Year: 1864

Woods, Brooks and Company In the last Con-


gress, and the demorslizing effect Of their action


upon the democratic party Of the country was
enough to convince every person, even the
| leaders OF the faction In this city. that their


nomination would be fraught with mischief and


endanger the success Of their candidate for the


Prcsidency-in which they all profess to take
| deep interest But 1t seems, by the current
reports, that they are determined to secure the


return Of Ben and Fernando to Congress. even II


they have to resort to treachery to accomplish
| it Let the people be on their guard and see
that their schemes are defeated.


swladiinx Reoruits-Rascaiatiss or the
POiitioians OF All Parties.


A court martial, having for Its object the


unravelling Of the system by which recruits
were defrauded Of their bounty at Lafayette
Hall when that institution was the recruiting
| headquarters of General +, B. Spinola, has
been in session for several weeks in this city,


and Its proceedings, even yet, are far from
drawing to close Pending the decision Of the
court aud its promulgation in due official form,
We have, Of course, no opinion to express, and,


indeed, have formed NO opinion as to the guilt
or innocence Of the officer Immediately on
trial. But to the ITSELF ss one Of the widest
public interest, affecting every district and


State In which recruiting has been carried on,
and as illustrating with singular olearness the
corrupt coalition between politicians of all par
ties for the plunder OF our gallant soldiers. we
desire to call very marked attention.


rutyl ko xhok


after the ant-drait riots OF July, 1863 in this
city. the Board of Supervisors passed an ordi-
nance sppropriating three hundred dollars for
county bounty to every volunteer who would


thus help to avoid tho necessity OF draft, to-
getber with bonus of fifteen dollars d "band
| money" to the broker or other agent by whom
the recruit should be presented. The system
thus inaugurated in New York rapidly spread
to other counties and States; and in this city
alone We have already spent between six and
seven millions of dollars in filing up our quota
with volunteers thus procured or purchased.
In the whole State it is estimated that over


seventy millions Of dollars have been raised
and disbured for the same object; and from
this we may judge, taking all the loyal States
together, that not less than two hundred mil


lions OF dollars have been practically assessed
upon the property Of the country, not one dol


lar Of which has as yet appeared in any esti-
mate or calculation that we have seen of "the
expenses Of the war"


The enormous funds thus raised by town and
county assessments presented q tempting bait
to the politicians Of both parties, Of which they
were not slow to avail themselves. "Rings"
we're Immediately formed by the appointment
Of special committees" consisting Of one-half


democratic aud the other half republican su-


pervisors. Chief and subordinate "bounty


brokers" were then appointed in the interest


Of our two great political factions, together


with q representative Of the military element,


the connivance Of which would be necessary


to the success Of tho general plunder-scheme
It was thus at Lafayette Hall, where, In all the
monstrous swindling Of recruits, we find three
figures conspicuous: One is . republican boun-
ty broker and Q prominent member OF tho


republican party, who is supposed 10 have


divided his pile" with the still moro promi-


nent republicans who backed him up and
secured for him immunity from military pun
ishment. The second chief bounty broker 10
democrat, appointed on the recommendation Of
the democratic element In the committee Of tho


Board Of Supervisors, and he, it would seem,


had to share his unholy profits with that faction


Of tho "ring" which had appointed him; while


tho third great bounty swindler was neutral


in politics, but on terms OF old and suspicious


intimacy with such of the military authorities


as would have to obtain consideration" for


allowing the foul practices Of the recruiting


station to be carried on.


The machinery Of fraud thus organized, the


next step was to obtain examining surgeons


and mastering officers who would act in CEN


cert with the plunderers Men over forty-fvs
and boys under eighteen had to be passed as


able bodied soldiers Sick men, crippled men,


soldiers discharged for physical disability, and


men laboring under horrible complications of


disease, were thus taken into the service, tho


brokers pocketing, ON an average, two hundred


and fifty ou. Of the three hundred and fifteen
dollars allowed by the county and charged


upon the county property for the procurement


Of each recruit. Nor was this ALL nor was this


the worst OF it. The immense profits to be


made in the business soon attracted to Lafay-


ette Hall all the ticket swindlers, baggage


smashers and other desperadoes Of our popu-


latiou, who took service under the three chief


bounty brokers In the capacity of "runners."


All sorts Of violent and scandalous devices
wore then at once put into requistion for the


purpose Of securing recruits. Bartendcrs were


hired to drug the liquor Of strangers who we're


brought into their dsns by the runners"
Nero boys on their way to school were seduced


into drinking houses and woke up On Rikcr's


Island, arrayed in uniform and without dol


lar in their pockets. In faot, the system Of


outrage which had its headquarters at La
fayette Hall might be described as only limited


within the area Of criminal ingenuity and