The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1863-03-27
Plundering the Public Treasury.

AH6 WV ooAAc treasury.
An administration mem Der Of Congress,
Mr.. VAN WrcK, of New York, JUS. At the
close of the recent session, gave another
chapter on the frauds Of officials. L, re-
lates only TO those in the New York Gus.
tom House. Mr.. VAN WYcK was a mem
Der Of an investigating COMMITTEES, end
from his speech of Feb. 23d, on the report
made by him, We make such extracts As
we have space for. We ask every patriot
to read these extracts, as followa:
In the early history Of the war, it was
claimed that frauds and pecu'a,ions were
unavoidable; that the cupidify Of the ava
iic'ous would take advantage Of the neces
sites of The nation. and for a time mus;
revel and grow rich amid the groans and
grief OF the people; that pressing wants
must yield to the extor,ion Of the bsse ;
that when the capital was threatened. rail-
road communication cut off, tile most ex>
orbits7t prices could safely he demanded
for steam and sailing vessels; that when
our arsena,s had been robbed of arms, gold
could not ts weighed against cannon and
muskets; that the Government must he
excused If it suffered itself 10 be over
reached Yet, after the lapse oftwo years
we find the same system Of extortion pre-
vaiing, and robbery has grown more un,
blushing in its eXactions as it feels secure
in its immunity from punishment, and that
species Of fraud which shocked the nation
in the spring of 1861 has been incl easing.
The fitting out Of each expedi ion by water
as well as land, is but refinement upon
the extortion and immense profits which
preceded it. The freedom from punish
ment by which the first greedy and rapac-
ious horde we're suffered TO run a, large
with ill>gotten gains, seems to have demor-
allied too many OF those who deal with
the Government.
The affair of the Cataline has grown to
he vrtuous transaction, compared with
the charter Of nearly every vessel since
The TIVE and half per cent. commissions
Of the brother,in in-law % the secretary Of
the navy have been elevated into gener>
Gus patriotism by the larger sums continu
sly paid fro:n that time. Some one sho'd
be held responsible for the incesssnt plum
dering. There is no more necessity for a
nation to be overreached than for a large
corporation or an individual 1t is idle
and childish. nay, criminal, 20 say these
things must be borne. No, sir ; tie GOV.
ernment can procure honest men in its va
rious Offices Of trust. Ninety nine hund-
reths of all the fauls committed are done
by the completely and connivance Of per-
sons in It's employ. And the ,vern,neut
must be blind indeed not to see The fact,
and worse char mbeciIe to suffer it a dav
Wha: good does detection and exposure
do if the who'e system still goes on! 1t
Is the certainty of punishment alone that
prevents the commission of crime. Be
fore 1860 we talked much, aud with truth,
of the cofrup,ions Of the Buchanan admin
istra,ion. We promised the people reform
and re;renchment. We believed the Gus
tom house in the city Of New York rss
source ofpo!isical power and political cor
ruption. | was opposed to paying such
large sums to the revenue officers, and on
the 5 III day Of July, 1861, Introduced a
bill to limit them 10 a salary Of about
$1,000 each, and require them to paw all
fines, penalties, and forfeitures into the
treasury OF the United States. Satisfied
that the Old abuses existed in full force,
on the Doth day OF February, 1862 NOV
ed resolution Of inquiry into various
matters connected Herewith, and IN March
last examined fifty witnesses. | regre;
to say that am compelled to differ with
my colleagues on the committee ss TO tha:
evidence, and the subject Of inquiry.
ATTEMPTS TO SUPPRESS THE TRUTH.
o" the part Of sonec IF them there has
been a persistent t9ort TO suppress haat eri.
dsncc. The motive inducing such course
| must leave The pubic to Judge. Oh
tanned consent of The House to publish a
minority report, ard to that refer for the
history OF the whole matter, ana the moro
important evidence touching the subjects
under consideration. 4 few DAYS after
taking that testimony [ went with my
regiment to the Peninsula. Letters came
10 NE from various sources .hat the ev;>
dence was TO be suppressed, So frequent
AID earnest vas the statement, that
wrote TO colleague on ths committee,
stating the rumors, bat received no aE.
swsr. Various newspapers have charged
that it was to te suppressed, and tha. |
was instrumental for that subjact. de-
sire to state thus publicly that majority
of the committe not only Interested TO
suppress The evidence, but that | should
not be allowed to use it Contrary to
their expectations, did obtain and use it.
Mv report will show fully the history and
result Of the unjustifable and unparlia-
mentarv course Of the committee to Sc
cure the end they desire.