Letter from Kentucky.
"Can such things he and excite not our
especial Wonder?"
Covington, Ky., June 3, 1861.
To the Editors of the Dispatch:
I feel anxious to contribute, however feebly, to the great cause in which you are efficiently engaged — the cause of our glorious South! I have just read in that mendacious sheet, the Cincinnati Times, that the great Albany Bank has signally failed, and other banks of the Metropolis of the great Empire State are expected to follow suit.
One other has also gone by the board — the two indebted to the amount of $2,000,000. This information, however, you doubtless are in possession of. The writer, a correspondent of the Rochester News, quoted by the Times, came to the conclusion that there must have been something ‘"rotten in Denmark."’
Again in some of the Northern counties of Massachusetts, a correspondent writing from Worcester, Mass.
says: ‘
‘"Business is entirely prostrated.
The great pail and chair districts are almost desolated.
Many failures among them, and workmen out of employment."’ ‘"One little village in Templeton, of 400 inhabitants, has lost,"’ says the same writer, ‘ "over $100,000 within three weeks."’ ‘"This,"’ he says, ‘ "is a sample of their industrial interests everywhere."’ ’
These facts admitted to exist relative to the North; coupled with the off repeated false statements by those dirty sheets, the Courier, Gazette, and Times, that in Virginia, Mississippi, and other Southern States, there is a great scarcity of provisions, may well lead to the inquiry.
Can such things be and excite not our especial wonder?
I perceive that there is no little complaint among the troops quartered at Camp Dennison, a few miles from the swinish city of Cincinnati, on the subject of provisions and clothing.
The Times says: ‘"There is one general cry of indignation against the robbing of the patriotic funds of the different States by officials and contractors.
It is without parallel in the history of this country.
Pennsylvania seems to lead off. The reports from that State are really horrible.
Not a single article furnished the troops but was of the most inferior quality, and for which the most exorbitant prices were paid.
The Pennsylvania Regiments now at the seat of war are nearly naked.
They are called the "Ragged Regiments." Gov. Curtin occupies an exceedingly unpleasant position.
His administration is covered a month deep in this species of corruption.
He has suffered his friends to speculate in the most unprecedented manner in the war appropriations of the State; he has allowed immense sums to be squandered," etc, etc. "Ohio," the Times continues, "has followed close on the heels of Pennsylvania.
From the beginning to the present time the military management of Gov. Dennison has been very strongly uncleared with corruption."’ In illustration of this, he cites many instances to prove the truth of his allegations.
These charges of corruption, proven by competent witnesses, against gubernatorial dignitaries of Pennsylvania and Ohio, what shall we say of their master at Washington?
Like master, like man.
But I fear my pen is too rambling.
I have seen frequently of late many car-loads of men badly clad, and without arms, pass to and fro on the Miami Railroad, as if their commanders knew not whither to send them.
Poor fellows, seeking a slaughter pen. Some of the cars, thirty-one in number, contained 1,800 redshirted boys.
I hear some of them are just out of the ‘"big jug"’ at Columbus, yelped the penitentiary.
The sheets above referred to, speak of the commitment of various outrages, which occur daily in Cincinnati.
Two volunteer ‘"Zouaves"’ were before the Mayor, on yesterday, for breaking open houses, and destroying property, under the influence of ‘"rot gut." ’ They were fined $10 each, and sent to jail.
The correspondent of the infamous Greeley speaks of drunken rows in Richmond, Virginia.
He ought to come out this way, where he can write more truthfully about rowdyism and fights with butcher knives among brother soldiers.
As I remarked in a former letter, I am strongly of opinion that the city of Cincinnati is the most vulnerable important point on the free Border States, and from the hills of Covington it affords a splendid target for Southern Columbiads and Minnie rifles.
I further believe, that 20,000 or 25,000 well drilled men, commanded by a Davis or a Beauregard, could make it appear any other than like a ‘"Queen City."’
I trust the beloved old Commonwealth will be able to sustain herself in common with her sister Confederates in the pending fearful conflict with the would be dictators, who have pulled down this goodly fabric of the best Government the world has yet seen. To the Editors of the Dispatch:
Cosmopolite.
