Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1864-05-11

! W WAS OHGuueu by the prevailing fumOI
ofbase and abomuable frauds beirp daily
practised upon the unsuspecting, conf,
ding soldiers, who were Volunteering in
the service Of the country. These frauds
were ofa multiiorm character, and were
practiced by unprincipled men of all
creeds and conditions alike; aud il was
not until officers in high rank in the vol.
unteer service were openly charged with
guilty participation in these frauds that
it was deemed the duty ofthe Legislature
to interfere.
by wise and farseeing statesmansbir
on the part of the present able head of tbe
war Department at Washington, proyis
ION was made for the veteran regiments
OF volunteers, then in the field, whose
terms ot service had not yet expired 10
re-enlist for three years or during the war.
Tending this provision of the War De.
parlment, two calls were made upop the
loyal States of the North and Northwest
by the President of the United States. TO
fill up the decimated ranks of the differ
corps and divisions of the army of the
, United States, serving in the field for the
suppression Of the rebellion, BY the lib
erality Of the National Legislature tbe
/ government offered liberal bounties TO
those veteran volunteers as well as TO
those who would enlist as new recruits TO
ill up the ranks of the old regiments in
the field. The patriotic pride of the peo-
pie OF Pennsylvania, so far from tagging
when the government offered q lqrre
bounty for volunteers, it was only slimu.
lated to renewed energy and oxertion, and
in few days after the call for new troops
was made known, the various cities. conn
ties, boroughs and districts throupbout
this State were vieins with each other for
the honor Of first filling up the quota al
lotted 10 each separate locality. 10 effect
this object, our citizens. in a spirit OF true
patriotism, opened wide their purse
strings, and contributed immense sums
Z: money 10 pay local bcuutics to such as
would volunteer. Your committee can
not refrain from rogretiing, that while
they commend the motives that prompt
ed individual contributions for local bonn
ties, aud the iaudible emulation that was
displayed by the citizens Of the different
localities to secure their respective quotas
OF men, that the money thus contributed
had been thrown into common fund to
the credit of the State at large, and the
Legislature had made provision to pay
State bounty to her patriotic citizens, both
veteran and recruit, who re-enlist or vol
unteer under the recent calls of the Pres
dent. If the mode above indicated had
been adopted, the necessity for such an in
vestigatiOn of your committee has been
engaged in for the past few weeks. would
have never occurred and the dishonest
shyioCks, uniformed and ununiformed,
who have disgraced alike the profession
of arms and the walks Of private life
would have been deprived OF the ill-got-
ten plunder they now possess; while The
so'l'icss and contidng but unsuspcctiug
soldier would have had all the Justice me-
ted out TO him that the Iiberality of our
government and citizens designe! for him.
But this was not done and in the tumult
OF excitement that succeed the rivalry Of
different localities to procure within the
prescribed period the supposed number of
men required, there were not wanting
men who, for lucre aud gain, were willing
to descend to the taseness Of tratlicing ia
their felow-men, sLamclcssly in the streets
Of the capital of our State, in open day, if,
by doing so, they could but put money in
their purse. This may sound like harsh
words, hut your committee hesitate not
to assert that no language however severe,
IS sufficiently teTse 10 give anything like
a true picture Of the outIages that have
been practiced upon the men who have
volunteered to deieTd the honor Of the
flag Of the Union, and maintain, against
parasites and traitors, that government
which has been consecrated by the blood
of true patriots and true men. But what
language shall be employed to describe
man wearing the uniform Of a colonel in
the volunteer service who could deliber-
aiely enter into a conspiracy with
brother who is a civilian, several officers
Of his regiment, and stool-pigeon out,i-
der, to sell the men Of his command for
price, aud pay those men less
than he received, whilst he, by falsehood
and misrepresentation, led his men to be-
Iieye that he was guarding Their interests,
and could coolly sit by to witness the sue
cess of his scheme, and quietly pocket the
proceeds Of his pertidy when the fraud
vas consumated? Yet just such transac-
ions have been brought 20 light by the
process OF truthful investiga-
ion. There is depth in villainy to which
,ome men descend at the first plunge that
cause common minis TO shudder with al-
right. TO such depth have esome OF these
descended, whose cases your committee
will lay before the world, although reluc-
antly, in all their nude deformity, with
,ut predj udice, or partialty, in the hope
hat the action Of the Legislature in the
premises will be speedily followed by the
proper department Of the national gov
with such measures of justice as
he nature of the case demands.
Your committee are unanimous in The ex-
preston of the hope that the most prompt |
means within the reach of the War De |
oartment may be adopted to purge the
eryice of such officers as have disgraced |
themselves by participation in the frauds |
lpon the honest, unsuspectiug volunteers !
,f our State, whose just dues have been /
ilched from them by those whose duty it |
vas to guard their interests with jealous
are and sorupulous fidelity.
THE FIFTY-FIrTH REGIMENT.