Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1862-03-26
The Truth Fifty Spoken.

editorial celsmns of the Sunbury Gazette
(Den.,) contains so much truth, so much good
sense and so justly rebukes certain class of
rebel sympathizers and dishonest politicians,
we transfer it to our columns Coming As it
does, too, from the pen of life long Demo
crat, it should have double weight and infu
ence with all thinking and honest readers
But to the article -
" Had it not been for the frauds committed
in the army contracts, by speculators who
rushed to the fleeing of the government from
all quarters and from all parties, our Breck-
inridge cotemporaries would have very little
to pat in their columns. They will publish
NO articles supporting the government; they
will insert nothing that may encourage the
President in the performance of his duty
they can find no room for anything that looks
like denunciation of the rebellion; they have
too great regard for Floyd to pitch into h i'm;
too much respect for Davis, an old party lead
er, to give him his deserts and too tender
feeling for Breekinridge, their late standard
bearer, to publish his proper pedigree; the
Union victories appear to be distasteful, so
they say as little about them rs possible; but
the army frauds, the army frauds what
would they do without them?
1t seems to be the special business of these
newspapers now to prove that the present
Administration is as rascallY as was the last,
and by proving that they think they can es-
tablish their claim to a reinstatemeRtinp power
But they appear not TO comprehend the fact
that the reputation of an Administration is
not materially damaged by the misconduct of
those under it. 1t is the encouragement or
eonceament of such misconduct, as was the
case in the Buchanan Administration, that
produces the damaging effect. Amy princi-
pal may be unfortunate enough to employ
dishonest agent; bat the principal can be
considered as bad the agent only when he
conceals or approves Of his dishonesty.
In the present war a most extraordinary
was presented for the com mmisson
of frauds. A great army and navy had to be
created, equipped, and supplied, in a hurry.
to meet an emergency. The necessity Of the
government Compelled it to employ untried
men, of whose character they had no means
of judging, and of whose politics no questions
were asked, as men Of all political parties
were allowed to participate in furnishing sup
plies. Frauds were the result But what
then Why if then the government had con-
cealed these fralds, through fear that il
might be damaged by their development, or
lHEouSH ulsuOntSt cOIlusl0n between the
heads of the Administration and the delin.
quents, it would now be as culpable a. its
dishonest agents. But we see that this was
not the case. The frauds were brought to
light by the Republican Consressmen, with +
the aid and countenaHce of the Republican i
President. The party in power might hare
acted diferently-it might have followed the
example of the buchanan Administration,
and used its influence to keep the frauds
from public view, leaving the drain on the .
Treasury continue unchecked until the coun-
try was brought to bankruptcy and ruin
Under the Buchanan Administration the fact
Of immense frauds and other reprehcnsible .
practices, in the passage Of the Lecompton
Bill, in the army in Utah, in army and navy
and in influencing elections and
Members by money, was dragged to lght By
he opposition, with those in power making
the most determined and malignant resis
tance against investigation. This is not the
case now, yet the Breckenridge press can
give no credit to party which does not wait
for an opposition to expose the dishonesty of
it's agents, but makes the exposition itself
This yenal press sees a chance of making
votes by crying 4" frauds, frauds ~ and with
that cry, in connection with taxes ~ they
hope to carry the next election"