Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1862-11-27
A MoNsTRous FRAUD.
HOW The Patriots i'm Onicc SYM
phiiEc with - Bleeding Coun-
try.
From the Cincinnati Times, Republican

I much disappointed. They had a right t.
expect that during the existence of a de
vastating civil war, the politicians an,
demagogues would confno their stealth,
TO the army, The military contracts
, the rich "leads" Of the quar,ermaster'
and commissary departments; certainl
, afforded clbow room for the monster VIII
would not hesitate TO rob a country strug
Cling for its very existence.
, The shoddy rags with which Cameron
clothed the first army Of the Union, tn
developments as to the horse contracts
beef contracts, forage conatracts, and a,
other kinds Of army contracts, certainl,
produced evidence enough to warrant
virtuous and suffering people to adop
the opinion that the stealing, would be
confined during the war to the military
department. Intelligent as was this con.
cIuson, however it was erroneous. The
gentlemen serving their county in the
civil department have demonstrated that
they can rob the treasury with as great
nonchalance, and quite as abundantly, as
the army contractors
a splendid specimen is presented in
the department Of Secretary Chase, in
the bill passed by the last Congress, for
a solicit r of customs for the port Of
1 New York AS the bill was sent into
the committee Of commerce of the House
Of Representatives, it contained section,
which the Secretary spoke Of very ging-
erly, as "supplying a efficiency in exist
ing laws On examination it was
found that the provision was one giving
to the solicitor, naval officer ana sur.
veyor, one half of the proceeds OF
vessels forfeited to the United States by
reason of being owned by southern own-
ers, in whole or in part, and one half oil
other forfeitures incurred under the act oi
July l3, .lsGl.
At time when the national treasury
was almost bankrupt, and when Secretary
Chase had an army of workmen employ
ed in printing green backs, with which
the treasury was to be replenished, aud
at time, too, when the shoddy clothed
volunteers were crying for their pay to
save their families from deStitution and
distress, the Secretary of the Treasury re.
commended the giving away of one. half
the value of all foreign vessels to three
officials whose fees were already enor-
nous.
Even New York was startled by ;he
moustrous proposition, and the chamber
of commerce appointed committee on
the subject, who calmed the excitement
by reporting that the Objectionable clause
had been stricken out. The opinion was
unanimous that no cause existed for, nor
could the Government derive any advan.
tage by, this more than prnccly gift to
three Office holders. But it seems the peo-
pie were cheated after all The cormo-
rants could not ct pass Il Q & iitering bal
The clause was stricken out Of that
bill, as reported by the chamber of com
merse, but after the subject had been for
gotten, was quietly slipped into another.
On the Goth day of May last, they got
an act through Congress supplementary
to the act of July -. 1861, providing
for the giving licenses in certain cases,
and giving the Secretary of the Treasury
power to stop goods in transportation if
there was danger Of their going to the
rebels, DC, DC; and the last section of
this act provides that 1.-The proceeds Of all
penalties and forieitures incurred under
this act, OF the act to which this is suppli-
mentaly, shall be distributed" as provid-
ed by section 81 Of the act of March .,
1899, which distributes half of them
between the collector, naval officer and
surveyor.
Thus this great fraud upon the people
was stamped with the legality OF con-
gressional enactment. These three of
iicegs of the port of New York are now
sharing equally with the United States
the proceeds OF al forfeited We, sells sold in
that port. The amount is already enor-
nous, and if the war continues to the
end of Lincoln's term, the three gentle
men will each be an Astor in wealth.
We wish the public to bear in mind
this monstrous, thieving proposition was
officially recon mended to Congress by a
member of the Cabinet, as a measure to
correct "a defect in existing laws" He,
of course, knew its purpose, and it must
have been through his influence that the
measure was afterward smuggled through
under another name. 1t comes the near
est to Cameron's shoddy contracts of
anything we have seen. We agree with |
the New York Times republican in this
declaration:
1--WE do not hesitate to say that who
ever was guilty of that act ought to be
at once removed from any office he may
hold. He is dishonest minded man"
Such facts as these develop the real
causes Of the prolongation of the war
The peoples servants are unfaithful to
to their trust. The misery of the people,
the very misfortunes of the country is
their gain, The people groan and the
Office holders steal, and the louder the
groans the heavier the theft We hope
the day is not far distant when rctribulion
will come when plundered people will
bring these sordid wretches to justice.
"Tnans whats the Matter"
We have at last found the true organ
of this popular phrase, in the following,
clipped from an exchange. 1t is too good
to be lost:
A friend Of ours, who had been absent
all winter, returning few days since,
called upon an estimable lady friend. He
wGS surprised to find her confined to sick
bed. After the first solutions were over,
our friend remarked "Why, Mrs. u
what is the matter?" Quickly reachinp