Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1862-02-15

went to the Astor House, met Mr.. David !
son, whom he had never seen before, and
inquired of him for Mr.. Thurlow Weed.
During the conversation he asked what
Mr. Smith wanted of Mr.. Weed on be.
ing told, he inquired of Mr.. Smith what he
could afford to pays he replied FIVE per
cent, Mr.. Smith also says that Mr.. Weed
asked him what he could afford to pay
That afterwards, at Washington, he hand.
ed his propositions for powder to Mr..
! Weed, who took them to Mr.. Cameron
The result was that Mr.. Weed was autho-
lied to write letter to GeneIal Ripley,
the head Of the Ordnance Department, to
divide the cont racts for powder between
the states manufacturing. 1t is somewhat
strange that the Secretary should appoint
Mr.. Weed as his messenger to carry his
wishes to the different bureaus. Mr.. Smith
understood that he was to pay Mr.. Weed
five per cent. Mr.. Latin also testified that
his powder firm demurred to paying Mr..
Woed five per cent; that Mr.. Weed gave
them authority to make one thousand bar
rels of powder, but they pleferred having
the authority directly from the governrlent,
He also testifes that the patriot Uwyer,
vino figured in the cattle contract in May
or June, at Washington, told him if he
would give five per cent. he would sell all
the powder he could make; but Latin de-
clined, Favorites obtained contracts when
frequently they have not the pecuniary re.
sources to fulfill them, and are not manu-
facturers of the articles to be delivered -
The professional politician or the retired
ex'member Of Congress, who has large
contract which requires much machinery
and great mechanical ingenuity, evidently
takes it as specul alton takes it to enrich
himself, or to extort from the pockets of
honest industry takes it to sub-let to
skillful manufacturers at reduced prices
The department which give contracts to
men, kn owing that they have not in and
of themselves the facilities for executing
them, are reprehensible, and deserve Sc
we're censure. What excuse is there for
an honest department to pension this gang
Of middlemen ? All the ill gotten gain
found in their pockets is SO much stolen
from the treasury Even in the Treasury
Department pure and upright as believe
the secretary to be--what business man
could Justify, or who, in his own transac-
tons, would allow that contract Of over
half million expenditure should be com
peted for by only two firms, who could
combine and unite 1t is no answer to say
that the work is done as eheaply as before
The spirit of th law has been violated
and the millionaire enriched. Besides, the
products of all departments of labor are
cheapened by the staguation Of business,
In this matter Of the bank note contracts,
as in some others, underIings countrol the
affairs of the department. They say who
shall approach within the charmed circle ?
They say whose papers shall be put on
file, and whose shall be gladdencd by the
eye of the secretly The soldier who,
borne down by disease and overc me with
fatigue, is found sleeping at his post, you
punish with death, while the miscreant
who holds his festival at this carnival of
blood, rides in his carriage, drinks cham
pagne and dimes with cabinet ministers
you treat with deferential respect. Do
you say government cannot Danish treason
and punish crime On the 4th day of
July, 1860, at Occoquan, Va, Mr.. Under
wood raised a pole, unfurled the American
flag and banner with the names of Lin
coin and Hamlin, jackson, the slayer Of
Ellsworth, with about forty men, cut it
down, tore up the Stars and Stripes, and
carried the banner as a trophy. One of
the ringleaders of that mob is this day in
, the employ Of the government in this city.
The laboring men who testify against of
fcials are removed, while the wretch VIII }
has been robbing the government is worthy
better place. Is it possible that this
monstrons system of wrong, extending from
the Atautie to the Mississippi, from the
J Potomac to the lakes, cannot be stopped
or even checked If that be SO, better
disband our armies, and let the oligarchs
of the South rule and reign over us.
MR.. MoRGAN's AGENCY IN PURCHASING
VESSELS.
Since this report has been submitted to
the House, Mr.. Geor4e d. Morgan has
prepared an elaborated paper showing the
benefits of his agency, and reics upon the
fact that IL nearly every instance he paid
a less price then the owners asked. We
can test the strength of his position by the
ctdlo anu oIiipo' l uuiiu uel CoSb CoV,
900 by her charter the owners realized
$4,000 from government they then ask
, cd 100000. Mr. Morgan gan paid 500
00O-fve thousand less then they asked,
but $40 900 more than she cost. While
with the Potomaka and Wamsutta the
owners realized $4,000, the government
paid 100000, although Mr., Morgan's
! papers allegc he was asked $50, ,0OO,-
/, bis seems the reverse ofthe proposition.
: The Onward was offered to private parties
for S2G 900 Mr.. Morgan was asked $50
900, and paid $4,000, Those arc not
the only instances, as the committee will
show by further examination, to which
they are invited by the secretary, and
directed by resolution of this House -
Secretary Welles, man estimable in al
the relations of private life, honest him.