The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-12-30

We have heard of the ago of stone, the
age of brass and the age Of gold We
have now the age of stealing.
Like frail women, the Republican lead
ers in their quarrels about the spoils, some
times SO far lose their tempers as to expose
to the public gaze the peculations and
stealings, which seem to be almost univer-
sally carried on within the official circles
of the Republican party. Mr.. ANDREWS
was removed from the Office of Naval Sur
veyor of New York, through the influence
of THuRLow WRRD. Mr.. ANDREWS there
upon exposes the rascality of THURLow
WEED. Mayor OPDrKB, of New York,
crosses the track of TnURLow WEED, where
upon THuRLow exposes OpDYKE, charging
him with a variety of stealing from the
government. The Republican leaders per-
cieve that such scandals will injure their
party, and therefore resolve to frown down
all like revelations of official crime, and to
punish the guilty betrayers of their secret
stealings. To do this work etfectually
they have selected prominent victim,
whose punishment will be terrible exam
pie to all who may be tempted to offend
in like regard. JOHN P. HALE, United
States Senator from New Hampshire, is
the distinguished culprit. He was chair
man of the United States Senate Commit
tee on Naval Affairs, and during the last
session exposed the stealing of some of
the friends and relatives of the Secretary
of the Navy. For this offence the Repub-
lican majority of the Senate, a few days
ago, removed him from the Craftsmanship,
and from the committee also. It is thus
that the Republican leaders vindicate their
patriotism They will satisfy their con-
sciences by exposing and Furnishing the
petty pilferers mentioned in the following
article, which we clip from the Milwaukee
Sentinel, Republican journal:
THE PASSION FOR STEALING.
The passion for stealing under the adj
ministration Of Lincoln has become per-
feet mania. The Washington correspond
ent of the st. Louis Republican thus al
ludes to it:
Anything belonging to Uncle Sam that can
be concealed in travelling trunk or squeezed
into black carpet sack must be watched by
bull dog or policeman, or otherwise it is
spirited" away by the memento seekers.
These people do not cOnfine their filchiug to
the g stones lying around loose" They get
their knives to work on the statuary around
and in the capitol, and chip off small pieces of
marble. They attack the ornamented and futed
columns; they carve into the cornices
and stills. and scrape brOnzed filings
from Rogers bronzed doors. Nor do they
contine themselves to the capitol. They
ransack the departments; but here, find
ing themselves fanked by the vigilance of
watchmen and messengers, they bear down
upon the White House, which until recently,
was entirely unprotected against their theiving
raids. They take everything they can lay their
hands on and put it in their pockets. If things
are not convenient to carry. they cut and slash
with knives and scissors until they make them
handy to steal The rich lace and damask cur
tains OF the government room are SO curtailed
by repeated cuttings and tearings that me-
mcnto seekers will now have to bring step-lad-
ders with them, in order to get at them. The
gorgeous carpet was cut in some places and
unravelled in others; chairs, sofas, and dvans
are Invested of part Of their coverings and
ripped open; the paper skinned off the walls
by the square yard; and out of twenty-four
brass brackets that once supported the cur
tains, only one remains.
The destructive thievery became SO aggrava-
ting that Old Abe took alarm, and ordered
Marshal Lamon to take measures to prevent
the cutting of his private apartments. Accor.
dinghy the marshal had four police put on duty
at the White House, who make arrests every
day of persons caught IN the act of cutting or
tearing curtains, &c. The other day they ar
rested female for ecissOring piece out of q
damask curtain, when she tainted right on their
hands. 1t was a genuine faint, superinduced
by the fear of exposure and disgrace, so they
kindly let her 90 with reprimand. The next
day soldier struggled in and tried to straggle
out with a pretty foot-rug under his over
coat he was turned over to the military,
and no doubt got = good dowsing of cold
water Yesterday gay clerk in one of
department gallanted two pretty ladies into
the courtroom, and seated them in chairs i'm
mediately in front OF q lace curtain. Shielded,
as he thought, from observation by their am
pie crinOline, he cut wrought flower from the
curtain and gave it to one of his companions,
who quickly slowed it away in capacious
pocket. Their next neghbOr was policeman,
without uniform, who Immediately slipped up
to the lady and asked for the fragment, at the
same time arrestiHg Mr.. Clerk. The lady sur
rendered the article, and the clerk was then
marched Off to Marshal Lamon, who provided
for his hearing before magistrate this morn.
| ing. The marshal vows to make an example
OF him. One is certainly needed.
& Saeyular IistOry