American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1851-1863, 1863-03-13
Investigation or Railway and other
Frauds In the House.

SpeciaI correspondence of the Knoxville isegissef-l
PrcHMasp. Feb. "a. 1863.
II becomes the duty of every good citizen 10
furnish the Congressional committees now en-
on ged N the investigation of alleged frauds
in the Comnas ssarv and Qnartermasfer pe
parfment with all Information that viii 'ead
to the detection and punishment ct those
ou;l,v If peculafions Mr. Foose. of Tonnes
see. is chairman of a COMMITTEES whose spec,ai
duty If is to inquire into alleged abuses IN the
Department of Transportation IL IS s.ase"
that fraudulent speculstions IN sugar IN" mo
lasses have heen made successfui ny cnii"si"u
bet ween railroad conductors and snperin'eno-
epts- and the speculafors. The right OF pre-
cedence in the shipment of freight has bern
the subject of bargain and sale Constructors
and shipping clerks. have become partners
with the purchasers of sugar and maIasses 70
be transferred to other markets. quarter
masters. it is said, have shipped private prop
erty as government freight. They have even
speculated in our currency. buying the note;
Of local banks and purchasing goods and
army supplies within the Federal lines for re-
sale TO themselves at such profits As they may
fix. Quartermaster is said TO have horses
condemned and sold. and he himself. through
his agent, becomes the purchaser In pur,.
chasing supplies. blank receipts are executed
nv the vendor, and afterwards filled up by the
Quartermaster with ench quantities and
amount. as he thinks it safe to insert. Men
who We're p6nnileSs when the War ueB6Hs
have become suddenly rich.
The result is the universal decentralization
of society, and the next worst that could oc-
cur has been the depreciation of our currency,
scattered so profusely and expended so iaF-
ishly by the plunderers that people deem 1t
valueless.
These are the men who have. caused the
unprecedented advance in the prices of every
species Of property, since they can well afford
To pay any price that may be- set upon 1t.
These are they who have caused much
suffering among the honest laborlng classes.
and above all. among the soldiers and their
families. The man who comes out of this
revolution with more wealth than when it
began, will be rarely suspected of common
honesty. Least of all will this be true OF
Quartermasters and Commissaries, snone of
whom receive honestly more than S i62 per
month How many of them limit their ex-
pendtures to this sum?
Honest Quartermasters and Commissares-
there are many such among the multitude
that preys upon the country and army
should furnish every possible facility to the
committees which investigating charges
preferred against these officials. They are
conversant with all the details of the business
in which they are engaged, and can suggest
modes of detecting criminal conduct which
would never occur to those charged with
these Investigations. Letters from all p9r-
tions of the South are daily received by meta-
DeTS OF congress, ana ftIeITeu 10 THESE cOfn-
mittees. showing that the people and soldiers
have alike discovered the necessity for the
rcrutiny to which the conduct of this supply
branch of the service is to be subjected.
1t is to be hoped that the people who have
facts TO communicate affecting these Inquiries
will not hesitate to furnish them, and that all
who are cognizant of frauds in any depart
ment. whether affecting transportation -or
army stores, will communicate with their
Congressional representatives.