The Caledonian

It would seem as if there was a strife among every description of persons employed in the public service to see who shall cheat the Government out of the most money. The spoils, according to the favorite maxim of the party in power, are the legitimate object of political association, and as might be expected plunder is the order of the day. Amidst the explosion of corrupt Pet Banks and the consequent loss of hundreds of thousands—amidst the numerous and heavy defalcations, among Collectors and other public officers, as disclosed in a recent Report of the Secretary of the Treasury, it may be thought small game to notice such petty cases as the following. It is so, and we only do it by way of relief from the stupendous frauds above alluded to.

The Documents accompanying the Secretary of War's Annual Report disclose a few cases of fraud by exhibiting false accounts by Military officers for forage &c. Intimations are given that these are only as a drop in the bucket. There are three claims for forage, service of team &c. furnished to Capt. Boyd's Company of Alabama Volunteers—amounting to $6,590 Dollars and odd cents, which were presented, regularly vouched for, and of course paid—which have been satisfactorily ascertained to be entirely fictitious—no such forage having been furnished. T. Cross, acting Quarter Master General says, in his communication to the Secretary of War. "I fear Sir this is but one detected case out of hundreds of like character that have occurred during the late disturbances on the frontiers." It is stated by Lieut. Heintzelman of the Army, who paid these accounts, that the same Capt. Boyd is accused of having forged the names of several persons to a power of Attorney, and has drawn pay for several individuals who never rendered any service. Thus Capt. Boyd has shown himself fully entitled to promotion in the ranks of the party and we shall look for his name among the first appointments of Receivers &c. when the Sub Treasury Bill becomes a law.