The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-02-08
Senator Hale on Frauds.

The present party IN power HAS iaiii9
won the title of 1.-The party OF fraud -
Never before, in the history OF our own
or any other country, have such enor-
NOUS frauds and rascalities been perpe-
trated upon the Government, as have
come to light during the past four years,
1t is true that our present war gives
more opportunities for the commission
of crimes of this kind, than have been
afforded during any other struggle III
which we have ever been engaged, but
il is also true, we think, that the stan
dard of public morals is lower than at
any former time. .r... .
Congressional committees have been
appointed from time to time to investl-
gate charges of fraud i'll various depart
mcnts OF the government, but, i'll at least
one half of the cases coming under their
notice, they seem to think that their duty
as partisans requires them to whltewash
the guilty party and cover up his delin-
ouency Even when parties are found
and pronounced guilty by these commit
tees, i'll nine cases out of ten the culprits
are suffered to 90 "scOt free, and are per-
mittod 10 enjoy, umnolested, the fruits
of their peculation. 1t is to the credit OF
the Republican party, however, that
some OF its members are not i'll favor OF
thus shielding the guilty. Senator HALE
is one of this number and for his persist.
cut and fearless exposure OF the crimes
of contractors and the defalcations OF
public officers, deserves tho thanks OF al
people who still retain Il love for public
virtue and honesty.
On Monday of last week, 4 resolution
vas ,akcn UP in the Senate for the ap
prIutmcnt OF Il special committee on cor
ruption in all departments of TIT
government MI. HALE related tn,
following incident illustrative of thu
manner in which these frauds are hushct
the parties who uphold these things, ant
a thrill Of honest Indignation i'll the
hearts at all who love justice and truth
'Mr. Hale said the subject had como up
on him unexpectedly. Bnt no had sllG
on SATURDAY that he was utterly opposed
to the creation of any more committees
on fraud until the Senate took SOME ac'
ton upon cases already brought to Its
notice. and fully Investigated. He held
in his hand IL long report OF sclectcon
mittrr of the Senate appointed last year
from which he would read the conclusion
to which that committee came The
committee SAYS that an examination ol
the subject satisfied them that there was
rs much fraud upon the government 10y
purchases made by the chiefs of bureaus
IA in amy other way. 70 illustrate this
fact he would call attention to one single
instancc--a contract for sperm oil:
Alr. Hale here read at length from the
report of the special committee on frauds
in the Navy Department
Mr.. Hale continued The principal wit
ness against these frauds was, rs sad on
Saturday, arrested hy order of the Navy
Department His store was taken poses
sion of, his papers read, the private pa.
n,.rs of his wife were seized, and he was
sent to Fort Warren and kept there, de
MED intercourse with his family, with
Instructions not to release him under Il
hail less than $4,000 He was kept
there until Indignation began to he eX.
IL, ttHll
the President was called to it. Then
they consented to take oil $780, 900 of the
hail, aud to release him on S2O,0tW. | was
asked 10y the honorable Senator IRON
Kentucky if Mr.. Smith was ARRESTED be-
cause he give testimony against the Ma
w Department 1t is impossible for me
to sean the motives of men; 1t Is enough
for me to deal with my own motives;
and standing here, under all the respon-
,ihilitics which attach to me, Jealous as
any man of The little reputation that he
LONGS To him, careful of my word - most
men, aver before my country ana be-
fore my Gud that | have not the shadow
of a doubt that the cause OF tins man
arrest conference.-the was that he gave
evidence OH that investigation. In that
connection. have u remarkable state
ment to make of the man who ordered
this arrest and committed this outrage
in Boston, compared with which the i'll
qtisition is tender mercy. Being remOn-
strated with on some occasion OF tins
sort against sending these cases to naval
and military courts martial, why he dld
not take the ordinary conrts OF nstlce,
he made this remarkable avowal, that
civil courts are organized to aquit but
we organize courts TO convict"