VOL I'.VIE .17. NEW SERIES. THE BEDFORD GAZETTE X PUCLISUED EVEIIY FRIDAY MORNING BY BY It. F. YIEYEUS, At the following terms, towit: $1.50 per annum, CASH, in advance. $2.60 " if paid within the year. $2.50 " " if not paid within the year subscription taken for less than six months paper discontinued until all arrearages ar< naid, unless at the option of the publisher, it hai seen decided by theUmted States Courts 4 tha: tb< stoppage of a newspaper without trie payment ot are Tearages, is prima facie- evidence oi fraud and is i criminal offence. courts have decided that persons are ac countable for the subscription price of newspapers if they take them from the post office,whether 'hey subscribe for them, or not. HATES CF CHARGES FOR ADVER TISINQ. Transient advertisements will be inserted at the rate of SI.OO per square of ten lines for three inser tions, or less, but for every subsequent insertion, 25 cents per square will be charged in addition l'able and figure work double price. Auditor's notices ten lines and under, SI.OO ; upwards often lines and under fifteen $1.50. Liberal reductions made to persons advertising by the year. EQUAL RIGHTS. From the Somerset Democrat. MESSRS. EDITORS. — With your permission, .he writer of this will start out by saving that he always has been, and ever shall be, a devoted friend and a zealous supporter of tne Constitu tion and the Union of these States—that he is what is generally denominated a wlyte man ; and without intending the least disparagement to our adopted citizens, "native and'to the man. or born"—and that the dearest ties that bind bim to the North are identified with it, and more especially with the good old State of Pennsyl vanis. He has nothing to ask in the shape of political favors, nor does he expect to receive any reward for services rendered in the past or to be rendered in the future—and nothing influ ences him in his devotion to our common COUG try, but a spirit of patriotism which is as pure as it is loya! and just. With this preface, which it is hoped will not be considered in the slightest degree as egotisti cal, let me ask, have we any Secessionists tn our town or county—that is, men who approve and justify the recent dismemberment of"the Union, and who are likewise willing and ready to profler and render aid to the so-styled "Sou thern Confederacy ?" You are, no doubt, very well aware, that this chaige of secessionism has been daily preferred against a number of our most worthy citizens, both directly and indi rectly. Inuendoes are thrown out —the most despicable of all other modes of accusation—that such and such an individual is in league with the South, and a traitor to the Union. These assertions and inuendoes are made on the mer est pretext, without even the shadow of justifi cation, intermingled with curses and threats, disgraceful in themselves and to their authors, and discreditable to the community in which we live, and are wholly directed against indi viduals who have heretofore been members of the Democratic party. In r.ot a single instance has any other kind ofa partizan been thus stig matized. If there is treason here, it is charged upon Democrats, and upon them alone. Why this is so, let the public determine. If there is a mystery in it, it is the most mysterious thing on record. But we opine there is no mystery about it at all. It is but the malignancy of par ty prejudice—the petty malice of political ene mies, and constitutes the worst and basest pas sions of sectional partizanship. For being thus accused some ol our most respectable citizens have been held up to ridicule ; have been threat ened with a coat of "tar and leathers," and e ven with (lie gibbet itself. Now, we ask, "Can such things be, And overcome us like a summer cloud, Without our special wonder 7" And by whom are these threats made ? Why, by the very men, of all others whatever may be their love for the Union who blaster and boast the most, and who have not the moral courage to face the common enemy ; who will never seek the "bubble reputation at the can non's mouth," and who, while they possesses the boldness of the lion, they lack the bravery ola sheep. But such chaiges are not to be be lieved—they have not even the semblance ol truth—because it is unnatural in itself (hat men of the North would war against their own homes and firesides; ami when we hear accu sations of this nature imputed to them by so niany, we are almost led to imagine that pan demonium has been evacuated—that "Hell is empty, And all the devils are here Now, (or my part, Messrs Editors, and it is ottered in the proloundest sincerity, Ido not believe that there is a solitary Secessionist, ot Disunion man, resident within the limits of the county of Somerset. I know the people of this region too well ; have too high an appreciation of them as a whole, and have too much confl lence in their patriotism and in their fidelity vo the Union to suspect, even for an instant, ihat we have traitors in our midst. All men are entitled to their opinions, and they must be permitted to enjoy them. My own sympa thies heretofore have been with the South, and - f am not ashamed, or afraid, to make the ac- But the aspect of things has een changed, (loveinment property has been seized—tbe flag of the nation has been train pled in the dust, and hostilities have been com menced by the seceded States.