Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-05-22

the OF the cargoes called upon him to sell them
They preferred that he should sell hem rather than that
they should perish his hands by decay be for
ADJUDICATION to distant tribunals. believe that he is
default but that fact not known to this Ad
mniatraton when his nomination was acted upon by the
| Senate
take it for granted that the Senate would hold
Administration responsible for the defacation Of in
ferr agent unless they tolerated the abuse rewarded
opening Of his speech. Mr.. Golfers abuses whatever
they were, not known to the Administration Suspi
cions afoat it is true but official information had
been received at the Treasury Department Of any maad
minstraton by him at the time when his nomination
sent to the Senate and it would have been grossly
just upon and suspicion, to discredt man
who had always before borne honorable character
when, by waiting little while, official information could
be obtained upon which the Department might determine
its action He was however, rejected by the Senate, as
the Senator has stated.
Another complaint which the Senator makes against
the Administration is that they have been guilty Of gross
extravaganza in regard to the establishment Of military
depot Mt Benica His first objection u.s. that Bencia
not the proper place. He read from the report Of Major
vnton quartermaster in the army show that the
Of these sites determined by General Persfer
Smith, gentleman who is, above oil exception, Of
the most gallant men in the army, a. know the gentle
man will concur with me in saying, Of general and
professional intelligence and Of the very highest Of
honor whose especial duty to select these Sites and
who was appointed to the command by Mr. Pok's admin
straton He sterling Democrat too, but doubtless
received his appointment because Of the special confidence
reposed in his fidelity. That officer communicated to the
Government at different times, the why he pre-
ferred establishing the military depot Benicia instead
of San Francisco propose to read few extracts from
his letters to the Aduant General Under date OF April
s. 1S49 he says:
The town of San Francisco way fitted for military
commercial purposes there is harbo bad landing place,
bad water, supplies of provisions nclement climate, and
it cut of from the Of the country, except by long cir
cult around the southern extremity Of the bay There
points the bay inland having good harbors and land
ng good and open the whole country rear and
accessible without difficulty ships Of the largest class One
|
be established"
In letter Of the 9th of April 1849 he shows how
fully and minuey the Straits of Karqunez and the posi-
tion of Benca had been examined by himself and other
officers OF the army and navy, and says:
The Straits about five miles long and from to two
broad Near the lower end the land bold and high both
Sides Between the plat Of this town and the upper end Of
the Straits distance of about m large vessel be
enough the bank unload several points and in the
whole extent by a small expense for wharves" =
The road to the upper Sacramento from the southern
try here during the of high water when the
valley Of San Joaquin overfowed and this point has ut all
times free communication with all parts Of the Territory
The objections this place that there wood the
site the south side OF the Straits has some scattered
trees on its hills and there is stream Of fresh water it.
The oe houere furnish much better cafer than found at
San francisco and good is generally found from Decem
Der until June, when the rivers high At low water the
water of the Straits fresh found perfectly good the
time"
He also repeats that the expense of landing stores at
San Francisco is enormous; and contrasting the
places says But there point entirely covered from
all winds except in the Straits of Karquinez-"
On the 2lst of May 1849, he writes again from San
Francisco, and says:
of goods here will be obvated by having the depot removed
Bencn the Straits of Karqunca where the general do,
established"
Major ynton the report which the Senator has
read dated March, 1885, in speaking of San Francisco,
says:
The obstacles to its successful enlargement and
permanency in commercial view may be pointed out
sng in its climate, the want of permanent points for land
cargoes the absence of fuel and the lack of plentiful
5snss. = Ss xsfs ,ss..nsn h.TsG
many respects but IL Is not sA during rreyalence
o. the rsse sa @ w & vo
the anchorage to the shore -
that ii is only high tide that commodities from the shipping
| can be landed.
"Ths object has in measure been recently obvsied by
the construction Of imperfect and insufficient piers An In
credible property been the CONSEQUENCE vessels
eghted with most valuable have been deserted at
their anchorage unload which and deposthe contents
the open beach, the high prices Of laBf has cost
than the amount Of their freight money
department. with NIL its has able escape
the evils resulting from such Of and although
other places As ys, have not found be favobe
in respects than San Francisco there h no good
for making that town the site Of our principal depot Muca
of the land which the town built held question
able titles and the public reservations made by military
governors liable to be disputed any time. To ereex
pensve and quarters these lands while the M
fculty Of communicating with the shipping such as
described would incur risks andexpepses that the good
service would and the opportunities for doing
which existed months ago haye since been
the act Of some person. with without sufficient authority
about which am not fully advised extending permission b.
citizens to build upon and occupy for business pur
poses Of the best points she public Rents
exorbtanty hghbeyond parallel in country Fuel
be obtained retail prices for less than fifty dollars
per eru and unwilling contract for any large sup
plies Of II propecve lest the exavagant prices Of labor
! may throw them out Of all calculable profit
Soon after his arrival In California, General Smith esta
bished the depot suppose, under the large discre
onary powers which had been given to him by Mr. Marcy
when he set out to take command Of the division II will
be perceived he gives very good for the
selection Of this place Recoec that he the general
commanding the division He the officer whose espes
ca duty to select the sites for depots Upon Major
vinton such duty had been devoved. The report
the Aduant General from which the Senator has read
was dated in March, 1885, months after the depot was
established The information communicated in that re-
port Mr. Secretary Crawford was long after General
Smith, his responsibility had established the post
and long after the Secretary Of War had approved its
lection The approval Of the Secretary of War dated
in July 1849 The Senator has read from this report of
Major yinton, which far may be considered voun-
report to show that the obvious disadvantages Of the
site made the duty Of the Department Of War dsap
prove it. so happened that while running my eye
the report and comparing it with the extract which be
quoted and which is out In the printed report Of his
Speech found very important omission. The part
all the rest of the report 1t does not merely qualify and
limit the Of what preceded but entirely changes
the view which imperfect examination Of the report
would present After describing the geographical adj
vanages Of Benca he speaks Of its Typographical dsad
vantages The last chiefly the want of wood and
water.
Major yinton says:
Having in view, them that these great elements which
invariably form the first principles in making choice for the