The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-05-11

as the Senator from California is; and that is very
much 10 be regretted. But it must be remem,
bered IN justice to him, that il is not necessary
that Congress should pass special provisions OF
law authorizing the building of barracks al par
tlcuar places. The army appropriation bills often
contain, and that passed in 1913, for the support
OF the army for the year ending June 80, 1919
did contain, appropriation for all the incidental
expenses Of the Quartermaster's Department, in
Guiding barracks. In that year the appropriation
was $3.50 900 for all these objects. Ordinarily,
no barracks, sore-houses, quarters, &c, are built
without the appreciation Of the Secretary of War;
but the distant theater of these operations, the
pressing wants of the service, the peculiar and
extraordinary condition Of things IN California,
and the oral Instructions Of Mr.. Marcy, doubtless
justified General Smith in all that he did.
VIII show, now, what was the action of the
present Secretary Of War upon that subject.
have said that the accounts came to General Jesup
on the 18th Of February, 1851. On the Gath OF
February, 1851 the Secretary addressed the fol-
lowing letter to General Smith
WAR DEPARTMENT,
WasnlNoToS February 81, 1851.
Major General pgRsIfRR F. SMITH,
Cornd,g Pacific Diriston, Benieiq, California:
SIR; The Qnartprnaster General has within few day
past submitted 20 me made by Assistant Quarter
master Robert Allen, showing the number o persons
poyeh IN The construction Of barracks &c., at Benica
duns me month OF November last and the wages paid u
each ny this account il appears that there al that
I'M" eighty nine mechanics and aborer- employed in said
work at an aggregate expense faboui a 800 per month
for tneir wages.
liehas also brought my notice a letter from Major
Allen, dated August a5 1850 in which that officer csii-
mates that the which will be required for expenditures
IN the construction Of barracks, store houses Sc at
tain posts IN California and Oregon designated in his letter.
WI amount, during the yenr commencing on the 10Th
August, 1850, 10 about S1.If20.50o
A. no order appears 10 have been given by this Depart
men r the erection OF these works required by regua-
hons, See Army Regulations oflsil, par 97O97l
mol until tlen aware Of their magnitude and cost, and
supposed they We're cheap structures, intended for the TEN
porary accommodation Of the troops Unless the Army
should be much increased, tof which there
prospect whacver The military hereafter TO be sta
tiohed on the Pacific particularly in California. will he
incon-iderable ard the precise points they
ought - be statoned hardly yet determined with sui-
cient accuracy render prudent expend large
Even werH 4 otherwise the Department would hesitate 10
MAKE these expenditures until money had been specially
appropriated FOR the purpose In the absense OF plans and
estimates aidD the uncertainty that prevails 10 the
extent q The military force that will hereafter be stationed
on the Pacific. recommendation of such appropriation
can be made nj the present session.
You Wi therefore, Immediately the receipt OF This
letter suspend all further the works Bpnca
beyond what are absolutely necessary for the immediate
use OF me troops stationed there that may there.
~ case yo should report in answer to the communication
Of HE General in Chief of the 26h day of December last,
that tine force stationed there be reduced. You
will give similar orders the commanders OF the several
posts where such now la te course
uon taking that proper be adopted for The
prnec!lpn al such works have been commenced, and
inr me preservation sale of the materials hand Ia
sl a. 70 he precise extent 70 waic ana tc
mode n which il Is 70 be carried ont will remark,
however, that the Expenditures of the Army, particularly
the Qnanermasers department for the last year, have
excited great deal OF remark that the entire estimates
for barracks aud quarters, cluding those in California
aud oson,) flr the year ending Both June 1882
only ~ s0uD0 and there every believe that
even Is amount viii be very much reduced aud that
specific appropriation will b. made for the works referred
10 IN hs letter The appropriations for the current year
are already exhausted
You viii also give thai the qunnermasters at each
us N
this Department. adet2ed statement showing the precise
nature aud extent oaI works tia, have been erected
berea the materials Of which they constructed their
pse'' state the amount thar has been already expended
on them. the materials hand and estimate OF The
amount That VIII be required 10 complete them,
Neft respectfully, Your obedent servant.