—That the South -'.as been unjustly dealt with—that her consti 'utional rights have, to a considerable extent, tieen disregarded and trampled under foot, and that she has not been allowed that equality to which she was entitled, I know—and to which every honest and candid man must acknowl edge. That this lias been the case, is most de. 1 rue to the letter, and so plain to the comprehension ot every one, that the "way-fa •mg man, though a fool," must have been cog nizant of it. By what process it was effected, ©cbfuri) (ft alette. and by whom, it is not my purpose here to in quire. We have enough to do now, every mat of us, to stand by the flag of our country an( to "keep step to the music of the Union," with out taking up our time in discanting on" part) politics. Freedom of opinion in all things i: the corner-stone of our political fabric. It wai asserted and gloriously maintained bv our fore fathers in the war of the Revolution"; and sub' sequently, when the Elder Adams sought tc muzzle the Press, it was vindicated in Selec tion ol Thomas Jefferson to the Presidency.— And is it again to be nullified, and, perhaps abrogated, under the rule of Abraham Lincoln ' Are his political parasites, the blusterers, the the sycophants, the self-esteemed bullies, and the place hunters, par-excellence, who cringe and fawn like very spaniels at the feet of the ' powers that be I '—to hang Democrats for the mere expression of opinion in regard to whai has caused the present deplorable state of affairs! Are they to be constituted our dictators as tc what we shall think and what we shall utter ] Are they to control our consciences, mould oui opinions, and make us lick the tod that smites us.' Let me tell such of them as contemplate any tlung of this sort, that they had better try it on first. \o power under this government can make slaves of white men ; and when the time does come, if ever it should, when the liberties of this country are destroyed, and such a spe cies ot tyranny permanently established, may it be sunk deeper in the fathomless ocean than plummet ever sounded. 1 fie author of this, as you verv well know, did not aid in bringing the present federal dy nasty into power. He thanks his God that he opposed the election of Abraham Lincoln. No blow ol that kind did he evei strike against the perpetuity of the rich inheritance o°f our fore fathers. And whatever may be the final result, it cinnot in truth be said of the Democratic par ly that it, in any way, produced the rebellion that now exists South ot Alison's Dixon's line. Although no imputation, like unto this, can, in justice, be laid at the door of the Democ racy of the country, still it is the duty of every one, without regard to political antecedents, to stand boldly up in these troublous and perilous tunes, and render that aid to the Government which will crush out the spirit of rebellion, protect the government property, and perpetu ate the American Union. But let us discoun tenance, one and all, that spirit of malignity which basely seeks to stigmatize and defame those of our people who entertain sentiments, not of hostility to the Union, but who may have expressed tvrawrtbv for our Southern hreih..- n under the present peculiar condition of things. Let us know no North, nor no South, but rally is one man in deience ol the stars and stripes, protect the government, and thus help to work aut our "manifest destiny." In conclusion, Jet me say, that what is here written has not been engendered by anv spirit af ill-will. I have "nothing extenuated, nor set down aught in malice." What has b,en uttered has been done more with a view to curb the insolence and impetuosity of a pack of braggadociasanci busy-bodies, than for any other purpose. If it shall produce a good effect, the object for which it is written will be gained. If otherwise, it will be time fruitlessly spent in an endeavor to correct an evil. A fictitious signature is herewith appended, having no de sire at present to appear in the public prints over my own name ; but if any one shall feel aggrieved at anything contained in this article, you are at perfect liberty to make known its author. JEFFERSON. From the Philadelphia Inquirer (Republican.) THE GREAT OUTRAGE OF THE DAY. Nothing short ot a judicial investigation will appease the righteous indignation of the people against the parties engaged in defrauding the State, and plundering tfie soldieis by imposing upon them the n.ost worthless supplies. This is due alike to the brave men who have "one aut to fight our battles, to the honest merchants who have been compromised, to the people ol he Commonwealth, and to the United States, is the Geneial Government will be called up an ultimately to foot