Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-12-29

"A communication appears IN the journal, OF
Thursday, signed y. H. VAJES," but written by
his paid attorney. he makes one allusiOn to US
which we will notice VAJES refers to the
fact that at one time mob imposed upon US
personal indignity. We do not know whether he
was one of that mob. At all events
he was one OF the patriots" who ap
proved and justified the act. There is an
old adage that reads, courses. like chickens
come home to roost" This is verified in yAJES's
case We did not expect that he would meet with
retribution so quick. but it comes with crushing
force. He stands before the community branded
with an infamy which treasury notes can never
efface But enough of personality. We haveno
personal quarrel with VAJES. We deal with him
as an officer Of the Government. in his official
capacity. He took an oath to honestly discharge
the duties of Quartermaster.
We make no charges against him, but upon
the testimony OF his neighbors he is convicted OF
prostitutng his official position to enrich himself.
He says the Congressional Investigating Com
mittee did not do him justice. We are informed
that one gentleman to whom he refers as not hav-
ing been examined by the committee. would have
given. il called upon. as damaging testimony as
any thatis published against him. In his card he
does not deny that he demanded and received
black mall a bonus, in the award of contracts.
He makes no issue with the witnesses who tes
tilted against him. He passes over the verdict of
the committee, who charge him with being pee
uIator, with the simple statement that he did not
receive fair treatment at its hands" Why does
he not question their concern for the public well
fare? How stands he before the community by
the record? The committee say:
So far as General Vajen, the Quartermaster of
the State, is concerned. the testimony compelled
the committee to question the fidelity with which
he had performed his duties. An objectionable
eagerness to make the misiortunes Of the nation
the source of personal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT is unt0r-
tunoteiy too manifest and would require special
report IT, instead of being officer of State, the
parties were in the employment of the General
Government
Could there be anything more damaging to his
character than this expression of the committeeY
And this conclusion was arrived at from the ex-
animation of only felc Witnesses, and after Civ
ing General YAJES every opportunity to explain
who was II contractor, swears that "VAJES him
self referred to the ten per cent. and to the fact
that the award of the two regiments to be
conditional upon the payment of that amount
VAJES swears that he did nothing of the kind.
Bot. cannot tell the truth Either VAJES or
GEIssESDoRFF swore falsely. The committee,
after examining both parties, arrived at the con-
clusion that GEIssESDORFF told the truth. So in
the case with JAMES SuLGRovE and JOHN REY
NoLDs Either all those witnesses testified falsely
or Mr. VAJEx is perjurer. All the evidence is
against VAJEN. Tie witnesses certainly had no
motive which would induce them to bear false
witness, but in the case OF VAJEN. his fidelity as
an officer, his integrity as man, and his business
position MIGHT induce him to vindicate
all by false testimony. Upon the report
of the committee. TO use their mild but
significant language. his fidelity rs officer
is questioned, and he is condemned for ian un-
pardonable eagerness 10 make the misfortunes Of
the nation the source of personal aggrandze
ment" And unfortunately for General VAJEN,
si'o Judgment of the community comedies with
that of the committee. When GenerHl VASES
has INDICATED his integrity as an officer of the
Government, and at time, too, when he should
have been honest, we will then, and not until
then notice his personal illusions. under the Co
yer of which he attempts but it is a vain effort,
to hide his official corruptons. The General
General VAJES) inquiries whether we "were
moved with patriotic impulses to do all in our
power to aid the Government to maintain its in
tegrityr" We certainly were not moved by the
'patriOt;c impulses which influenced General
VAJES. The committee say he "made the mis-
fortunes Of the nation the source of personal ag-
grandizement" Such patriots would soon de-
stroy any Government. and under the VAJES
patriotism the nation is well nigh bled to death.
Personally we have not unkind feeling toward
VAJES We pity him. We feel the same sympa-
thy for f. caught in the net cf the spider, and
vainly struggling for .eief