Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-08-30
CORRUP CION OF GRANTS ADMIN.
IsTRAIION.

Herewith we print an extract from
s7eech by Hon. J. T. FarnswOrth, at st.
Charles, His, Aug. Is. Mr.. Farnsworth is
publican member Of Congress from
Illinois, has been on the inside since Grants
INAUGURATION, and knows whereof he
speaks. he defended Grants admins "a
tiol as long as be could, and now he says
of it:
'In the matter of public buildings there is
waste of millions every year IN granite
and sandstone, aud other contracts where
officers Of the Government are mixed up
with these contracts; and when develop
tie fact thai subordinate officers of the
Treasury Department are not performing
their duty, aud it turns out that some of
the people about the White House are
mixed Up in these stone contracts, what Is
salO2- Are these men displaced? No.
WIN? With what kind of grace can the
head Of your Government displace subor
climate for being engaged in these contracts
if IL is ia them himself? Laughter.
at Is well known in Washington, and
admitted on all hands, that the President
Of the United States himself has been, for
The past two or three years, large stock
h lGeT in what is known as the Seneca
Sandstone, and some ofthe syndicate we're
it, too. If you will go about the public
buildings or the public grounds, almost any
wheTs there, you will find this red Seneca
sandstone lying around. Go out to the
y tuolai cemeteries aud you Will ind that
they have been walled in with miles OF
stone wall LAID from this Seneca sand
stone; and, when ] 90 up to the the Secretary
ofthe Treasury aud ask him to displace
an officer because, in defiance of Congress,
he makes contracts in violation of law and
in derogaIiOn of the interests Of the Treas
Ury, and when l show him report of the
Congressional Committee stating those
fac,s, | can get no attention paid to it. 1t
7gIl not do: a stream does not rise higher
tau its fountain, and you cannot expect
purify or economy in discussing the gov
e. Imelt funds and in making contracts and
ca rying on tue government from suoordi-
hates wheu the head is not above suspicion.
81 could stand here and Ialk from now
until shutdown, aud show you the most I'm
Intigated corruption aud extravaganza in
ii bursting the public moneys in the last
two wears of this Administration, Zap
pa stl aud if you re elect il for the next
iOuE AC4lo - ito Aoob IA 10 NOASO bAoN
il frs. One of the military secretaries OF
the President of the United S.ates-he has
several of thrm-is major in the Engineer
Corps, AMI receives his pay as Major OF
En- ,ineers, with continuation Of quarters,
a g fuel, and forage, and horses, and al
IL. sort Of thing.
>He ! ssed a law after Grant was elect.
ed Al 4 he had commenced appointing of
fic rs Of The army to various civil positions,
thus doubling their salaries, that no officer
of The army should have another salary
NV, this officer receiving, as they pretend
ul!y The pay Of Major Of Engineers, per
forms he duty of Secretary to the Presi'
drui, for which he says he gets no pay
end besides that, the President appoint
ca I'm Superintendent of Public Build
inCs and Grounds in westinghouse
elise which belongs to q civilian
aud las, with one exception, Heretofore
been filed by civilian, aud to which thu
law attaches a salary If, believe, $2,5O'
al flee that disburses this year prObaOl.
more than a million of dollars in the cit!
Of Washington. This s'atf officer prOfesse
TO perform the duties of that ofice ais,
without any pay. Laughter But b
draws million Of dollars or Whereabouts
out cfthe Treasury, and disburses it az
files his vouchers in the Treasury for il
max .yig such contracts as he pleases, offer
without advertisement, selecting his con
trac ors TO suit himself, and they maxim
up their vouchers to suit themselves"