some of the bills. No man ol ordinary intelligence, who makes a critical examination of Ciovernor CURTIN'S exhibit ot the disbursement of the military fund of the State, can fail to detect on almost every page such evidences of jobbery and malfeasance as lawyers are accustomed to style "badges of fraud." The prices are exorbitant; some bills are so made out as to conceal instead ot to ex hioit the particulars of the purchase ; petty bills are certified and sworn to with great formality, while large ones are hurried through thel ac rounting offices, and paid upon '.he bare cer'ifi :afe of irresponsible and inexpeit agents ; mid llemea are resorted to, and a large proportion at the supplies of clothing would disgrace the :ommon jails of the country as clothing for (el ans. We merely recapitulate these points here, is they hate been already referred to at length. Tbe parlies w ho seem to have surrounded the military fund of the State in close column, will -emind a naturalist of a gigantic mollusc with unbounded stomach for absorption, ar.d with entaculse extended in all dir-ctions, and rap-d -y revolving in search of prey. The disclosure vould be humiliating at any time; but when ve reflect that all this extortion, imposition and ibuse have been practised not only upon the state, but upon the gallant men who have led heir workshops, their business, their families ind their homes, to fight the battles of the U lion, it is calculated to excite, as it has excited, i feeling of intense indignation and disgust. Among the many inquiries that have been ;ent to this office on the subject, is one which isks whether the soldier is really victimized, a veil as the State. We answer yes. Upon lim the imposition, or plunder, or whatever il nay be justly called, is direct. His clothing is. virtually, a part of his pay. For each year ol ;ervice he is allowed a specified nutr ber of gar ments; and if these, whether from ill usage o; j bad quality, are unsufficient, he must buy othi ■ out of the small pittance he is paid in cash.- I Thus, he is entitled in his first year to two caf two coats, three pairs of trowsers, four pairs t shoes, &c. A pair of trowsers is, therefore, e: pected to give an average wear of four months and a pair of shoes to last three months—ant the excellent work turned out by the Genera Government is fully equal to this service. Bu if the soldiers are fuinished with miserable a pologies for shoes and trowsers, such as havt been sent from Jamp Scott to this office, whict Went all to pieces in two days' wear, the sup ply of clothing for a year would last but liltlt more than a week. In such case, the soldier n Compelled to draw for further clothing out oi his pay, and if the additional supplies are uc better than the first, it is easy to calculate how soon his eleven dollars a month will be exhaus ted, and his body left in rags. From this, the dullest mind can perceive how emphatically true is the statement, that this wretched busi ness is direct plunder of the soldier. We repeat that the manner in which these supplies have been furnished, their quality and price, and the extraordinary agencies which have been brought into requisition, must be ju dicially examined. The meeting of the Leg islature is too far off, and besides that body Is itself corrupt frorr. center to circumfereuce. I here is business here for grand juries and dis trict attorneys not alone of the State but of the United Sta'es, for Governor CURTIN informs the Legislature that "the accounts of the Com missary Department of this State will be mainly reimbursed by the United States." We urge it upon the attention of the grand inquest of the county and General Gov ernment. While there lemainsa spark of the patriotism now burning so brightly througoout the Free Slates such a gross wrong should not go unpunished. A SCREW LOUSE IN THE COM MISS l- RIAT- The session iu the House of Representatives on Friday was prolonged until a late hour in the afternoon, debating a resolution of inquiry offered by Mr. Williams. It is alleged that the appropriation of §500,000, made by the Legis lature to arm and equip the military and place the State on a war footing, has been expended every dollar of it—and it is but right that those who voted for the appropriation, as well as the tax-payers, should know #hat has be come ot the money. No' having been present during the debate we are unable to say how far *♦ niao sorrt(k/4 it. .1 :* ... ingly warm, and strong insinuations were made that money had been used for purposes not con templated by the act, and that the State was "bleeding" tor the benefit of speculators. That there is some foundation for these rumors may be inferred from the following received from Camp Curtin : " Can any one interested in furnishing the blankets for the volunteers give the cause of the original blankets being cut in two ; for we are freezing, with only a half blanket to shield us from the cold and damp." SOLDIER. The Legislature has ordered an investigation and we hope they will find out the actual price of half a Mackinaw or Indian blanket. At a time like this, when the patriotic peo ple of Pennsylvania are ready to pour out their blood and treasure like water to support the Government, it will not do to trifle with them. The tax payers of Pennsylvania we believe are willing to be taxed to the last cent lo prove to the world that Republican Government is not a failure, but they will not coolly submit to men enriching themselves by their patriotism. We hope that all through whose hands any of the $500,000 have passed will be able to prove a clean record. If not, it will be all the worse for them .