The New York herald., 1863-12-26

are the scthal expenses Of the war we ques
tion whether out o. the aggregate from be-
tween one and two hundred millions may not
bc set down to the pickines and stealings OF
The government contractors and employees
Scarcely week passes tbat some huge swiadle
or deialcation in the public Offices does not
come to light. We are not such purists a. to
suppose that Immense military and naval ope-
rations can be carried on without occurrences
of this sort occasionally taking place. In the
urgency Of preparation for important move
mcnts such things are unavoidable There is
no system OF administration 80 perfect rs to
entirely guard against them. During the Cri-
mean war we saw proofs enough of this in the
enormous frauds perpetrated on the English
and Russian governments. Ii their modes OF
transacting Official business, surrounded as
they are with such elaborate checks and pre-
cautions. were not suffic 'ent to protect them
sainst these things, it is not to be expected
that we should escape them.
But there is q great difference between
losse. occurring N spite OF official safe
guards and those resulting from a syatein
which seems intended to invite them. AL
most all the contracts entered into by the
present administration have been given out
with TIE implied understanding that large
commissions and profits were to bc made out
of them. In the purchase of vessels for the navy
he principle has been consistently acted upon
throughout and the result has been to add to
it large number of vessels that will be ut!
terly useless for war purposes. In the same
way immense sums have been made by govern
ment officials ont of the contracts for the War
Department. When Congress meets a show Of
strctness is affected to throw dust in the eyes
Of the opposition, and some few of the deiin-
quents are made scapegOais of to save the rest.
But even in these cases the facts prove that il
is tho government itself that is responsible for
the losses incurred
Tho facts t'at have como 70 light in con-
ncction with the recent delinqmepcics In tic
Quartermxster's Department in Alexandria
show this very plainly. 1t appears that the
officer to whom was entrusted the purchase OF
forage for the army was allowed to appoint bis
brother inspector Of hay, while son of the
principal contractor filed the Office Of inspector
OF grain. The object OF these appointments
could not be mistaken by the War
Department On the face of them they
were improper, and should have been
instantly cancelled. That they were not
80 is proc! presumptive that it was intended
that one or more individuals should have full
altitude to enrich themselves at the expense OF
the country. We will not lay undue stress on
the fraud recently discovered in the Treasury
Department. The utmost vigilance cannot pre-
vent mon yielding to such temptations Us those
offered TO the deiaulting clerk Of the Redemp.
ton Bureau. But it Is fair subject for in
vestigston whether, before placing Cornwall
10 position Of so much trust, sufficient care
WAS taken to ascertain his antecedents. This is
the loose screw in official appointments gene
| rally and will have 10 be set right before the
machinery Of our government departments can
work satisfactorily to the nation.