G. NJ CONRAD,
Secretary of War;
presume the report of Major Allen, dated al
Benlcia, June 80, 1851, and referred TO by the
Senator, was in consequence of this order The
Senate VIII perceive that the present Secretary OF
War, as soon as he was informed Of the inagni-
tude and cost Of the building which had been
erected, and were proposed 10 be erected at BENZ
cia, took immediate steps TO put stop to the eX-
pead,ure. Ii is not TO be supposed that Sec
rotary of War, who has been in Office only few
months, IS 10 be acquainted with everything going
or IN his Department. II is not his duty to in.
/ yestga'e every account that comes in, or every
! dispatch that is received by the QuartermaseI
General 5 Bureau, or any other. IL is the duty oil
his snbordinaies TO bring to his notice everything
Of special consequences which may require his
attention. This letter shows that he was not in.
formed Of the proposed expenditure at Benicia
until few days before the letter was dated; and
promptly, after receiving the information, he PM
an end ID this expenditure. On referring 10 Tho
documents accompanying Major Allen reportn
1851, End a list ofihe houses which were begun
and completed NJ the depot at Benicia Cor the wear
commencing July lH, 1850. Itsustains the state
meni have .ra y - the Senate, as 20 the number
Of houses and buildings which were erected
IN connection with This subject, the Senator has
made great complaints * To the application of tie
civil fund IN California
Mr. GWlN. As the Senator is entering upon
new topic, viii read the extract from the letter
Of Commodore Jones, 10 which | referred. ] did
not expect that the Senator would speak to-day
or should have been prepared with the documents
upon which based my remarks, 20 which the
senator is lying. read from an Official letter
addressed by Commodore Jones to Lieutenant r.
w Meade, dated at San Francisco, August IL,
1859. After giving the reasons why he did not
put Lieutenant Meade in command Of the Ediii.
he makes this statement:
subsequently and very ne,peciedly since nv return
- san Frlnci.c0 the Hon. r. o. Ming has under author
~ from The President called or me for the Edith 10
-nai on vcr inpOrian service. uncnnnected with the
Nlyy ard pressing T. the necessity Tor the earliest pps
blc departure - Tie Edith, that he viii 90 NJ the
thl ~ W'tk uNnHf canvas. VIII t1e contractor aud
his engineer, ard woSmen board WHO viii finish their
worh on the passage"
Mr.. PEARCE. | do not think that ma kes any
difference. 10 IS the same thing, after all, which
the Senator was anxious 10 have done, and which
was not improper in itself
The Senator has referred 10 the civil fund of
California. lis history, think, was gone over ~
the last session Of Congress. The Senate will
rccoert that Bill 10 provide for the settlement II
The accounts Of officers, who had been connected
with the receipts and disbursements Of that money.
vas introduced by me- Il passed this body. and
was sent to the House Of Representatives There
q expired, no action being taken upon IT, A SIM
ar pill has been introduced ~ tie present session.
and has pissed the Senate A Recommendation
was sent 20 The Committee on Finance, ri the last
session, by the Secretary of War, urging that
something should be done in relation to that fund,
80 that il might he received into the Treasury,
winch q could not he, without some legislative
action of Congress.
The hilI which introduced provided for It's
receipt INTO the Treasury in the frs, place. and
accounting for q AZ II il bad been properly re-
ceiyed-legtlmailng the action Of the Government
de .fic,o ~ regard 10 that fund-allowng the ex.
pendimre for army and navy purposes Of so much
Of The funds as bad been ~ applied Il also made
allowance TO the officers engaged in us receipt ard
disbursement; allowed portion Off to be applied
tho relief ~ destitute ennVraus To ,Vhicb nur.