The New York herald., 1862-04-29
Shoe king Revelations in Public Job
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During the past week Congress has been de-
batting upon public contracts and contract in
vestigating committees, and the subject seems
perfectly inexhaustible. The debate was some
what wrenched from its original course, to-
wards the close of the week, by the speech of
Mr.. Stevens, of Pennsylvania, charging corrup-
ton upon the committees which were investi-
eating corruptions; and this speech elected the
masterly and crushing reply of Mr.. Dawes, of
Massachusetts,, Of which we have already pub
lshed telegraphic summary. In this reply
while completely vindicating his own committee
Mr.. Dawes developed the fact that Mr.. Stevens
defence of the contractors probably originated
in the connection of a relative, named Simon
Stevens, with ninety thousand dollar con-
tract under Cameron. The retort was Just and
merted.
1t is indsputably proven by the numerous
reports of investigating committees that the
frauds upon the government, since this war be-
gan, have exceeded by millions of dollars any
previous corruption in this country. During
Buchanan's administration matters were bad
enough; but since President Lincoln brought
the republican party into power official
peculation and contract jobbery have been
carried to an unprecedented excess. There is
hardly department of the government which
is free from corruption, and the War and Navy
departments especially are perfect cesspools
Of iniquity and robbery. Of all the public
buildings in Washington, the White House
o1o 10 from ha Of off, oil ori,
nality. On the floor OF Congress are men who
profess to represent the people, but who have
robbed and are robbing their constituents of
hundreds of thousands Of dollars. Upon mus
ket contracts alone the late Secretary of War
squandered forty-sx millions of dollars, and
we have no doubt that at least sixty or seventy
millions more have been needlessly thrown
away during this war, or expended, not for the
public good but for private aggrandizement.
Such sad truths as these speak for themselves
and require no comment. They must, how
ever, be put before the people in order to be
understood, and it is for this that we have to
thank the Congressional investigating commit
tees. Yet, although the people read and un-
derstand, they do not by any means appreci
ate these facts. A true and genuine appreci-
alton of gross frauds like those exposed does
not come with reading or reflection, but with
the payment of taxes. 1t will come to us soon.
Mr.. Dawes expresses this same idea when he
says that, by and by, when the bone and sinew
of the country is taxed to pay the expenses of
this war, his constituents will ask:-"For what
was this money expended We do not think
it will be q satisfactory answer to rejoin-"It
was expended to make contractors rich, TO re-
ward personal and political services, to sustain
decaying newspapers, to provide for poor rela-
tions." But what other answer have the govern
ment officials? Sixty or seventy millions Of dol
lars have already been diverted from purposes
of legitimate expenditure to enrich shoddy con-
tractors, to pay two and half per cent ship
brokers, to support Cummings World or Gree
ley's gun manufacturing Tribune, and to fll the
empty purses of brothers, nepbews and
brothers-n-law of officials. The very polit-
clans who have cried most Justify, in and out
Of Congress, for public economy and public
honesty are now as black with corruption as
the negroes whom they have so long worship
ped. The very men whose bitter and fanatical
| agitations have produced this war are the very
persons who are making the war an excuse
to rob the public Treasury for the
benefit ofythemselves, their relatives and friends
Mr.. Stevens is not the only political abolitionist
who HIS brother with a large contract; anu
whether or not Mr.. Stevens be innocent of any