The mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1863-1943, 1863-01-31

+ pable Of prO6ting BY experience. Dcfcat
3 disaster and disgrace follow al its move
ments, and Il pursues the same cOurs
, and policy as if determined to ruin ID
country L hss failed 70 rule crsdinbly.
Il Mr.. Dawse, q kspu0nc&G dsSoAGs+> &
} Congress from Massachusetts, and mem
Der Of the Congressional IDvsstieAtisl
Committee, stated On the AoOP Of tht
House last sum1er-and his statement
to this day stands uncontrolled, living
monument Of Republican dishonesty
that the Governmsnt had been pluHdered
Of eighty millions Of dollars by contrac-
tors and favorites The New York Tri-
Abune, upwards Of year ago, declared
that the cheating and swindling practiced
on the Government, up to that period,
amounted to at least one hundred millions
of dollars. The Philadelphia Inquirer,
(0N~AOn- Journal and N'e~- ~en5%E%NNs-
I Republican papers reiterated the state.
ment Notwithstanding these disgrace.
full disclosures, in defiance Of public Opin-
ion, in total disregard Of the interests and
honor Of the country, the Administration
has continued in Office and thus encour.
aged the scoundrels who have swindled
the Government Recent exposures dis
close the fact that out Of twenty millions
Of dollars sent to the city Of New York to
defray the expenses Of boarding. equip.
ping, &C., the soldiers, the Government
has been swindled out of fifteen millions.
OF every dollar paid by the people to main.
tain their Government one quarter goes to
the benefit Of swindlers and party favor.
ties. Not one cent has been returned 10
the Government by the convicted swim.
dlers. Cameron, the prince Of thieves
end the bosom friend Of the President
and the idol Of radical Republicans, in his
brief control Of the War Department,
stole from the Government upwards Of
eight millions Of dollars. and instead of
being dismissed in disgrace and forced to
disgorge his ill.gotten wealth, received
an honorable, responsible and lucrative
appointment. Fremont squandered mil
lions of dollars on pets and prominent
Republican contractors, and be still holds
bis commission and receives pay as Major
General, without doing the least service.
Secretary Welles gave his relatives ap-
pOintments, out Of which they realized i'm
mense fortuncs-appOintmentS not recog-
nized by law, and he still retains his seat
in the Cabinet. General Curtis and his
relatives have made FIVE millions Of dollars
by specializing in cotton in the South.
west, using the Government vessels to
transport, and Federal soldiers to pur-
chase and protect his goods. General
Butler was removed from his command
in New Orleans for his swindling specu.
lations; he has been restored. All these
facts are we'll authenticated and come
from unimpeachable Republican author
ity. We could gil our paper with SINH.
lar disgraceful disclosures, but the above
are sufficient for the present.
While the Republicans admit these
facts they excuse them on the ground
that in times of war affairs are conducted
irregulariy, loosely and extravagantly.
Do facts justify their pleal During the
nearly three years. war, begun in 1919,
while the Democratic party administered
the affairs Of Government, the expenses
Of the war wcTe but ninety-two millions
of dollars-that is eight millions less for
the three years than the mere cheating
and swindling Of the first year Of the
present National Administration. In the
darkest hour of that war, irredeemable
paper, history informs us; was never
made lawful tender between man aud
man, and the interest on the public debt
was paid in what General jackson al.
ways called the Constitutional cur.
rency"-hard money, Benton's mint
drops" "Shoddy contracts" and the
purchase Of useless arms were unheard Of
in those days. Our National affairs were
conducted wisely, efficiently and econom-
ically. Dishonest officials we're dismissed
in disgrace-incOmpetent officers speed.
lily removed. Honest men, statesmen
and patriots, members of = great, re.
spOnsible and patriotic party, admins
tered the Government and legislated for
the country. The dangerous plea Of
State necessity" never tempted them to
override the Constitution. They con.
suited the Constitution for authority for
all their acts and measures, and what it
denied they never assumed.
Let the people Of California reflect up.
on these facts; let them remember that
they have got to pay millions Of dollars
for the benefit Of corruptiOnists and swim.
diers-fcr money which, in this day Of
national distress, knaves and party favor
ties have been allowed to plumber from
the public treasury. So prOi1tgatcly has
money been squandered and so inefficient
" have affairs been managed, that no
perceptible progress has been made in the
accomplishment of the objects of the war /;
the rebellion, oil must admit, is far strong
or to day than 1t was six months ago, and
the prospect for its suppression and the
restoration of the UniOn il far less en-.