Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-10-04
HOW TT Is WASTED!
ExTRlvlGAnT EXPENDITURES BY THE
Z. LOYAL kB0llTl0hISTS.
The Stnte I'm the Horse, 1tar'
ness, and other Contract
I8usiness-Facts about the
Equipment of the Ma.
tiOnnl Guards.

erished by the enOr nous losses lncldent v
the struggle, it should be the duty as wei
ms the desire of officials to administer tn
affairs of the people with rigid econom!
and scrupulous integrity; andit should b
their chief concern so to disburse the pub
lie moneys entrusted to them as to leave nj
shadow of suspicion in the minds of any
that under the pretense of public good, pri
vate interests have been advanced. r.
The last General Assembly Of Ohio
In view of the then recent invasion
of the State by Morgan's guer
rillas, and of the constant DANCE
to our people of similar incursions from
the border, passed an actappropriating on
million dollars ITO provide more effectual
ly for the defense of the State against inva
siori," and specifying the purpose" of tn
appropriation to be that ''of repelling in
vasion, suppressing instructions and de
Tending the State" 1t is clear that the leg
islators did not intend this appropria
tion to defray the expenses of carrying OF
the war against the rebels on distant from
/
been imbecile and foolish to do so, because
such an appropriation was totally made
quate to such a purpose and because the
State, as State, had no right and no dis
position to declare war upon other States
on her own account. The bill was intend
ed, as it clearly declares, to meet the ex-
penses incident to the defense of the State
from invasion, and provide the means to
prepare the people for proper defense of
their own borders; not for the purpose of
defraying the expense of an invasive and
offensive warfare. -. ,It... .....
But there were one million of dollars In
the Treasury, and the shoddyites, the con-
tractors, the spectators, who spring up in
times of public peril, excitement and dis
tress, as vultures and jackals appear upon
battlefield, scented this enormous sum as
jackals and vultares scent their carrion
prey. 1t was necessary to their purpose
that some sudden emergency should arise
i'm order that in the confusion they could
seize upon these dollars, their Legitimate
pect of invasion; there was no chance of
defending the State" in that way. There
was no ''insurrection" in Ohio, and none
could be stirred up even by the blacklist
and most stupendous lies; even by the foul
est abuse of the one half of the people as
"Copperhead devils" by the chief Execu-
tive of the State, echoed by every office
holder and blackguard in the country.
Bogus charges of conspiracy, false accusa-
tions of treason, lies, ISLANDERS, insults and
expressions, failed to stir the people Of Ohio
to the point of insurrection; no hostile foe
appeared, no rebel placed his foot upon the
soil of Ohio except as prisoner; there
was no prospect of sudden panic or wide
spread confusion which would strike the
Treasury as the rod of Moses smote the
rock, causing it to gush out this stream of
greenbacks. In this unhappy state OF
affairs it seemed that the coveted one mil
lion dollars would have to come out in
the slow but honest way intended by the
people, to arm and prepare the State for de-
fense; there would have to be the slow
process of advertising proposals, awarding
contracts; and all those routine manipula-
tions, intended as guards to protect the
State from being swindled and cheated,
and to insure fairness and honesty, would
have to be gone through with. The one
million reposed in the Treasury, the envy
and the distraction of the vampires of Abo-
litionisrn who grow fat and flourish upon
the sweat and blood Of the nation.
Suddenly and as if by inspiration, a
thought came into the head of BRoUGH and
the open sesame Of the Treasury was found.
Tie volunteer militia of Ohio were trans
formed into National Guards, and Governor
BRoUGH rushed off to Washington to ten
der their services to the General Govern
ment. There was no call for troops, and no
pressing necessity. Other States did not
offer them, but other States did not have
one million lying idle in the Treasury. In
diana and Illinois were invited to follow
the example of Ohio, and agreed to furnish
each thirty thousand men, but they did not
do it-they had no millions in their treas
uries. Thirty-seven thousand Ohio militia
were called out to be sent to the Potomac
and other distant lines, .for the defense of
The State Of Ohio against fnuasion." There
was great display of haste; the troops
must be equipped at once. There
was no time to advertise proposals,
award contracts or 60 through
with the formula intended to protect the
State against fraud and swindling. BRoUGH
blew his zone blast upon the bugle sound"
and the effort threw him and all around
into a spasm of nervous excitement-and
well 1t might when we study the ponder
Gus proportions Of the one who exploded
such quantity of wind. BRoUGH solemnly
avered that just tone hundred days was
necessary to put down the rebellion." He
said itn,ust be done in that time, or the bur-
dens the war imposed would become in
tolerable. There was Joy in the house Of
Shoddy! Contracts flew in all directions,
and the one million appropriationd descended
like grateful dew upon tho thirsty Shoddy.
BRouGH, Ike his prototype FaIstaf, when
he heard Of the accession Of Prince Hal, ex-
claimed, the 'laws Of England are at my
commandment. Happy are they which
have been my friends; and woe to my lord |
Chief Justice!"
Everything was needed--horses, harness.