—lJarrisburg Union. THE DEMOCRATIC ELEMENT JN THE ARMY. —The New York Express, in reply to the Tri bune says, that so strong is the New Yoik city Democratic and Whig element of the army now in and about Washington, that if an elec tion were to occur here to-daij, the very absence of Democratic voters would probably throw the city into Republican hands though the Demo crats and Union men have here 30,000 major ity. The enlistments of anti-Republicans in the following Regiments in Washington, are from 80 to 90 per cent, viz : The New York 7th. The New York 71st. The New York 69th. The New York sth. The New York Bth. The New York 13th. The New York sth. The New York 69th, is said to have in it but ten men that voted for Lincoln ! if it be "treason" to say that such men volunteer to uphold the Union and the Flag, in the ratio of four to one Republican, make the most of it, Mr. Tribune—for such treason we shall repeat and repeat at will, as facts justify us —because it demonstrates that when Union Whigs and Democrats proclaimed, "THE UNION, THE CONSTITUTION AND THE LAWS," they were ready to die, even, to up hold their Proclamation, —and were"lJnion Savers" in earnest. Far be it from us, though,—even with such great facts before us to maintain our assertion, that though 80 per cent, of the men in the army are opposed to Lincoln, —to say* all Re publicanism is without patriotism. We give the Tribune ihe full benefit of its statement,that. St. Lawrence, .Monroe, Jefferson, Onondaga, Oneida; and other strongly Republican counties, have contributed largely to swell the ranks ol volunteers ; and,though their men are mainl}- in camp at Elmira and elsewhere, that is not their fault. The rafio of Democrats, we hear, however is large, very large, even in these counties The interior Regiments that have passer throdgh hepe, such as Col. Pratt's, were threi Democrats to one Republican. Freedom (Thought and Opinion. BEDFORD, PA., FMY MORNING, MAY 31,1861, From the Journal of Commerce. HAVE WE A CONSTITUTION ? The patriotic uprising oi the people in defence of the Constitution, and the dag which symbol izes it, very naturally turns one's thoughts to the sacred instrument for which the whole North (at least) now manifests so much interest; and if I mistake not the meaning of the very Constitution which we all so much value, it is at present in great danger of being sacrificed in the house of its friends. What are its most im eortanl provisions and safeguards? We read the Bth article as follows : " The Congress shall have power * * * to peclare war ; * * * to raise and support ar jnies ; * * * to provide and maintain a navy ; I * * * to provide lor calling forth the militia, to execute the laws of the Union, suppress in surrection, and -epel invasions." All this, be it remembered *' the Congress," lti do, —and no other power under the Con stitution is authorized to do it. The president aa> no more authority "to raise and sup ooit armies".—" to provide and maintain ana .•v ' —or to call forth the militia in any other wiy except as the Congress has previously by aw provided,—thau has the Chief Justice of he Supreme Court ot the United States, the 'rtiident of the Senate or the Speaker of the loise of Representatives, or the Mayor of the Cttj of New York. But what have we seen vitjin the last thirty days? 1 say nothing of tfeoriginal call by the President lor the militia •f ;he different States, to "Suppress insurrec <33," which is predicated on the Acts of 1795, —; Act which in its very terms limits the sefice to " the expiration of thirty days after the commencement ol the theo next session of Congress." But what 1 pariicularly refer to he*, is the proclamation of the President, for a miliary force not to serve pursuant to the Act of 79 = f till the 3d of August next, which will bethirty days after the next meeting of Con gis, but for "three years," unless sooner dis charged. More than that, he also by proclama tioi adds several regiments of regulars to the exuting army of the United States. In other words, the President has undertaken, without thtshaduw ol constitutional authority, " to raise am support armies," —when the language of the Constitution confines that power to Congress the Representatives ot the people,and the States. More tjian this, he is providing by purchase an immense navy, beyond anything that Congress ever thought ol ; when the Constitution which he is sworu to preserve, protect and