The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1862-05-30


stating that was altogether mistaken when
said that these contracts had been made.
Sir, the distinguished gentleman from Penn.
sylvania, the chairman of the Committee oi
Ways and Means, says .talsus IN uno, .}alSus an
omnibus. l wish to quote these two things to-
gether, and let my friend from Pennsylvania
answer them in the light of the principle which
he has laid down.
HORSE CONTRACTS A HEALING sALvE-THE EF-
FEET OF AN EXPENSIVE FEAST UPON con-
GREssIoNAL BRAINS.
| submit then that the charge of expending
the public money as a reason why this Commit
tee Should be discharged comes with ill grace
from the quarter from whence it comes. Why,
sir, who docs not know, what all the papers
stated, that political feuds were healed by horse
contracts and that the healing of them was eel
ebrated by great feast? | have once alluded
to it myself l am able now to state more par
tlcularly the details of the affair. 1t took four
horse contracts, each for one thousand horses, to
settle these political feuds and every of these
contracts cost the Government $780, ,000-
S400, 900 in four horse contracts; and let me
tell you, Mr.. Speaker, that some of them were
in mems names who did not know of it until
the contracts were made. II does not need to
he told to gentlemen who know so much about
the way things are done we do here in this
House, why it is and for whose benefit il is that
large contracts are made in mems names with
out their knowing anything about it. My dis
tinguished friend from Pennsylvania (bIr. Ste
vens) who, in the discharge of what appeared
TO be high duty, protested against such man
as Simon Cameron going into the Cabinet, the
papers say, graced that feast with his presence,
and that these persons were, over this enter
tainment, celebrating the restoration of harmo-
ny among old political antagonists, and some of
them certainly knew the consideration. 1t seems
to me that the 100000 should be saved to the
Treasury somehow or other. 1t is a poor ex-
penditure of the public money just at this time
when it is used for no better purpose than to
heal political feuds. These gentlemen enjoyed
themselves, the papers told us.
Mr.. Stevens.-In his remarks about the horse
contracts, does the gentleman refer to anything
contained in the report of the Committee!
MIR. Dawes.-No, sir; not to anything pub
lishcd i'll the report. | am speaking now of
what is known to everybody. 1t did not take
even the poor Van Wyck Committee to find it
out Uaughtcr.) The parties fell out over ore
of these arrangements and told of it; and |
have only to say that at that particular time
there was, according to the newspapers, great
harmony among these men. do not know
whether the gentleman from Pennsylvania on
my left, NIr. Moorehead was there or not.
MIR. MooREHEAD INDIGNANT.
Mr.. Moorehead-I would like to know why
the gentleman refers to me. / do not wish the
gentleman from Massachusetts,, and will not
permit him or any other gentleman, to put me
in n talSa positiOu 7 wopt to know yybv ha ,o-
fers to me.
Mr.. Dawcs.--I did not know the gentleman
was there and therefore would not say that
he was there.
Mr.. Moorehead.- why refer to me at
ale What reason have you to suppose that l
was there?
Mr.. Dawcs.-Because the gentleman has a.
vowed himself at this moment, and under all
the lights of the present day, an ardent advo- |
cate and admrer of the man whose character,
public and Official l have been commenting up |
ON, and L thought that it was but natural he |
should be invited to such feast l hope he |
was not overlooked. Q4aughter) | have only |
to say that the papers describe it as being de-
lightful occasion, but [ remembered, and l think |
the country remembered, all about the antecc-
dents of these parties, and put the interrogato-
rics, ''why," and ''what for" and ''what.has it |
cost!" wonder that they did not sing as they
closed, those lines of the poet appropriate to
each of them
al know not, care not, if quilts in my heart,
but know that love thee, whatever thou art"
Illegal Contracts The cause of the heauy Tara
ton Opposition of the Plunde, ers TO the
Committe on Contracts.
Mr.. Speaker, have aword or two to say up
on the suggestion OF the gentleman from Penn
sylvania (AIr. Stevens) that he would move to
discharge the Committee if it were only in or
der. The gentlemans duties in this House and
the duties of the Committee have been of II diff
fcrcnt description. have no disposition to criti-
else this performance of his. / know the abl-
ity with which he discharges them. l know
very well what l encounter in attempting to re-
ply to his attack upon the Committee. l have
only to say that his abors and the labors of the
Committee are yet to be appreciated. When
the thumb-scrcws of the tax bill, which the COM
mittee of which he is head originated and passed
through the House from the necessity of the
times, 50 nicely adjusted shall bcgint to reach the
bones of the poor, industrious, intelligent men
of the country, and force from them SO much of
their hard earnings, to replenish the treasury of
the countr,', bcggared and depleted asst has been
during this war, then, fancy, if his constituents
arc as intelligent as mine are--and | have no {
doubt they are-thoy will ask him the question, I
and he will be compelled 10 answer it, ''where
is all this money gomez" They viii want know {
what was the need of putting out such lavish {
and unJustifiable contracts--contracts at such e.
normous and eXtravagant rates that the owners
Of them are willing to discount what is estima- {
ed at s 300 900 on q single contract, and then
save two and a half per cent. commission. {
They will ask the question:, and the committee {
IF which am an humble member, which has