, 1862-01-31

I HE Hk tkNS4UE EAfE8B111UNs
The~e who remember the long, slow
r,ccks through which We continued 10 hear
1l,a: the great Expedition was still at An
na1'2lis, will helieye that whatever it might
Lao k nf completeness If outfit, could not be
Charged 1o haste Of preparation. Time
t.asugh was occupied, and that, TOO, By an
t.1ic*r WHO many OF our Chicago
rtadcrs will lot need to be told has
fsw equals in di*patchins business, as
(;;'' Burn<idc's railroad experiences in
Ills city prove. The Expedition
LII ahcr unexpected detentions. With
IT, facts already in the possession Of the
Ii; lie II will not be easy to persuade us
i::at trcachcry had no hand in this delay
Liza, traitors lid not do all they could
t:':ycr;ly 10 postpone the hour Of starting,
Aud with the traitors who acted from SYM
i3:.!l,y with the rebels, there operated i class
t,F men Who were aetuated by a far meaner
principle, whose operations in this war have
Ielt: practically, if not in intent, very even
1':.ce with the most active enemies Of the
{:.,ycynn1cnt-thc contractors
Between these two classes, were it posi-
lie q mctc out strict justice, some very
lrayy penalties would fall. We have in
::anccd already, ard that before the sailing
Of tie Expedition, the Enfield rifle car
t:i;iees solidly huilt un Of coarse paper and,
il':. proportion Of more than two-fif;hs, en-
t!!ely g"ahltss Of rofcdtr!! Some Of them
1inw lie betnrc us, taken from the aMmuni-
:i''a chests, at random, by one Of the prin-
k;l,al officers, Was this treachcry or was
it TIE act Of some soullcss contractor
There can bc no doubt that it comes under
lie f,7n.cr head. But from Hatteras, where
Ne fleet are just TccoTcring from the effects
e a fearful storm, there comes back d mes
ss:r tfrt:m Gen Burnside himself, shocked
si'*''::cnei hut not dismaycd ty the needlcss
evils inflicted upon him Tie contractors
2a.f ruined he. We know already what
:,,.n:c Of these evils were. He was deceived
IL too many Of his transports. Old AMI
iss~"aworthy vessels. too large for the pc
euliar purposes Of the Expedition, were in.
in:ncsly thrust upon him. One old
Steamer falls 10 pieces at sea. Others are
1u,1 ashore 1v their commanders. The
1;:.er casFs prove to have been for
u.tEiy used for kerosene, oils, and whisky,
mi t3cir contents are worthless The
Commander secs about linn the representa-
;ir.s Of sc.:!;ess sharks more cascr to re.
i'rcC t;s.m The Government 1he price Of
:.:e;r transports, than for the hum n life
s:.cr hear, and the purpose for which this
expedition has sailed Gen. Burnside Is
10: di=Acirtenc1 nor must the country bt
ii his behalf The actual percentage O.
loss is small. less than that which was suf
tered ''y Commodore Dupont. Enougl
material. and that too Of the best clarac
Ter. Yet remains in Gen, Burnsile's com
Iaaad 10 accomplish its errand, and til
wors. is passed But should not these ex
l'e1ieaecs, this thwarting Of the Govern
mcnt purposes. this cruel triaing with til
lives Of our soldiers awaken the last Of tn
good easy men both at Washington an
throughout the land to the iuminence c
the public peril: Is it not time to testil,
that public justice bears sword, and nc
IN vain: Is it not time that examples b
made, and that too irrespective Of rank q
connections?
The lenicncy Of the Government toward
its enemies is unparalleled in the history {
nations. The world may well marvel ,
it. In the Senate convicted traitor dart
raise Ills voice, and clectioneer for fricnt
10 avert his expulsion. The time be slou]
pass in prison walls he dc7otes to word
harangues and brazen defiance Of It
penalties he merits. What is This but
premium On treason: And what but
premium on frauds is it that one iutima
friend Of Cabinet Minister goes abros
with his III gotten gains Of many Thousand
and the relative Of another pockets /
$4,000, with only gentle and careful
couchcd lint that he should refund
When Cummings and Morgan 60 scot fr
Thy ciamor that lesser knaves he punishe
We are glad 10 note in our dispatches
Indignation aroused at the Capital, a
trust it will not waste itself in words. The
should he in the Government no place
ftveriiism SO high, that it can sccur,
Shield 4 traitor or knaye Two Inyc:
gazing Committees have reported 7
VAN "yck Committee have given I
people and their rulers partial list
those who aveprcyed on the public trc
ury. The Potter Committee have brous
in a formidable black roll Of several hui
.cd traitors now in Government paw.
tac face Of such testimony, will the G
ernmcnt refuse to ac1! The Hurneide
nedition, in its experiences thus far.
brought into view, too prominently to
ignored, The evils under which the nat
Etaggcrs. VIII the Government au