The mountain Democrat., 1864-05-07
THE MOUNTAIN DEMOCRAT.
P. Blair vs.. salmon p. Chase.


Gen. P, P. Blair. one Of the members of
ronpress from Missouri. aud brother tn
The Postmaster General; madr speech in
Congress On the 9th day Of Feb barry.
Which he withheld for revision: 1t is
nublished in the Congressional Globe Of
the I'd inst. In his revised remarks, Mr..
blair thus expresses his deliberate opinion
Of Mr.. Chase, and his administration Of
the Treasury Department. Mr.. Blsir had
offered q resolution to investigate certain
matters connected with the Department,
which had been voted down by the train
ed mai"t;rr. Esr!,A%s 80 Mr~Bl"~, OF
the same state, who denied that there was
ground for an investigation, Mr.. Blair
said:
II say that there is ground for il. |
say here in my place and upon my re-
sponsi6ility a. Representative that a
more profligate administration Of the
Treasury Department never existed under
.nv Government; that the whole MiSSis
sinpi Valley IL rank and fetid with the
fraud and corruption practIced there by
his agents; that permits to buy cotton
are Just as much a marketable commodity
As the cotton Itself; that these permits To
buy cotton are brought tn St Louis and
ether Western cities by politicians and
favorites from distant parts of the cOun.
Nv. and sold on change to the highest
bidder, whether he be = SeceSSionist or
not. and that, tOo,at time when the b, st
Union men in these cities we're refused
permits. That is equally tru. OF the trade
stores as they are call, d-mOnop0li. Of
trade in certain districts or cities III the
S nth. These trade stores are given tu
o litical partiSanS and favnriteS, who
8 ARE the profits with other men vi no fur
ni~h the capital, Mr.. Chase furnishing
capital to his friends aud partlSanS in the
shape of a pei init or privilege 10 monOpo-
lze the trade of a certain city or district !;
aud furthermore, il can be established
that the practice Of taking bribeS on the
part Of these Treasury agents foT permits
to trade, and for cUnniving at violation OF
law, is SO common that it has almost ceaS
ed to attract attention or excite CONNECT.
1t is the most corr npling and deinOra IL
ing SvSt,m that ever Wa> lnvcnted, md
has become public scandal. \" wOrId'r
that General Grant. i'll his remonSlrance
against this System, said, No hUnest man
could do business undrr such system.
am satisfied that. UPON Ilgid aud hon
est scrutiny, the statement have made
can be established bv competent proof
Asa specimen brick, Of the necessity
Of buIi"g these permits, in order to put
Monev III the purses Vi Government OH
GERS, Mr. Blair say:
Until within The last month a man
living in Missouri, twenty miles iIOm II.
Louis, could not get barrel Of salt or
-four irnM that city Hith"ut paying Tor n
permit. ! am told that II judge Vi our
Surcme Court, living in the adJ'irlns
county nf ST. CnarlcS, paIf for pcrmi' to
tahe picture OF Gen. Washington u III
home aS a present 10 hiS chld'tu. =
The peini; system has finally been
abandoned in Missouri, but the agents
ID officials wh" f,.rInv,ly spread the net
work over our dcs-'iatvd State. and pinch
ed ITS ruined inhahtants, still rtInaiu.-
These dep.nGcnt> on the Secretary, these
agents aud missionaries Ot the Prr>ldcn.
I'll 4>pIratI"iI> atc sui rXtAnt and receive
'hrir S1tarIc>. SOM ui ;irIn, ! SUPPOSE,
cmp,OV thcin~riv,> ~ dl>~ InInalihE Tat
strictly private circular "hi'h catne tu
iue the "thtT dAv, ~hich lntntn> u that
the iii,.t,l> OF Mr. Chase. hn have ="
t'ciln.v q. unc,d alt open rh Ht> to
brIus trr~ ~ald IA Candidate for tEc PrrsI-
denrN, nave nceu crrtV tnImIng an ar
gnniZarlun iti his favor nil ov,r the cuun
trV,anI WHich charges tnr \ ium lSt alton
Of NJ. Lincoln WItn r"rIuIIi"n. 'ue
k,tuN tier than the friends uI Mr.. Chas.',
at whose ,i'"r that CORFU tiUm iie>,aS thCn
ctt,mtS TO stiff investigated h, rr ~ pain
ly prove.
"lt l. a mattr 0f surprise that man
having thc Instincts Vi g-ntl man would
IesnaIn III the CaiIuet alter the dl>ciU-u
Of such an intrigue against the "nc Mion
he owes his p"Ittnlio.
Il presume Ihr President i, we'll con.
tent that he >hoUll stay; for rSc'y hour
that lie remIIns sinks MIN deeper III the
contempt oi eVc'y h"nnrabe mind.
These are severe charges made by Mr..
Lincoln's champion III the House against
Mr. Lincoln'E Secretary OF the Treasury,
We believe this all To be true, because
when such mrn quarrel We always give
full credcnce to ali they Hay each AGAINST
the other.
Mr.. Blair suhSC queutly Introduced
reSoiutIn to appoint Il COMMITTEE t" in'
ve>tigate these charge, against Mr. Chase
but II vas voted down by the tlends of
the Secretary, who subsequently placed
the natter III the hands Of a cnmmIttee Of
his friends. Whu made whIteAashlns
port [N. y. Meas