Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-02-20

ssance arise5 IL !. therefore, Mr.. Calhoun Is Oh
noxious to any censure in the present case, il is
Tor the imperfect organic stion Of the Engineer
department on the 25h July, ISIS. In this view
Of the subject. it is to be remarked ,ha, he took
charge oil the Department in December 1917, at
the opening OF the session Of Congres left Wash-
+, ington for South Cai olina, indispensable bus-
ness, Immediately after the close o. the Session in
the May following; and did not return until the
month OF July, only two weeks before the
tract IN question was closed; aud was almost in
cessan,ly occupied, during these two wceks, in the
deliberations of the Cabinet on the military oc-
currences Of the Seminole Campaign.
Under these circumstances, the irregularities in
question cannot be imputed to him, either in fact
OF in theory. Coming into complicated Depart
ment, which was almost literally in a state of cha
os, nothing but spirit of official quackery could
have prompted him 10 commence the great work
oil general and systematic reformation, before he
had deliberately surveyed the working OF it's dis
ordered machinery, and ascerained bo.h the causes
OF the existing resularities and the effective
means of correcting them permanently.
In fact, when it is consider ed that Mr.. Cal
houn FIRST necessarily devoted himself TO tie
creation and organization OF the Departments
OF the Quarter Master General Surgeon Gen
eral, and Commissary General, under an act OF
Congress, passed upon his recommendation,
In April 1918, the wonder is that the reiorma-
ton of the Engineer Department was commenced
and completed at such early period. as in tact II
Committee will select the minute irregularities of
detail in a transaction which was conducted ex-
clusively by subordinate officers and of which the
irregularities really belonged the antecedent pc
Rod of disorder, as criterion of Mr.. CsIhoun's
general Administration Of the War Department
Indeed the very irregular, lilies which W, ere now
considering, are The more striking, because of the
Perfect Organization, responsibility and system
which Mr.. Calhoun has the high merit of having
subsequently, impaired to all the arrangements and
operations Of the Department
Standing in contrast with his own i'm provemenis
these petty and subordinate irregularities are ex-
hibited in bold relief to the pry ing and invidous
research OF the censorous, aud in his way not
only the imperfec,ions which he found in he sys.
tenn OF administrator, but the signal regularity
which he introduced in the proceedings of the De-
rartment, are made to furnish matter of
against him.
AS the general industry, zeal, and ability with
which Mr.. Calhoun discharged his official duties
are thus distinctly put in issue by the direction
when the COMMITTEES have gi, en- TO the exainina-
ton, claim the right of calling before them all
the Heads OF the subordinate Departments, who
were his able co -adjutors in the great work of
reform, and OF shelving by their united testimony
the condition in which he found the Depa, TIM emf:
the fidelity, and unremtiing labor 18th which he
he devoted himself to lis improvements; and the
high perfection OF its arrangements, which crown
ed his labors with success equally conducive tn
bis own fame and 10 The welfare OF his Country
must, therefore, request that the Committee will
examine The following gentleman, touching this
branch OF the inquiry; Maj. Gen. BI own, Genl.
Ihos. 5. Jesup, Genl. A Macomb, DIR J Lowell
Col. N Towson, Col. G Gibson, Col G. Bonn
iord, Col. l. Roberdcau, and Col. John E. Wool
~ am not greatly mistaken it will concusiyely
appear from their evidence, that the system of
rigorous responsibility and strict economy which
hir. Calhoun introduced in the operations and dis
oursements oil the military establishment have ef.
in he
tnre OF more than million of dollars, 10 saw no.
'h!ns OF the striking improvement made in the
moral OF the army, as well as in its military dis
cipline and efficiency
although the views already presented phe,y the
injustice OF holding MIR. Calhoun in any decree res
ponsible Tor the formal irregularities which NAV
nave existed IN reformation OF the contract with
Aysh MIX, II IS due to the hist orical truth of the
case that should State, that, in point of fact, M
INJURY resulted to the Government from those me-
euiariies' or from the making Of ,he contract with
such person On the contrary, ii was copcu-
svely shewn In the investigation which tool, nI,re
on the subject in the House of Repre.entatiyos
IN May, 1922, that, previous to the formation of
me contract, notice was .uay given and 10,
qures made, at all the poiats where suitable stons
could be procured, and that Col. Armistead to neg
DIS own words, made experiments, by bavinp
the stone quarried near Georgetown by labor ers bs
oy the u d, found that it could no, be procn,sJ
y carried to Old Point Comfort for less than CO 40
per perch, together with the great uncertainty of
eetting vessels TO transport it' The testimony of
oon. dodgers, Gen. Mason, Mr.. Baker of eoree
Town, ana various other witnesses all concurreJ in
the uncontradicted statement that GO 50 ns
perch was the lowest for which the s,ons
couia be delivered. And accordingly, SO so was
the lowest bid except that of E!iiah Mix I, !. an
parent, therefore, that the contract at y ner ner
would have been runous 10 Mix but for 50 tho
very unexpected and rapid fall in the ,r;ca ~
iaoor and transportation; adverted 10 by the vii.
nesses IN the former examination Such >yasib.
conclusive force OF this testimony in 1922 that Tho
oare reading oil 1t, without single word of com
mentary or argument, induced the House of r.
representatives., by vote of 1871 TO 20. to ,e;ec,
ue report and resolution of the Select [ omu iytes
WHich recommended suspension OF all appropria-
uons lot The fulinent of that contract AItbou.b
therefore, the character Of Mix was even a, 1Ls
oste OF The contract, stamped with infamv the far,
was then wholly unknown 10 Mr.. Calhoun. and
believe, 10 every officer Of the Engineer Denor,
ment; and however much some of those oCice,s
may have suffered from having TO deal with man
SO prohgate and unpTincipled il is clear that In,
Government has actually saved Ss75. 900 in the
whole contract, by accepting his bid. And lean
not out remark, ID concluding this part of The sinh
Ject that the viSant regard for the public interest
Win which MI Calhoun has invariably enforced
upon MIX the performance of this contract. ba.
evidently brought upon him the infamous csutnny
"n'ch mas given rise TO this investigation.
cannot oriDg this communication to a close
without formally and distinctly protesting AGAINST
blending the examination and trial Of c6sros.
against the subordiDat officers of the War Depa1t
ment, with the present investigation. The ini,s-
tce of such course 10 those officers has bsen Al.
ready stated. III would he Ii,.,.tf.. aat-