The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-05-11
FRIDAY, .AprA 30, 1852.


Mr.. PEARCE. Mr. President, before pro-
coed with the remarks which am about 10 submit
in repiy to the Senator from Virginia, desire to
ask the indulgence OF the Senate for few moments
while notice charge which was made by the
Senator from California and which yesterday es-
capped my attention. Ii will he fecoleced that the
Senator stated in connection with the abuses which
arose, as he said, in the case of General John
| Wilson, while he was on his wav to California.
and after he had arrived in the Sacramento Valley
that he had ''cacked" his property, that is, as
understand it, not being able to carry il on with
him, he had concealed il by burying il. The Sem
ator then said:
detachment oithe Army ordered the following
spring. % bring ~ the private property belonging The
agent, transported nr him nj Government expense by
salt Lake, TO California. told by the assistant quar-.
iennaster, who fitted out the expedition, the principal oh
irct Of which perform this that the cost was
liie less than si00,OO0," &c.
If the Senator were not mistaken in this narra-
tive of the affair, should say that il was II very
gross abuse. IL, in fact, the Secretary Of War
had caused military expedition, at cost of little
less than 100000, To be sent to the head waters
of the Sacramento, to recover an amount Of prop
erty, large or small, belonging 10 any civil officer
of the Government, should have thought it a
gross abuse. But find n different history Of the
transaction in the report Of the assistant quarter
master, Major Allen-the same report from which
the Senator from California and myself have read
shall not detain the Senate any longer than simply
to read his narrative of this transaction After
stating that Captain Warner had been sent out on
an exploring expedition TO the passes of the Sierra
Nevada; and had been treacherously assailed and
routed by the Misunderstanding, indeed, lost his
life in the fray--Maior Allen proceeds:
"a second expedition, destined To punish The hostile In
Department in The month OF Nav. isso. This command
having successfully accomplished its first object was
dered 10 proceed on to Pin river TO chase n possible the
ckpda nd IA.
! Captain Warner.
Brevet Captain Lyon, commander of The expedition
met on his rstnrn march asscn'- Ranch an order
directing him 10 go IN quest Of the baggage Of John Wilson,
ESQ., which baggage had been cached" on the emgrant
route beyond the Feather River Mountains"
The Senate will perceive that the Senator from
California fell into mistake; and that, so far from
n military expedition being sent out for the only
purpose, or for the principal purpose Of recovering
the private property Of the agent, which he had
cached" on his outward route, il was sent out
for two distinct military purposes; which purposes
led them, presume, into the neghborhood Of the
| region where this property had been "cached;"
and that, in fact, the order to get his property was
not known at the time the expedition was sent out
Ii is thus shown that this expedition had gone for
two military purposes, which IL had ACCOMPLISHED
when the order TO seek for this property was re-
ceIved II ~ very manifest, therefore, that if the
expedition had cost the large sum Of money which
il is said to have cost il is chargeabe to the proper
military purposes Of the country, and not to the
private purposes Of this civil employee So far as
the Government may have been put to any ex-
pense by the expedition turning back on the route
To Get that property, that is n charge against il:
but the statement which | have read, exhibits
very different state Of the from that which the
honorable Senator has supposed to exist
Mr.. GWlN. I stated that Major Allen told
me that the cost Of the expedition was 500 900.
gave nv authority.
Mr.. PEARCE But the Senator stated, also,
that the principal object of the expedition was to
get at this property He, no doubt thought so,
but he was in error; and, wren ! had the means
Of showing him to be in error, | felt bound to do
so.
think was stating yesterday, when dscon-
tinued my remarks in reply to the Senator from
Virginia, that the Secretary Of War had attempted
various reforms in the Department which is under
his control. ! mentioned some Of them. ! shall
now proceed to mention others, some of which the
Senator may recoect; but of others, perhaps, he
is uniformed.
II will be recnected that both General TAYLOR
and the present Secretary Of War recommended a
retired list for the Army--a project which, il is
supposed, viii increase the efficiency Of the Army,
without ut all enlarging the expense under
stand that, at the request Of the chairman Of the
Committee on Military Affairs in the House Of
Representatives, a project for this purpose was
prepared by the Secretary, and sent to the com
miitee. accompanied by draft Of bill That is
one reform which he has attempted
Then would call the attention of the Senate TO
fact which ] believe, was alluded 10 nv the Sen.
ator from Virginia in his speech. The Secretary
of War has very recently discovered that some Of
fcers Of the Army have purchased various articles
and sold them to the Quartermaser's Department
The officers attached to the Army at particular
dep6ts, awaiting themselves Of their positions have