Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1862-02-27
THE THIEVES AND ROBBERS EXPOSED
How the Rascality was Perpetrated.

How the RasCality was Perpetrated,
Report of the Van wyck Investigating Committee
Speech of the Hon. Mr.. Van Wyck, OF
New York, (Republican,) Chairman OF
the Congressional Investigating Com
mittee, Delivered i'm the House of Rep
resentativcs on the 5th of February,
1852, on the Subject.
Mr. Van Wyck, of New York, Chair
man of the Committee, said;
Mr.. Speaker: On the 10Th day of April,
1861, the world was startled with the re-
ourrence of one of those great events which
marks an era in the history OF man, brands
crime with deeper infamy and exalts the
virtues Of q generous manhood to nobil-
ity almost divine, of which heroes have
boasted and poets sung. The parallel of
April 10, IT'S, was complete; the days,
months, years and cycles peaceful and
happy nationality had borne the Massa.
chusetts soldier from the field of Licking
ton to the streets of Baltimore. For a
time the great Americen heart ceased to
beat. A national parylisis existed for a
moment, and then the people realized the
horrors and cruelties of this unnatural
war. The merchant left his counter, the
farmer the quiet of home, the manufac
turer's shuttle paused in its half-fnished
round, the anvil rang not out the hammers
beat; the lawyers unfinished brief lost its
interest; the clergyman folded his sacer
dotal robes; mothers, with the devotion
of Spartans, bade their sons go forth; the
wife pressed more closely her born
babe, as she gave parting, and with bl;s-
sings and prayers the husband went forth,
probably never to return.
The nation offered ur it's life and emp
tied its treasure into the lap Of this great
calamity; the rich bestowed of his abun.
dance; the widow gave her mite, an only
son, or tear sanctifed with prayers. Not
one Of us can forget it. History, in after
times, will record this the nob)est moral
exhibition of true courage the world has
ever witnessed Scarce whisper of trea-
son or murmur of discomfort in all the
North, yet many of those who made the
welkin ring for truth and liberty, who pro-
fessed to worship the true God, were ready
to cry out "Grcat is Diana of the Epho-
sians!' hoping to cruelty the spirit of
freedom.
There were others, meaner, baser, still,
only watching the opportunity to make
merchandise of their country's mislor-
tunes, coin the 6, ief Of the nation into
currency, and peril her institutions, if it
could minister to their base cupidty.-
One class commenced secretly sending
intelligence to the rebels; the other rem
dered to them no less valuable assistance
by conspising to defraud the people and
the Government. Almost the same in
stant harpies beseged the Treasury here,
and the vultures in the North snulled the
spoils afar off.
While the bridges destroyed by the
rebels were yet smoking in ruins, before
the regiments impeded by their destruction
could reach the capital, the sappers ana
miners who knew the trembling necessities
of the nation commenced the assault. 1t
has been said that in the panic of those
times, watchiuness on the part of public
officers should not be required, and the
larcenies Of plundering hords should be
overlooked.
CATTLE CONTRACT.
About the time the New York Seventh.
pride Of the Empire State, composed of
the best of her citizen soldiery, of men
of wealth, high family position, educa-
ton, enjoying the confidence Of the COM
munity in all the relations of life, with
the Massachusetts, Sixth, a regiment rep
resenting the intelligence and business
occupation of that wonderful State, side
by side were fording streames, building
bridges, laying railroad tracks, sleeping
on the untented field-and, when hunger
was pressing on them, the Seventh divided
their last store of bacon and hard biscuit
with the gallant men Of the SiXth-a
contract was made in this city by the de-
partment with Dwyer, Laughman, Sib
ley & Tyler, for cattle, from two to ten
thousand, at eight dollars per hundred,
live weight, delivered here, and five and
three quarters in Pennsylvania. What
facilities had Dwyer & Co. for transpor.
tation which the Government did not
possess?
Government could lay its strong arms
upon railroads and use them; could plant
its gathering armies to guard :he bridge
and track. AT that very time an agent
was sent by the Department into Mary
land, who, without difficulty, purchased
cattle to be delivered in Washington at
six dollars and a half per hundred, live
weight. Besides, direct navigation with
New York was not obstructed by the
Potomac. Still more, if the danger of
transportation through Maryland was an
excuse for this contract big with profits,
why provision that a portion should
be delivered in Pennsylvania if the De-
partment desired, and why were nearly
fifteen hundred received in Harrisburg,
while scarcely eight hundred were de-
livered in Washington? Notwithstand-
ing the lions in the way, Dwyer & Co.,
Immediately sub-lct the contract to New
York men, SO that without any hazard
or perils they realized over thirtytwo
thousand dollars on about two thousand
head. They had no difficulty during the
panic of those times in making this con-
tract; why should the Government have
found any?
There is no pretense that either of these
men had any special COURAGE in Oyercom-