Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1876-11-01

and Of such design and weight as
should keep them in place when
set. That the contracts should be
let to that person whose bid should
in the greatest measure combine
the elements of durability, cheap
ness and decency. The Secretary
Of war was to determine for the
various cemeteries the size and
model for such head-stones, and the
standards of quality and color Of
the stone to be used, and the law
required that bids should be made
and decided with reference thereto.
The first act was passed in 1867,
and the amendatory act in 1872.
The various bids were opened at
the Quartermaster Generals Office
on September 6, 1873. But for
some unexplained reason the Sec
retary of war did not award the
contract until November II follow
ing. Under the contracts thus let
the work proceeded without in
quiry until last winter. There was
some talk at times of their being
some grievous Irregularities in this
maidstone business, but it was not
the policy of the Republican party
to expose its own officials, so that
party contented itself with passing
resolutions of eulogy on the brave
soldiers of the Union, while all the
time the hand of corruption was
robbing the soldiers graves. AS
the Currier-J Journal recently said
speaking on the same subject, "1i
any one denounced the outrage IL
was written down a Democratic lie,
started for the purpose OF defeat
ing the completion of the honors
intended for the dead soldiers ol
the Union armies. If it was whis-
pered among the Republican office
holders, it was speedily hushed by
the insinuation that design was
on foot to give substance to the
ridiculous Democratic slanders, and
notification went round that the
public service could not be proper
ly conducted while there was 80
much talk going on. If the rank
and Gle of the Boys in Blue and
the Republican voters ever got
hold of it, they were beguiled with
fresh resolutions of gratitude and
fresh denunciations of the Democ-
racy MS the slack friends or the
avowed enemies Of the Union
cause" So the matter went on un-
til the Democrats came into power
in the Lower House of Congress
and developed those tremendous
frauds that have disrupted Presi-
dent Grants Cabinet, and made the
whole country rise up and demand
administrative reform.
The committee intrusted with
this particular investigation was
the Committee on Military affairs,
presided over by Representative
Banning, of Ohio, who was him
self a Union soldier. The entire
committee numbered ten members,
six of whom had been officers in
the Union army, and Of these six,
one was Liberal Republican, two
were Republicans, and three were
Democrats. or the remaining
four, two were from the South and
had been in the Confederate army,
and two from the North, and had
not been soldiers. After a pro-
tracted and careful investigation
the committee submitted an unan-
imous report, and that report
should be read by every one who
views Mr.. Thomas Nast's cartoon
on the soldiers graves. After re-
capitulating the more important
points developed in the volumin-
Gus testimony enduced by the COM
mittee, the report says: "This
awarding of the contract a. shown
by the testimoney was unfortunate
for the Government, unfair to bid
ders, and surrounded by circum-
stances that indicate collusion be-
tween the Secretary of war and
the successful bidder, Bridges. An
impression seems to have prevailed
among the bidders before the open
ing of the bids that the letting was
not to be fair one thatit was the
intention to give the contract to s
g. Bridges, of Keokuk. Iowa,
man of pecuniary responsibility, o
no knowledge of the marble bust
ness. never having been in 1t,