Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-07-24

thirty days that he might "not even
secn to- deserve censure;" and the House Of Re-
presentatives Is called by the committee, upon
such testimony, to acquit both Houston and Ea-
ton of all imputa,ion Of fraud; that is, Of
trick, arufcr, or deception, whereby tho r;sht
or interests Of the United States were iniur-
cd!
But i, seems that Mr.. Hall, a clerk in the Sc
cond Auditors office, has certified to the com
mittee that twenty cents per ration were allow.
ed 10 tho late f.. w. Duval, in the settlement,
of his accounts. Why did the comn.iHce call
for this certificate! Mr.. Duvars accounts ~ ore
not before thom. Hnw did they know thai such
an allowance had been mado in their set,e-
mrn,! We cite this To show an"ther ariifce by
which it was attempted to deceive the pcopls.
Mr.. Hall proves (see doct. page 75) that his GER
nhcate relates To q special contract made by f.
w. Duvnl, for the government, with Mars,on
Ford TO supply such indians AZ might attend a
council of Cherokees, TO DO convened on the
% h of September, 1880, to consist of eighteen
ounces of good -four, and i,oo pounds Of beef
with sal, sc. We have no doubt that Duvai
gave "too much" for this ration, but al mus
see that his giving twenty cents furnished no
justification for MIR. Eaton's giving eishtet n
cemts To Houston on so large contract, when
he had the proof in his own office, that tho ia
ton under Blake had cost an average Of s.yen
and half cents +; and the introduction Of the
certificate that he did so before the committee.
put ia reqnsitinn to furnish something which
may he used as an apology for the con,empa-
ted contract.
But there is ano'hpr part or this transaction
which speaks fer itself. Luther Blake swears
tsee doct., page 33
Answer t" the h question. The day, or
tho day after the bids were opened or ought so
have been opened, me, General Houston at the
war Oitice. was then about going to George
town: and in coming out of the Office, ne asked
winch way was going told him. He said
II would take n hack. he would go with me-
took hack On our way to Georgetown, he
asked me if I had put bid in and asked me if
Knew the uthers who had put in bids (naming
ttem,) MIR Preniss Butler, aud Tho,nas Crow
ell. told him | know Prentiss ard Thomas
Croweil; PreniSs had That day told me what he
had put in Tor. He then proposed to mo to with
draw my own bid, and purchase the Others: that
himself and myself, and his friend, coui, get il
al soWe h'sher price, and that great fortune
could be m de. lie did, for some three or four
morn'ngs afterwards, ask inc il I had seen those
persons, on each morning. I told him that I
had seen Premise. The last morning he spoke
10 nae, told him il was necessary TO have some
understanding between us befnre I purchased
out the others, OF withdrew my own bid. His
reply was. . yo., that can tie done. Houston
and myself had no further conversation ON the
SUBJECT. On the 2Sth of March, was ordered
by the Secretary Of War to Ark aasas ,,tyon d,,
ty, heing then Indian AGENT
"Ques,ion 5th. Did Mr.. Houston know tho
terms Of your hid, aud the terms of the bids OF
the other persous2
and naned the amount Of others. He named
MIR. Buffers, aud think others.
"9uestion 9th. Had you applied to know. a,
the War Office, 10 whom the contract W as given;
and whar answer did you r. ceive?
"An'wer. ] applied to tho Indian Depars.
hrr aFnrrf al
and made several attempts to see him bu,
could not"
tPage IL and 3D. MIR. McKenny saws:
ne day after the expiration of that time
several gentlemen called at my Office, (but two
ct these were known to me these were MIR
frcnt'ss and Judge Hake,) and inquired VIVA,
decision had been come TO on The bids. I ans.
wered, did uot know. They expressed grea,
surprise 0'at an officer who had issued proposals
should know nothing ABOUT the decision which
had no doubt been made, since the time was
gone by, &c. answered, had no d u,b,, but
on application to the Secretary OF War. they
would get the il forma ion thoy sought. That /
did not know then, and, will saw to the corn.
nnHee. up to this hour, never having seen the in
side OF one or more of the bids. what offer.
were made, or by whom submitted They LEFT
me; aud, returning the next day, said they had
sought information, and could not ge, il, adding
| tho Secretary was too much engaged to sc,
| them.
"Being in the Secreiary's office soon after or
business, l concluded 80 mention to him tina
those inquiries had been made. He answered
| me by saying, have received no offers excee,
HOuSi"n's in the name think he said, of Ben,
HAWKINS feel some difficulty, my memory
does not assure nae fully. bot think he said in
the name of Ben Hawkins. expressed sur
prise, and snid, this is throwing responsibility
TOO heavily on me. At this point the Secretary
interrupted me, and said. if men will not be
psompi, and hand in their proposals in time,
they have 40 one to blame bat themselves.
continued my intended remarks, by saying had
received several packages which have been han
ded to me in my Office, having ,vrittea upon
them proposals for rations," and that had, on
the afternoon of the day before the time ex mir
ed, placed them, iDiM my o,un hands, in the
hands of Doctor Randolph, his chief clerk, saw
rug, these are proposals. or bids for supplying rn.
tons to the Indians; the time expires to-rnorrow
or is on the eve of expiring you viii he care,
ful 20 place them before the Secretary of Wa.
within il. ] added, think IL due to mysslf IN
say, therefore, that IT these proposals have no,
been placed before you, 1t il not owing 70 an
fault Of mine"
Here IL appears. that, whilst other persons
could obtain information of their own bids.
Houston WINS informed, not only as to his own
lhhs, but rs to those Of others, and that he se,
ms agents to work, to buy up those who had un
derbid him.
Mr. Preniiss, who was bidder, casts some
ad,nlonai light on this subject. tie net only
called m 0aiu, b,H be wrote in vain. The time
for receiving proposals was limited TO the 2Otb
March. Mr.. PresFsiss says= 1850 Doc. ges al
and s2)
ION the 25th Of March. I received letser in
reply from the ririef clerk, DIR. Randolph, ia CO.
by OF which witness Riso handed to tho commit
tce,) which is rs Follows:
" DEPARrmEST OF WAR. March s5, 1890.
SdR: The Secrefarv If War d;re,.. ,,,a -.