defend, confides the power " to provide and maintain a " - ~- e> *<• C/VJWJT only. The expenditures Irom the public treasury lor the new army and new navy, called forth on the executive proclamation, are beyond any thing ever before known under the government; every dollar of which is taken Irom the treasu ry without any previous appropriation by law. What then becomes of that other fundamental provision of the Constitution which declares, that <l No money shall be drawn from the treasu ry, but in consequence of appropriations made by law !" I repeat the question, "have a Constitution ?" It may be said that the necessity ol tne case re qun es us to ignore our constitutional obligations. If so, then let us, for the sake of consistency, cease talking about "defending" or " uphold ing" the Constitution, or taking it as the basis ol our military and naval operations. But this plea ol " necessity" is that of the one-man pow er, and ever has been, the world over. Is it asked, what should have been done under the novel circumstances which hail been precipita ted upon the country ? 1 answer, the same that was done during the Administration of General Jackson. That distinguished chieftain with all his proclivities to "take the responsibil ity," was ever careful to take it within the lim its of the Constitution. When South Carolina nullified, he asked and obtained from "the Con gress," what is well known as "the force bill," a stringent enactment, limited in its terms to a short period, and which enabled him to use the i military and naval forces provided for him by the constitutional authority—the Congress—to j put down the incipient rebellion. A similar ' bill was before the last Congress and should ! have been passed. That it was not, is owing ; to the hiends ol President Lincoln and bis Sec- j retary of Slate. They were both in Washing- j ton at the time, — their friends had majorities in j both Houses, (after the withdrawal of the South- j em members.) and a 3ingle word or hint from the then President elect, or his premier, then I sitting in the Senate, would have put the bill : through, as easily as the foice bill was put Ihrougb in the days of Jackson. Their remiss ness in this respect is no apology for a subse quent resort to the one-man power. The Pres ident might, with much more propriety, have called the new Congress together at the earliest ! possible period, instead of postponing it to the J 4-th of July, that he might ask at their hands j the new army, the new navy, and the constitu- j tionai "appropriations made by law" for their : maintenance and support. PATRICK HENRY. QjF"A would-be-fashionable young lady who had sacrificed everything to-appearance, once told some of her newly-made acquaintenances that the lamiliar old man laboring in the yard was the wood sawyer. Having gone thus lar, she was base enough to carry out tiie lie, and when he came in lor a moment, and stood upon the threshold of the door, with a childish smile warming up the wrinkle ol his face into sunni ness in anticipation of the dear name of father, she schooled herself to say, coldly, pointing to the yard : "We can't pay you lill the whole is done." The old father gazed for a moment in aston ishment, comprehended the whole duplicity, and turned away broken hearted. Trulv the iron then entered his soul, for "O, who can tell, How sharper than a serpent a tooth it is To hve a thankless child." • From the Journal of Commerce. JUSTICE CAMPBELL AND SECRETARY SEWARD- The chief basis on which the North has so enthusiastically rushed into the war, is its recti tude. This idea ot rectitude was originated by the attack OD Sumter. That attack was pro nounced aggressive and the inauguration of war, rebellion and treason to the Federal Govern ment. The insult to the flag, the symbol of freedom, was, with many, the paramount crime. Then came the higher patriotism of resistance to anarchy, supports of government. Without these controlling ideas and senti ments, there could never have been secured such a fusion ol antagonistic political views, such an absorption of all other thoughts and feelings in the one grand idea of patriotism.— To even hint at anything else than this, as the inspiring motive of the movement, was to tread closely on the verge of treason ; to question its rectitude was to fly in the face of the populace and all prevalent opinion, was to subject one self to the faggot or the halter. Those, especially, who take their rules ol life from the Bible, and whose patriotism can never be strong when not permeated by a sense of right, will look with much interest for the ex planation which Judge Campbell has so long a waited in vain,from Secretary Seward. As the matter now stands be/ore the public, it is so clear a case of deception and of overreaching the con fidence of friendship and sincerity, that it goes far toward changing the issue, and abating the sympathy of those who stood up en masse with the Administration, under a high sense ot right. Should that sense of right. Should that sense ol right be