Litchfield enquirer., 1832-04-26
STRANGE DEvELoPEmENTs.

in which he sets forth the causes WhicE separated him from the present admins. tration. He represents that his condem- nation was sealed from the moment when he demonstrated with Major Eaton against contracting with Ex-Governor Houston to furnish rations for the emigraling Indians at Is cents, when, according to Gen. Green they could be afforded at 6 cents. Said rationS were to consist of 1-4 lbs. of fresh beef, or ID. fresh pork, with two quarts salt to every hundred rations, and one quart of corn or corn meal, or IS oz. of flour. In the proposals issued by the War Department, was inserted this clause {:
 "1he right to De reserved to the Secre- tary Ct Var to enlarge or alter the guan- tity 0f the ratiOns to De issued, and the right cf continuing the contract to any pe- riod of time he may thiuk proper, and to terminate it, atpleasdre, Vhen any Q the conditions shall De broken.''
 At the time when these proposals were issued, says Gen. Green, the celebrated Indian Bill was in progress in the House l; and Major Eaton asked an appropriation of four millions of dollars. His estimate sent to the committee, as I then under- 1 stood, was for that sum; and was told by the Secretary of the Treasury that Ma jor Eaton's estimate was at 20 cts. per ra- tion, and that Major Eaton said to him that it would take six millions of dollars to subsist the emigrating Indians. Major Eaton remarked to me, that he was about to make one of the most important con- tracts that ever had been concluded by this government that he had ascertained by a l report from the Commissary- General, that the ration to the emigrating Indians had cost % cents 1; that Gov. Houston had consented to take the contract at IS cents {; that he had gone to w-York, and obtain- ed partner who was worth half million of money; and that the savings to the government would be at least $4OOO per day. He estimated the number of Indians to be from 60 to SO,O0O, and that the is-' sue, at the price which he expected to give, would amount to $12, 1000 per day. 1 asked of what the ratio consisted. He then gave it, as stated in the proposas.- I understood Major Eaton's remarks as in- tended to satisfy me that he was about to make an advantageous contract for the government and that his object in speak ing to me was to induce me to take that view of it in the Telegraph. told him that beef could be purchased in that coun- try at the rate of from one 10 two dollars per hundred that the hide and tallow { would pay the expense and risk of delivc- ry; that ti,e Indians could not all bs re- moved in one year; that'a large quantity of corn was then raised, and could be pur- chased at cheap rate in the Indian terri- tory; that the whole country aboundcd in salt water, and that, consequently, the salt would be a nominal item in the expendi- ture that the ration could be furnished at six cents, ,.and thus, instead of saving four thousand dollars per day, the contractor would receive eight thousand dollars per day more than a fair price. I saw from his counfenance and manner, that he was disappointed and provoked, and immedi- ately determined to do all in my power to prevent the making of the contract be- lieving that it was intended to cover deep and premeditated fraud: 1 accordingly sent for MT. John Shackford, now the door keeper of the Senate-then re- spectable merchant of St. Louis, who hap- pcned to be in this city. told him my suspicious; that was apprehensive that Major Eaton and Major Lewis were inter- csted in the contract; that was appre- hensive of their influence over Gen. Jack son, and that believed that the only way to defeat them was 10 induce some respect able person to nnderbid Gen. Houston {; that was apprehensive the Government would be compelled to give much more than the ration was worth; and that had selected him to make the bid, because, in case he obtained it at more than fair price, no party suspicion would attach to the transaction, as he was known to be the friend of the late administration and be- cause that, as I hoped and believed that Gen. Jackson was not party to it, was desirous to save him and his administration from the consequences of the contemplat- ed fraud. MT. Shackford took until the next morning to think of it. He then Ecalled and told me that he was willing to take the contract at fourteen cents. la-4 bored to satisfy him that he could make hundreds of thousands of dollars by taking it at much lower rate. He then propos- ed that should become interested with 1 him in the contract. To this replied that I had reflected on the subject, and that, although was satisfied that could realize an independent fortune out of the