Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-12-01

should not be thus inqusitivc had not handle
result. .y,u,s resnoc,r,,i,
WILLIAM PRENTISS
On the 25th received the following reply
. DspARrMENr OF WAR; March the 25th 1880.
DIR ne secretary of War directs say that the
P.oP"sa's lot furnishing rat"'ns tn the en- grating
OrecNs ana Cherokees not YET acted on, aud tina
you VIII be- advised Ia, result as soon a. decision
Is "adc' Yours very respectfully.
l. q. RANDOLPH, Chef Clerk.
WILLIAM PRENrrss, Esq. present.
few days after received the above letter was
ca'ed upon lay Gen Va Fuszen, (thc partner of Gov
hoas'oh'l VINO told me that the Secretary OF Wa,
"su "iorAcd INN that he had hcared WAS concern
Ell with Luther Blake in my proposals and added
that the Secretary had stated that Mr. Blake was
Suo agent 1t would rendcc the bid entirely Il era
Ac no such connection existed between Mr.. Blake
ana myself anu deNirous OF removing every oblec-
tom addressedth the follow ne letter 10 the Secretary
OF War
10 The Hon Secretary Of U'n,..
SiR-At an interview w,tn General Van Fosscn
inns morning, was informed thai you were under the
mp sss'on that was concer ned WITH Luther Blake
IN Tue proposals that pu IN for furn shng the En-
isratn8 Indians with Rations. okc tn occasion 10
INFORM you, that If you haze received such intorma
ton 1t Is incorrect a n no., nor snail not either
Directly or indrecl ly be interested with HIM any
way whatever Respectfully, your obt ssIy,t
WM PRENTISS.
Washington City, Apu ~. 1880
On The 18TH April. recc ycl the following answer
from the Secretary:
War OGe-
S'a-Sour no'e Ct YESTERDAY is renewed / have
no rccoliec ton ct saying tn General Van Fosscn
tina, you and Mr. Blakr were at all concerned % con.
ncctcd IN your bids The blds do MT snow IL; und
l am quite sure body Informed M; out AT
any rate 1t would make no difference he depart
ment, who should associate themselves together IN
contracts to be made. Very respectfully
J. II. ENTON.
April Is. 1880.
After tue receipt ofths letter, G,n. Van Fosscn
AGAIN repeated VIVA he had previously stated, and
reaSs"tted that, Notwithstanding the denial oi ne
Secretary, he had told hIm what nave mentioned
aonvc IN relation To connection sGtwecn n Bake
and myself
Gen. Van Fosscn then informed me, lor the is,
time that he had the control another bid ,wn!ch
was IN IN name oi BenIl,n LA wk,ns. lad an ana
nj the same price at winch .ai offered. ninc cents.
lie then offered 20 pui Hawkin old against mlIie
ana to buy ~ al Win MOO give % ,akr ..y a.
mount IN ght mention; Is hlch declined, and reius.
III 10 en- or into comproin or urrg or
tn have any dung Ia do with HIM Ia any snap. wnat
ever IN the business. was now convinced tGat there
was something wrong; and thi, an fort 10 Oe
made or had been ade pass over my od, tor ne
purpose OF gvng to Eous,On ana Van Fossrn
Knew Ans, nd knew the price watch he had OF
ed was twelve cents. knew Ihal he had pre-
oasiy left the CITY IN the latter part Of Marcn, and
kn"w that he had made no sucn D,d as Gov Hous
tons partner represented
have asceraned that the bids of Houston and
Vnn FosSrn were IN the following forms:
Gcn. Van Fossen, previous 10 his departure from
thus City, showed a number oil individuals the CO.
ny of the deerent proposals that and MS different
Companies had offered for the contract.
The first proposition was 10 lows:
Gov, 5. Houston ana R0Ueri + Rose PROPOSE to
iurnish tie ratIDns To the em.gratiny Indians, a
grceable e. the advertisement oil 2Oih Feb,uary 4.
thirteen cents per ION.
II that proposition should not he accepted, GOV
Houston aiid Gen. Van Fvsscn will agree TO take
n rnnf
OF the above proposals should b, accepted.
Gen Van Fossen will agree TO take the contract
at ten cents per ration.
Immediately after tins last conversation with Van
Fossen | went to tho Wa Department; bus Prev
Gus t. calling on the Secretary, called at the Com
nissary Genera uf!i to inquire II was no, usu
al, al or buds had 90 received and examined TO
permit the bidders the severa proposal, Tn Al,
were offered. ] was there informed mat after the
expiration of he time for receiving prop sails the
substance OF them was entered IN a book kept f.
That purpose, and that the persons who had made
proposals were permitted TO rs this was tina
usage OF the Department., ieit that there was no
inproprety IN my max NC the request in the case IN
which | was interested. Therefore called at Tho
Office OF the Secretary of War, and endured ot
him II he had ye acted on the proposals. lie stated
that he had not, and observed that II was vcrv
impor contract, one OF great consequence, and
Oh mach responslslhy-,hat the Department did moi
wish any one TO lose by Contract with the Gov
ernment; that the supple. tor the few Indians thai
Ldi S'IIb abcu CVS1 tHc uJVcrnment tDsr Major
Lcws's rc7or;) cight CEN per ration, lbs, IN tn,
ca'e the'e would b an immense number which
would mako ~ more difficult to be copped with:
that when Ih- whole body arrived upon their lands
mere would not bo stalk OF corn III that country.
ana that beet would b. extremely difficult To pro-
cnr'; that ne wpuli not finally IN the business
without consulting the President then REQUESTED
prrpsson to see Tie bids that had been offered and
observed that had tson to believe this pcrm,s-
SION had been extended to others, from the over
de- tn n.
NJ could not permit me to see them, bu. that he
could INFORM me that my bid was tn. lowest old b #
one asked him If that not the bid OF a sub
Agent, and an illegal bld lie answered thai Il,
Was-and that after he consulted with the Pres
cent, he would let me know tho cour.e ne sbou,d
adopt.
On the POD April, addressed another letter Z,
the Secretary: ~
WASHINGTON CRY, Apr! &c, 1880
10 the Hon Secretary Of War.
, oh:-Sonr TIM having elapsed . rec 1 had the
h7hnr OF an interyIeg with You respec ny the con-
tract Tor supplying he EN- grating Indlans wi.h RI.
Mons ahh not h1virg heard any IN NO IN ,ro rro Won
on INC subject, hope you viii not CONSIDER IT tres
passing ZOO fnuch on your time, to request that Won
WpuIn nave the UyDduc14 IN or