Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-02-21
MORNTNGLEADER.
SATURDAY MORNING. FEB. II. 1858.


Astounding Exposure OF Pubic EAaANot
From the Philadelphia Inquirer.l
Ifit is any longer possible for the Peo-
pie Of this country 10 be shocked oy the
disclosure Of frauds upon the Government
thevswiu be utterly astounded by the re-
mort ofa Committee of the United States
Senate. The report referred TO is that Of
Senator Grimes, Of Iowa, upon the subject
of ships and steamers chartered to trans
mort troops and supplies. In the very out
set OF it the reader will find an account Of
the charter of thirteen barges and steamers
at Baltimore, that Will serve as an illus
tration Of the whole. In that transaction
3 IL appears that these thirteen vessels cost
their owners-middle men, as usual-S62-
283, and that they were chartered to the
Government at tbs rate Of S245, $50 per an
num-an annual profit Of 325 per centl-
Among these was rotton old hulk called
the Patapsco, which was purchased by one
Of these middle men for 81 200 and then
hired to thesGovernment for S85 per day,
and the barge Delaware which cost 81
500, hired for $40 day. The running ex-
penses Of this latter vessel were about Sc
or 81 day, and all the rest were the prof
its Of the culprits, whoever they are
These vessels were hired by a man named
Hall, who had q monopoly of the business,
under the direction ofColonel Belger, As
sistant Qusrtermaster General, and John
Tucker Assistant Secretary Of War
When it is borne in mind that 274 vessels
were chartered by this man Hall, some
idea may be gained Of the fearful amount
of which the Government has been plum
dered by his operations.
The m0dus oDeraadi was this: Hall, as we
have said was middleman," and
through the action Of Mr. Tucker and Col.
Belger, had q monopoly Of the business of
chartering vessels az Baltimore Nobody
who had even q coal boat to hire, could
get access to the Government officers ex-
eept through him. He was the agent of
the United States, selected the vessels, and
fixed their prices. At the same time he
was the agent Of those who owned the
vessels, some of them being his own, and
others having been bought by his creatures.
In every case he charged a commission
ranging from to Z per cent on the
gross earning Of every vessel chartered.
of course the higher the rate the more this
careful agent Of the Government was en-
abled 10 pocket. Thus in the case Of the
steamer Cecil, chartered of Capt. Rice, al
though the vessel was offered at Sj0a day,
Hall hired her at S75 and before the par
gain was consumated raised the price, to
the sstonishment of the Captain, to $50
per day. This scandalous feature appears
in every transaction. An agent of the
Government raising the rates on his own
principal to ruinous prices, that he might
get higher commissions Here again, we
must remind the reader that this man Hall,
who was confidential agent of Col Belger
and Mr.. Tucker chatered 274 vessels.
Baltimore, however, had not monopoly
Of this El Dorado" to the fortunate own
ers of steamers, barges and tugs, and the
lucky ones who acted as agents for the
Government. The Committee extended
their investigations to the Delaware. and
on our river they found the same system |
Of fplunder prevailing TO the same fearful
extent. Let our readers look and be
amazed at the prices that were paid out of |
their pockets for some Of the worn out old |
hulks, iOTmerly so familiar to their eyes.
Here also we had agents. Here also we |
have the sorry spectacle of men acting for |
the people, and at the same time acting /
for themselves in fixing enormous rates |
npon their own vessels, and all too, under |
the garb Of exalted patriotism.
To show the utter reckless and disgrace |
ful character of the Baltimore operations.
We invite attention TO the fact that in one |
case vessel IL the service of the Govern !
ment at the rate of $50 day, was en- |
gsged in running on excursion trips for /
the benefit Of her owners, that in another /
vessel was fitted up with bunkers, at the
Government expense, to accommodate the
private freights of some of her owners,
who were at the same time suffers in the
army, one Of whom made $1,000 in one
trip, that in still othercases the Govern
ment tugs were used by their owners to
tow private vessels for pay; that in
large number of cases the miserable old
hulks that were chartered at such mon
strous prices were go far gone that they
had to be fitted up at an expense equal to
the original cost, and that such repairs
were made at the public expense. Is there
another instance in history of a nation
struggling for its being so heartlessly and
shamefully robbed by its own trusted citi-
zeDs2
The whole report is reeking with sup
posed enormities. It is impossible to es-
innate the plunder. Millions will be re-
quired to cover it. The Committee CEN
sure some high oficials-they recommend /
court-martial for another-and they de-
mand what the public voice should echo in !
that such ill-gotten gains
shall be disgorged- That word "disgorge1
4hould be the universal cry, until Justice Is
lone the public treasury, and then It I
should be seen whether criminal indiet- I
nents will not lie against al these specu- /
ators on the eountry's ealamities.