impaired, the" sacred and holy cause" so dear to the hearts of the people, so prominent in the prayers and preaching of the pulpit, might lose much of its sanctity. We must hold the conscience of the clergy and of other good men, if we expect to retain their en thusiastic devotion to any case. Only this has given abolitionism its power. If, then, the silence of Secretary Seward in regard to the testimony of Judges Camp bell and Nelson, two of the most honorable and respectable of men, is to be understood a< a tacit assent, on his part, to its substantial truth, it throws on the Administration the responsibility of slamming the door of conciliation in the very face of those who came to smoke the pipe ol peace. No complaint can, certainly, be made against Justice Campbell tor this publication. It is no breach of confidence ; but mtbcr butt, a private and a public duty, ol the discharge of which Mr. Seward was notified in the correspondence itself. Besides, candor, patriotism and truth all uemand it. It was wrong, decidedly wrong, for Secreta ry Seward to impress Judge Campbell with the " entire confidence" that Sumter would not be supplied or re-enforced, and leave him and Jus tice Nelson under that impression, whilst the Cabinet was actively engaged and intending to do both. It was some like Punic faith, and might pass for smart war policy ; but it cer tainly imparts somewhat of justification to the attack on Suinter, and detracts materially from the prestige we presumed we had in that noto rious affair. It has rather an ugly face, to say the feast, as you look at it in the mirror of the Gospel ; and we shall probably wish, in the future, that this page of the history could be expunged. QUERE. Mow the Soldiers are Sniudied- We copy the following extract ola letter to the Philadelphia Inquirer, a Republican paper, from a visitor to Camp Scott, in reference to the miserable clothing lurnished in the name of the State to the troops now there: In the Quartermaster's Department of Gen : eral VVynkoop,s Brigade I was shown a pile ol ! pantaloons (eight-five pair, ) some of which ; had been worn eight or ten days, others three lor four, some one day, and some only two | hours, and others, still, which had only been tried on, and yet there was not a single on.e !of all these pants that was not wholly tvorth | ess. In a word, the material was so rotten that the slightest tension would tear it. Gen eral VVynkoop informed the writer he expected at least four hundred to be condemned. I procu red a pair of these pantaloons,which will reach rne by exrpess to-day, and which I shall take pleasure in submitting to the inspection of any parties who may feel disposed to doubt this statement. General VVynkoop, as well 3s sev eral other prominent officers, assured me that many of the soldiers were compelled to wear their overcoats all the time to hide the repts .n their pantaloons. I was next shown a sample ot the shoes, and was permitted to bring one of them with ice. This shoe has been worn two days, and yet it is as guiltless of a sole as the man, (if man he may be called ) who made it. I also brought a sample of the in-sole of these shoes, which, for the credit of the manufacturer, I am happy to state is made of real good pine shavings.— He was determined to keep up his reputation in this particular' at all events. Several ol the officers assured me that the heels would frequently fall off in one hour from the time they were first put on the men's feet. Some ot the men would not wear them at all, but sold them for twenty-five cents a pair, and then bought good ones from the shoe merchants of York. Attentioh was next directed to the blankets. It is a desecration of the name to call the dirty looking flimsy things shown as blankets. The worst punishment I could desire for the con tractor who furnished them, would be to com pefl him to sleep under twenty of them with the thermometer at zero. He would freeze to death in an hour. The texture is of the coar sest kind, and the material of the commonest character. In a stiff breeze the wind would pass through them almost as freely as through 1 a fishing-net. WHOLE NUMBER, 2048. The contractor, who furnished the overcoats, must be a fancy man. His tastes are not unlike those of Jacob of old, who gave his son Joseph "a coat of many colors." In some cases, these coals contained cloth of three or four different shades of color. Now, Messrs. Editors, is it nol painful to think that such things are permitted, and is it not scandalous that no steps have been taken to correct this crying evil? A]prominent official of this State, just from Washington, says the meanness of the equipent3 of the Pennsylvania troops there, has earned for them the unenvia ble sobriquet of the " dirty shirt boys." Is this not humiliating to our State pride? First in the fiield, the most liberal of all the States witli men and money, it i 3 a deplorable fact that our State authorities designedly or innocently, have fallen into the hands of rapa cious contractors, who are paid enormous