The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-04-21


ton of the department., would be best secured by
such manner of proeeeding-usual in other countries
soSd possibly result from il If these Questions ' By an
swered they must be, in the Affirmative the
expression of regret, that Mr. Walker should not have
acted in such wise; and add unhestutngly that his
omission to do so does justly subject him suspcon and
that does the Journals opinion Notwithstanding, afford
As between the New York bid and that of Corcoran Il
enen was put in first at o'clock on saturday nfenoon,
10Th April and that the New York bid not put IN till
near O'Clock, p. IN.
Now, really, we think that Col James Watson Webb,
the editor of this paper, Notwithstanding his hostility to
the administration, and although he is not brgadier
general he desired, and cannot, therefore, in that
capacity distinguish himself as we have doubt he de-
sired in the Mexican war; had better out freely and
frankly, and acknowledge that at least in this case Mr.
Walker acted correctly throughout
II is proved by the evidence in the Union of last
evening" that the authorized statement OF Mr. Walker
published in this paper of the 9th of April that the
Secretary estimated the payment required under the loan
TO be less than two millions month"; and that he sane
toned the article then published proving the accuracy Of
this slaetent "from the books of the treasury and this
was in the hands of the bidders
O. Mr. Walker did announce to these unsuccessful
bidders the morning of the 10th, before their bids
made that there not the slightest probability
that the payments for the loan would exceed two mil
lions month, and this was well known and public to
all in Washington who desired to bid
3. MIR. Walker has said nothing more since the loan
was taken on this point than he did before, and has
made pledge and entered into no contract to deprive
him OF the right to call in the whole loan any day or
month. Mr. Walker could make no such pledge, be-
cause if some unexpected emergency in affairs in
Mexico had demanded more money, it might have been
most disastrous, if Mr. Walker had tied up his hands by
such pledge would have prevented his calling in the
money To have done So might have arrested our mill
tary movements at the very crisis of the contest 1t is
true, the Secretary thinks such call very improbable
and he told the bidders before the loan was aken but
still he would not then, has he nor will he now,
tie up his hands in case the money is wanted by the
government The Secretarys whole course was frank
and open throughout 1t will be observed, that the
Courier distinctly admits that Mr. Walker did assure the
unsuccessful bidders before they made their bids "that
the money should not be called for sooner than it was
wanted and that the Secretary did not believe that he
should want than two millions month but adds
the editor, she could give pledge on the subject y
and MIR. Walker most properly refused then as he does
nor to give any such pledge because, by possibility in
prove most disastrous to the government He did, how
ever as conceded by the Courier give these gentle
men the very proper and important pledge ''tha the
money should not be called for than
ed accompanied by the statement that he dd not be-
lieve that he should want more than two millions a
month" This is the Courer's own account OF
this important interview when the bidders were
celebrating to what, and how they should
bid, when the Secretary, instead of remaining
silent, he might have done, pursued the frank
and open course above conceded, encouraging them
to bid by going to the utmost extent which could
be admissible in conformity with the safety of the gov
eminent And to what Mr. Walker said then, before
the bids made, he adheres now since the loan was
taken. 1t is true that days prior to the 9th OF
April, when the accurate calculation first made BY
Mr.. Walker he did state that the wants of the govern
ment would not exceed three MILL ions month"; 'sant
possibly not so much;' but it is equally true
l. That the gentleman to whom this letter was written
did indicate most clearly in his communication, tina
either ''ten or twenty per cent per month" would be
satisfactory, the latter amounting to 36O0O0O pei
month, or 100000 more than Mr. Walkers maximum
estimate OF that date
.. This gentleman did see the corrected estimate "from
poofN' VI
and published in the Union of the 9th of April showing
by the figures how entirely improbable it was that the
payments would exceed two millions month
8. This gentleman was of the very persons who
was present at the interview before described in tho
Courier, when Mr. Walker conceded by the Courier
did say hat the money should not be called for
than it wanted and that he did not believe that he
should want more than two millions a month";" and i
was in re- ply to question of this very gentleman tina
Mr.. Walker made this statement
Now, as to Messrs Corcoran & Riggs the Courier ad
mits that they did know what these large unsuccessful
bidders intended to do and that their bidding jointly with
them broken Off not by any disagreement to the
premium but by the fact that they could agree among
themselves as to the amount which each should have
the loan and them with this full knowledge of the whole
thus communicated in advance by the unsuccessful
bidders, Corcoran Riggs made their bid and the Cour
he further admits that their bid handed in before the
large unsuccessful bid, thus rendering any collision i'm
possible. AS to the open bids, not endorsed as tc
show they were bids, the whole amount very neon
sderable-hose at a premium amounting to but few
thousand dollars bearing the appearance of ordinary
letters they opened, Mr. Walkers mail is, not by
himself but by one of the treasury clerks, and an abb
stract made by another They were wholly unknown tc
Messrs Corcoran Riggs, but if known, conld not have
influenced the bidding.
We trust, then, if Col Webb approves frank ana
open course he will now give the best proof of by an
w II