Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1862-06-19

blderatlOn u seems, 10 my mind, That
righteous Justice demands the task before
me. The authors Of grinding extortion
from the weary hands OF honest labor are
enemies TO the human race, and should be
so treated.
Sir as carly as last July, when this
Congress first met in extraordinary ses
sion, the taint of corruption was per-
ceiycd in the atmosphere Of the capital
and a committee, since so celebrated, was
raised to investigate and TO expose. The
result of portion Of the labors Of that
committee is before the country in tho
shape of volume Of over eleven hun.
dred pages. The majority of that com
mittco arc friends to the party now in
power, and the evidence which they have
furnished is Untitled to full credit
w ould that volume Of it could be
placed in the hands ofcvcry tax paying vo.
ter Of the country Its dark labyrinths
of proven guilt ought to be explored by
every intelligent mind. BY the solemn
testimony Of this committee no branch Of
business connected with the military and
naval affairs of this Government seems
to have escaped the hungry grasp. of un-
lawful avarice and peculation. From
the smallest article of food which enters
into the soldiers rations, to the purchase
of cattle for an entire army; from the
blanket on which he tired soldier sleeps
at night to the vast Notifications for the
defense of city; from the pistol at the
81 LII 81, ,.1
breech he stands in the day of battle;
from the mcancst transport sloop to the
mishtcst man ofwar hiloat, every where
and on every thing we find the impress
of favorteism and Of fraud. The report
of this committee i, before me, and / sub
init few extracts in proof Of my state
ment. Speaking OF contracts for cattle
made by the War Department during it.
management by Mr.. Cameron, the com.
mittec say;
"We have here not only evidence of gros.
mismanagemcnt, atotal disregard Of the interests
of the Government and total reckcssness in
the expenditure of the funds Of the Government
but there is every reason to believe that there
was collusOn upon the part ID the employees of
the Government to assist in robbng the Treasury,
for when conscientious officer refused to pass
cattle not in accordance with the contract, he
was in effect superseded by one who had no con
sclcntious scruplcs in the matter, and cattle that
were rejected by his predecessor were at once
accepted.
with sucl. state OF things existing, if Off.
GERS of the Government who should be imbucd
with patriotism ard integrity enough to have a
care Of the means of the Treasury are ready To
assist speculatnS contractors to extort upon and
dciraud the Government, where is this system OF
peculation to end, and how soon may not the Fl
nances of the Gorcnmcntbe reduced to wocfu
bankruptcyP'
Again, on the sa nc subject:
"ln this matter there is mlcn evidence of gros.
mismanagement and culpablc carclcssness III
making contracts, together with a reckless i'm
providence Of the means Of the Government. Ev.
idcnce exists of large contracts for cattle having
been made without any advertisement for bids, or
any effort being made by the agents of the Gov.
ernment to satisfy themselves whether the prices
to bcpaidwere exhorbitant, or even eXtortonate." :"
Speaking of the employment of Alex.
ander Cummings by Mr.. Cameron, ther
Secretary of War, to fill an important
contract by which the Government has
lost large sums Of money, the Committee
say:
"AIr. Cumming had no general acquaintance
with business in New York. He had been news.
paper editor in Pennsylvania for twelve years and
had been in New York as the pubisherof anoth
er paper for some eighteen month. He was the
intimate personal and political facnd of the Sec.
retar. of War, 'and acquainted with the internal
arrangements and connections of The railroads of
Pennsylvania over which supplies are to be ship
ped, and he is invested with the control of two
illiOns to purchase equipments for our army, and
chartcrvcses for transporting troops and supplies.
He takes no oath and gives no bond. = Such
system of public policy must lead cnevitably to
PERSONAL fayoriteism at the public expense, the
corr pton of the public morals and ruinous prof
ligacy in the expenditure of the public treasure,
organizing an army of Sappcrs and miners whose
covert assaults on the nation would scarscly be
less effective than the open assaults of its traitor,
Gus enemies"
again on this subject:
"Can the Secretary of War pretend that the
national peril and the nee cssity for immediate ac,
ton justified these irresponsible expenditures of
the public money with no settlement for four
months afterwards, even il there had been no re-
sponsbe and experienced public officer in New
York to perform the duties"
On the subject of buying arms, as CON
ducted by the late Secretary of War, the
Committee state loss of over 800, 900
to the Government in one transaction,
aud say:
"No Government that ever has existed can sus,
tain itself with such improvidcnce in the manage
ment of its affairs"
In regard to the purchase Of horses and
wagons for the public service the Com
mittee sums up as follows:
1T appears from all the evidence which is d.. .
report, that the parties to the discreditabe trans
action had perfect understanding with each other,
and engaged in system ofconupt pecuniary gains
by means of acquisitions and receipts signed in
blank, and false invoices, at time when the over
taxed finances of the Government and the conf
dencc of generous and patriotic people demand
ed the most rigid integrity"
Sir, in view Of this dark record of at
trocious guilt, it is no wonder that the
chairman Of that committee, Mr.. Van
Wyck, in his speech Of February 7, on
this floor, should exclaim:
"The mania for stealing seems to have run
through all the relations of Government, Almost
from the general to the drummer boy, from those
nearest the throne of power to the mcrest tide
waiter Nearly every man who deals with the
Government seems to feel or desire that il would
not long survive aud each had common right to
plunder while it lived"
Again, the chairman says:
"While it is no justification. the example has
bas been set in the very Departments of the Gov
ernment As a general thing none but fayorites
gain access there and none other can obtain con-