer. Major Eaton, the Assls-
tant CommissaryG of New York, and
Col. Tompkins, the Assistant Quartermaster
General, at the same city, were fully entitled
to the confidence of the Government on the
score of capacity, experience, integrity and
p}riotism. The legitimate duties o! each of
itssse gentlemen have, to some extent, been
performed by persons entirely irresponsible to
the Government, and of, at least, limited ex-
perience, and, SO lar as the committee is inform
ed, without any public necessity, for the heads
OF those departments at New York have been
fully able TO meet any emergency.
On the 2lst of April, Alexander Cummings,
who for twelve years was the editor OF the Eve-
ming Bulletin in Pennsy yleania, and for the past
eighteen months the publisher of a newspaper
III H. UKo-TI -, M,r, Vory ,tft. os
two .etters fran The Hon. Simon Cameron, Sec
retary of War; the one apparently a private
letter, the other more official, after stating that
the War Department needed an intelligent, ex
perienced and energetic man TO assist in push
ing forward troops and supplies, and calling his
attention 10 the fact of his knowledge of the
railroads in Pennsylvania, says:-"with this
view, will thank you, in consultation with
The officers of the army and the navy, to assist
in getting vessels, or arranging with the rail-
road companies for the accommodation OF the
troops as fast as they are ready TO march 10 their
destination, and also to assist them in making
purchases or other arrangements, and to com
municate at the earliest moment any information
OF service to this Department"
No person but The Secretary Of War, seems 10
have been aware OF Mr.. Cummings peculiar
fitness for SO important duiy as the purchase
of supplies, when great business experience
and familiarity with the New York market, and
army supplies in general, were indispensable,
but on the 23d Of April, two days after Cum
mings was instructed TO cooperate with The
officers OF the government, the Secretary of
War issued the following ORDER
DEPARTMENT OF WAR, April %, 1861.
In consideration OF The extraordinary emer-
geRcies which demand immediate and decisive
mea sures for the preservation of the national
capital, aud the defence of the National Gov.
ernment, I hereby authorize Edwin D. Morgan,
Governor of the State OF New York, and AL
exande- Cummings now IN the city of New
York, 20 make all necessary arrangements for
the transportation of troops and munitions OF
war in aid and assistance Of the officers OF the
army of theUniied States, until communication
by mails and telegraph Is completely re-estab-
llshed between the cities of Washington and
New York. Either OF them, in case of inability
TO consult with the other, may exercise the au-
thorIty hereby given. SIMON CAMERON,
Secretary OF War;"
And on the 4th of May, Gov. Morgan issued
the following order
"ALBANY, May 4tb, 1861.
Duties at the capital preventing personal ex-
ercse of the powers within conferred upon me,
delegate my portion thereof to George D.
Morgan, on April 26, 1861, being then, first by
telegraph, apprlsed of this appointment
E. d. MORGAN.
George Morgan was relative and business part
ner of Governor Morgan, residing in New York
city. Governor Morgan seeEs 10 have regar-
ded this extraordinary aopointment as fran
chise, subject to be transferred at pleasure.
In connection with the appointment OF Nor
gan and Cummings to make these purchases,
the Secretaries of War and of the Treasury, as
is sated by Mr.. Cummings in his testimony
placed in the hands of General DIX, Mop
dyke and Mr.. Blatchford, FIN. York, $4,000