Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-01-19
ARMY CoNTRACTORs--sPE

about speculations. and peculations, in the
Army and Navy contracts of the govern
ment and endeavor to throw the blame for
all losses sustained in this way, on the Ad-
ministration. This is very unreasonable.
Every sensible man knows that it is literal
ly impossible to prevent these things, where
such heavy expenditures occur daily, as
has been the case under the government
since the war against the rebels began.-
And that which adds very much to the in
Justice of the charges preferred against the
administration on this ground, is the fact,
that many of the worst wrongs, and great
csi frauds, inflicted on the government
through contracts, were perpetrated by
copperheads. But, aside from this, in all
the wars in which this country has been en-
gagged, persons have taken advantage of
the government and speculated on its ne
cessites. During the Revolutionary war,
Washington wrote number Of letters to
the Congress Of the United Colonies, com
planning of the frauds of those who were
authorized to furnish army supplies and
during the Seminole (Indian) war, fifty dol
lars per cord ,cas paid for ac0Od, when an
abundance could be had, at the same time
and place, at ten dollars per cord! Three
dollars per bot&hd was paid for corn, when it
could have been had at onethird that sum
and the effort to drive from Florida fee
hundred Indian lcdITjOrs-part of the time
less than ttco hundred-cost the the govern
ment tleeRty millions of dollars :! Til S took
place under Mr.Nan Buren's administration;
and we dare copperhead croakers to point
to an expedition, or any military enterprise
which the present administration has pro-
iected against five hundred, or against five
times five hundred rebels, that cost the gov
ernment i'll any proportion to this vast sum.
In the Mexican war large sums were real
lied by spectators under the commissary
department. Col. Kinney, of this county, is
said to have made over million Of dollars
by supplying Gen. Scott's army with beef
Bourrienne, who was Napoleon's commiSsa-
ry of Cavalry during some of his campaigns,
accumulated large fortunes in the business.
After B. had closed his account with his
government, the emporer drew on him for a
million of frances, and compelled him to
pay it and the ungratcful dog, who after
wards became his benefactors bitterest
Fenemy boasted, after he had been compel
led to disgorge the million francs, 'thGt he
had millions lett" The Rothchilds, made,
one account says, the enormous sum of
seven millions pounds sterling, on the job
of procuring, and conveying in coin, to
Spain, the money that was necessary to
pay the subsidies of England, and keep
Wellington's army in supplies during the
memorable Peninsular campaigns. This is
an infinitely greater sum than any contract
or has yet realized under our government
| These latter are remarkable cases, and are
only cited to show the impossibility Of car
rying on any war, under any government
much less such stupcndous one as ours
| anu "NOlu SPIShi"tlOilH, dli 'NtH PISula
tions, i'll supplies. Many smaller cases
might be adduced to illustrate this further
but this is needless, not only because prac
/ teal people do not need them to prove the
truth Of this, but for the reason, that not
withstanding the persistent and noisy ef
forts made by the copperheads, to. injurC
the administration by means of this charge
! the people did not believe them before the
! election, and do not now