sums for clothing, which is so inferior to that furnish ed the soldery of other States, that our men are made a by-word when they put it on. PICKINGS AND" STEALINGS. The reasons given by the Democratic Sena tors for refusing to vote for the §500,000 ap propriation to arm the State are beginning to be realized in their full force. Up to this time no money has been expended for arms, and yet we venture to say, that it ail the bills contracted in the army movements and the equipments pur chased were paid to-day, there would be a very small balance of the appropriation on hand. Within a day or two, revelations of an as tounding nature have been made, which go to show that unprincipled men are turning the whole affair into a grand speculation, and a Legislative investigation is freely talked of, Ws are told that the contractors who are now , engaged at the Girard House in Philadelphia, in getting up clothing for the army, have turn ed the whole operation into a gtand speculation and are making a nice thing of it. It is said that they charge the State for each military coat made $'2.25, while they pay the women who do the work only 70 cents. Hundreds of women who are wealthy have volunteered to make up these garments without pay, and yet for every one that is turned in somebody receives two dollars and twenty-five cents. The same j may be said of everything else, even to the man ufacture of shirts. Material is purchased at a certain price, and bills, with a certain percent age added, are rendered, which percentage is of course fobbed by somebody.— llarrisburg Union. Gibbet tbe Contemptible Thieves- We copy the- following article from the Pittsburg Chronicle, a Republican paper: We are not without reports from Washing ton and otner points nearer home, that contrac tors, commissariats, &c., are basely attempting ,to speculate on our soldiers necessities. There are many men so lost to honor, conscience and patriotism that they would poison a whole army if they could fill their[own pockets, and these hungry leeches are now beginning to appear. They should be held up to public scorn, and swept out of decent society by the withering indignation of the whole people. Hunt down the traitors and give them no quar ' ter. No matter what the social station or po litical rank of the offenders, they should be taught that the hour of their country's extrema peril is no time to gamble with the health and comfort and even lives of their brave and sacnficing defendeis. The contractors for sup plying aimies with provisions and clothing have always peen a pest to the service. Wash ington and Jackson were more perplexed, dis heartened and exasperated, by the thieving pro pensities ot contractors, than by the operations of hostile forces. The flower of the English army perished in the Crimea through the neg ligence of contractors, the incapacity of officers, and fife inadequacy of the system—known as "red tapeism"—of providing for troops. It was to have been expected that the contractors would have a rich harvest in the hurry and confusion of organizing the voiunteer army for the support of the Government. This ex pectation has not been disappointed. Tbera has been extensive swindling. We ere now through the worst ot the preliminaries. Hence forih there will be time and opportunity to look sharply alter the thieves. Let them be hunted down, exposed and punished. Keep close watch on the appropriations and see that no legislative or political thief will dare extort money from the necssities ol his country, at any rate without meeting, as he richly merits, the scorn and contempt of a whole nation. IN LOVE WITH CALICO. " Calico dresses are a grand institution. De laines, silks, and even satins are good enough in their place—in the parlor or bar.d-box, and all such . but after all the old 'stand by,' the sub stantial, is the shilling calico. Care must be taken not to soil the silk, nothing must come in contact with the nice dress that will rumple and stain it; but the calico, that's made for work, and, as the 'highfalutins' say 'nobly does it fulfill its mission.' Silk rarely finds its way into the realities of life ; that is into the kitchen at home, or into the hut of the suffering abroad. ''Calico seems to be always more willing and ready to give want than silk. It is a cur riousl'act of our nature, that the nicer our dress the harder our heart is, as if when dressed in silk we changed our natures and rose above base worldly things. What ! our silk dress be seen near enough tc that poor woman to give her assistance, or drabbling into a dirty hut ? No, never! Calico might do it ; silk, its'just impossible. ' But when in addition to all Calico comes in, rosy with the exercise of kitchen duties which it knows how tp do well, and loves to do dearly, and sits down at the piano or melodeoo, and makes the liquid melody Sow sweetly forth; aye, even blending its own sweet voice with the music of tbe instrument, [then we ap preciate Calico." ' , VOL. 4. NO. 42.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers