The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-03-08

nobody has questioned). TO order an expenditure,
out andout, OF large amount OF the military con-
tribuiion fund collected by the army TO be hui
namely applied TO the relief of sick or distressed
soldiers. But my motive is impugaed by the
Courts sentence for extending relief 10 portion
OF my suffering couatrymen! and il is upon the
fG'd'ty Charged impure motive that I have been
sentenced for nowhere in the finding OF the Court
is Inc violation OF any law imputed 10 me. There
is but one impartial Judge of motives-that i'm
parusi Judge whose alseepg eye penrtraics into
the deepest recesses OF all human hearts.
Here follows my order 10 Purser Joseph Wilson
1.-THE Isl OF November, 1918 which the court, or
majority OF the court, al least has strangely con-
strued as emanaIing from sord;d motives for spe-
culauon and private gains; and this, too, in the
face OF the evidence Of even more than two or
three Witnesses, whose characters are unimpea ch.
ed and unimTeac habe-witnesses uninliuenced by
fear or affection, because free and independent
citizens
Fac sHrp Ono
MONTEREY Bay. Nov. L, 1913 (
sR.-There being unex pendsd balan 20 OF sever
dollars OF the military contribution fund
collected Mt az,tan, by the squadron, during tho
claim which can foresee LIKELY TO arise against
IT; and as the inhabitants OF Upper California aad
embarrassed In their dealings and operate for want
Ola silver circulating m edium, on will on your ar
rival at San Francisco exchange much of the sfors
tad fund ss may then be in your hands for unconsd
gold ct the current market price: whi,h gold you
viii hold subject TO my further orders Very respect
fully 40, your obecient servant
THos AP JONES, Commander in. Chief,
United s.ates Naval Porcss, Pacific ocean.
Purser joseph Wilson, U. 8 ship Lexington.
This order sets forth the true mouve of the
writer tor what he designed doing, and wha.
was subse quenty done under tina. order. No evil
dence has beer produced TO the court to disprove
the declared scarcity of com in California at the
date OF the order lust read, and for several months
after-t. e.. until March of the foowingyear; whilst
the positive testimony of the identical oseph Wlson
purser of the Lexington, of Mr. L4rkin, Judge Pratt
Mr. Pettet, Commanders Johnston and Stribling as
M YIQdf IN hSfN Il ~
and all other Witnesses examined on that point, es-
ablsbed beyond cuv not only the great scarcity of
coin in all California, but that great embarrassment
TO commerce and trade in every branch-nay, actual
distress-was experienced from the insuffciency of
q legal tender to pay dutes.at the custom house,
from which source alone the starving immigrants
to California could receive their daily bread.
Ut these facts, material to my justification, /
think the court must be perfectly satisfied "The
military contribution fund put in circulation at
the time OF the greatest need and it was Withdrawn
and RENTED In gold dust 10 the treasurer OF the
mint in Philadelphia, soon as the necessities of
the community were relieved, 10y the importation
Of coin in the first mail steamer, which arrived at
San Francisco on the 18th day OF February, 1882
and at the same time | shipped the uncoined gold
by the Dale, (l4th of March of the same year.) IL
private gain had been my object or motive for ex-
changing the silver coin for uncoined gold, might
have employed the coin IN San Francisco so as to
have yieldea me, as MIR. Larkin testiies, from one
TO hve hundred per cent in six months" (See the
testimony of T. o. Larkin and X. M Price. Esq
Believe me, then, when tell you, as the finding
OF the court tells you, am not guilty OF any offence
against law, against regulation, against the in
terest of the community, whose servant am.
did not make an Improper" nor an "unauthorized"
use of the small unapproprated balance of the mil
tary contribution fund, over which was invested
with absolute power. when temporarily put il in
circulation for the relief OF suffering community;
and when that necessity was relieved, restored
you your own. cent per cent, In money good as vas
expended. have not defrauded you; have not
attempted to defraud you; have concealed naught
from you; naught have set down in malice against
any man; ana yet stand sentenced to five years
suspension, and fine of 5000. Well may it be
asked, for which Of my good acts am l thus sen
tened? for in vain may the records of the court be
searched for evidence TO support the contr adictory
findings and sentence, as published.
have greatly exceeded the limits contemplated
when / commenced this hasty appeal; but ii had
said lees could have said nothing The record of
the court, and the true history OF the tion
run through thousand pages. AS soon as practi-
cable, legal review Of the courts findings and
sentence will be laid before you. In the meantime,
only ask suspension of opinion until the subject
can be fairly presented to the President, who, il il
believed, has not yet, under the pressure Of other
business, had time TO review the proceedings.
THos. Ar. G.. JoNEs, ". S. Navy
WASHINGTON FebYuary o5 1871