The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1868-08-04
Where the Peoples Money Goes.

| If the people at large knew one-half of the
corruptions frauds, and speculations of the Radi-
cal party, there would be ten-fold stronger mani
festations of indignation than are now daily de-
| veloping themselves Never in the history OF
our Government has fraud been so rampant, SO
bold and shameless. The public treasury has
been regarded by the leaders in Congress as a
| source from which they possess indefeasible
| right to draw such sums may suit their politi-
cal or personal purposes. As an illustration OF
this we have only to refer to the six million ap-
| propriated ostensibly for harbor and river i'm
provements, but really for the purpose of adyan-
cing the political interests of the Radical party.
| In truth, the Radical majority in Congress ap-
pear to think that there is no limit either to the
| pockets or the forbearance Of the people. They
therefore make appropriation after appropriation
and plan job after job, from which they or their
political friends secure immense fortunes. The
Usage swindle is case in point; and equalling
it in magnitude Of amount and extent Of rascality
is the Freedman's Bureau swindle, by which
| twelve millions more are flched from the pockets
Of the people. Next comes the six million river
and harbor appropriation, and what is to succeed
this the Lord only knows; but the people may
rest assured that SO long as there are applicants
for appropriations and chance for the Radicals
in Congress tc benefit themselves or their friends
made.
And yet, these very Radicals at the Chicago
Convention made retrenchment and reform a
prominent plank in their ambiguous platform.
The legislation of Congress, since the promulga-
tion Of that platform proves how little confidence
is to be placed in Radical professions, especially
on the subject of economy. BY their reckless
extravaganza, maintenance of thieving office
holders in power despite the protests of the
President, bargain and sale legislation, etc. they
have plunged the country deeper and deeper into
debt, until it seems like hoping against hope to
| expect anything short of irretrievable national
ruin unless they are driven from power. To
show how the public money goes, We make an
| extract from recent debate in the Senate on
the subject of public printing Senator Came
ron, himself Radical, and not proverbially any
more honest than he should be, stated that two
Radical newspapers in Washington had been
paid $4,000 apiece within year. Senator
Sherman demanded the names of the papers, to
which MIR Cameron replied as follows:
'The Chronicle and the Evening Star of this
city have been paid will be paid for the print
ing of last year, under the section which we
have passed last year, that amount The greater
part Of that advertising was for the purchase
and sale Of articles SO far beyond the circulation
of these papers that Of them could euer reach
| the people acho arere interested. For instance,
there 81 500 or $4,000 paid for an adyer-
| tsenent as to the publication of mail contracts
| in the Territory of Arizona There was large
sum Of money paid for advertisement asking
proposals for a fort somewhere down in New
Mexico. think there were hoy' a dozen mules,
or something like that to be bought in Idaho,
and they were advertised here; and in some cases
the advertisements were published here a day on
tro beto'e the safe on purchase to be mode at
those remote pluces. This is an abuse which
would shock the community if they knew it; but
nobody seems to know anything about it. We
hardly know it ourselves"
We submit these facts to the people for their
earnest consideration There is nothing new in
them, nothing in any degree more corrupt or
startling than hundreds of other Radical frauds
upon the public treasury. They are part and
parcel of the great wholesale swindlings Of the
present corrupt Congress. While the people are
groaning beneath burden of debt heavier than
that ever imposed upon any nation, these cormo-
rants are gorgng themselves with the peoples S
money and pling up additional Indebtedness and
additional taxation. How much longer will it
be tolerated ?-PAHadelphta HeruM
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