Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-02-20

FIVE thousand Hali's carbncs m arm which need
e. some alteration 10 be useful for 8 % eachN
This private sale made ~ time when the
Department was buying arms which had been
condemned. and sent IL. u the ar.enals Of EarUre
Arc an expenditure of from IS cents ~ = D.
they vere sold 70 Simon evers for Sl2 50;
then 70 General Fremont tor 50. No Nonder
our expenses are s. 1000 900 per dsy-Govern-
ment sells at - ~. and in short time buys
back at so. DIR. Cummings bought seven hun
dred Of the same carbines for Sl5. The evidence
OF MAJOR Haener shows that Mr. Stevens was an
agent OF MD 20 General Fremont This Mr.. Ste
vens denies However the relation was one Of a
warm PersesHl character. He had probably jsst
LETT him with instructions 10 purchase. His dis
patch 10 Fremont was Just such as an agent would
send, or one Who had the assurance OF the neces-
sites Of the West. and that the would be
taken. At all events the bargain uncon-
scionable one, whereby Stevens was 70 make
about $50 900 in one day, without mourning any
risk or investing any capital.
DEPARTMENT or THE wEsT.
There seemed to be no green spot in the Re
public. The gross frauds upon the seaboard.
by the Potomac, found a counterpart on the
banks of the Mississippi The contagion spread
and fastened itself upon the Department of the
West. a bevy of cormOrants gathered around
Fremont, who we're feasting upon the blood
they were drawing from the natiOn-mOrc i'm
pudent IN their claims, more unblushing IN their
extortOns. There, as heIe, sales could be
made with the Government except through the
medium of heartless contractors. There, N
here, none but special favorites could share the
public bounty. Those willing to furnish cheap
" and well were cast aside, while a hardware
frm-Child. Pratt 4 FOx--were allowed TO fur
nish nearly ST ,000DO0 without the formality OF
fixing the price in advance, they procuring from
the very men who offered to supply the Govern
ment, and at the offered prices, while they
charged an advance of twenty-five TO fifty per
cent. Men in league with Quartermaster Nc
kinstry and his Inspectors would first extort
from the honest farmer and thea unblushingy
rob the treasury. In building the forts at ST.
Louis more than $4,000 was squandered upon
proaigate. unprincipled favortes. TIese plum
derers. some imported from California, ard some
for long while in the employ and receiving food
and raiment from the Government, gathered
around the person of Fremont, and suffered none
too approach him too nearly. Quartermaster
McKinistry was the high priest at this festival OF
r5bbery and crime; man who had for many
yeas been in the regular service Of the United
States a man furnished bv the Administration
T. the Department of the West, which was sup
posed to be guaranty for his faithiuness and
integrity. Trusting. confding Fremont watched
him not closely do not pretend that Fremont
shared the spOilS with Child, Trait FOX, or Nc
Ministry, any more than for moment believe
that Secretary Welles shared the enormous profits
OF his brother ia law. Ii is no excuse to say that
the maguitude of this rebellion, huge in proper
ton, the impending danger casting dark shadows
over our national pathway and threatening the
nations life was justification for allowing the
exercise of unlicensed cupiditv. Without doubt
Generals and Cabinet ministers have bowed down
beneath the weight of increasing responsibility
but this reckless horde were undermining the very
ground on which they trod
ARMY TRANSPORTATION.
Another item of reckless expenditure was the
order of the War Department allowing two cent:
per mile for the transportation Of troops. and i
liberal price for baggage and horses. So enor
nous were the profits that the railroad companie,
in the West bid and paid from 81 500 10 S250I
to nearly every regiment for the privilege OF
transportation 1t is remarkable that the lat,
Secretary, who was himself, by long experience
and observation, so converSant with the manage
ment OF railroads, who reieiced in the contdenc,
of friend who was intimate with railroad con
nectOns, especially in Pennsylvania, should hav,
allowed railroad companies such large amounts
that they could lavish thousands for the transpOr
tation OF single regiment Trains not running
as swiftly, and sometimes with better cars
charged nearly double more than emigrant rates
Did he not know that each passenger entite,
to eighty pounds of baggage? Yet an extra
charge allowed for all transported with tn,
troops Thus thousands have been unjustl'
taken from the treasury not only by the assent O
the Department but by its express sanction an,
order