The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-04-30

Monterey at the expense Of the de facto govern
ment
Mr.. PEARCE said he did not complain Of the
fact that the vesses had been used for the purpose
but that the employment OF the vessel in a service
which was proper and necessary, should be cited
by the Senator evidence of the bad results Of
Mr.. Kings execution Of the powers attributed TO
him.
The next charge preferred by the Senator was
the delay by the Administration in sending to the
Senate Mr. Kings nomination AS Collector. The
Senator stated that from consciousness that that
appointment was Illegal, MIR. King being II mem
Der OF Congress the nomination was withheld from
the Senate for the purpose of avoiding the consti
tutional difficulty. That nomination was sent into
The Senate before The 4th of March, the day on
which, II Mr.. King had been member OF Congress-
his torn would have expired.
MIR. WIN said it was not sent in till near the
close Of February, and no executive session was had
AFTER that time
Mr.. PEARCE said it was before the Senate and
ii the Senate thought proper it could have acted
upon 1t. That nomination was subsequently acted
upon; and all he could say, the injunction of secre-
cy having been removed, was that twas confirmed
Were the injunction Of secrecy removed. he would
ask the Senator if he had not himself voted to
tain that nomination.
Mr.. GWIN said that he had done go. But had
nc had an opportunity of voting upon it before the
4th of March, he would have voted against it,
Mr. PEARCE said that, had there been any
grounds for supposing that the nomination had
been kept back till the last moment for the purpose
OF avoiding any constitutional difficulty, it ought
to have been rejected
The next item of the Senator list of charges was
the expense of the escort of General John Wilson,
appointed Indian Agent to Utah. MIR. p. read the
amount ofexpenses of the escorts for MIR. Weller
the Boundary Commissioner, and Of General
Lane, Governor OF Oregon, and Judge Pratt and
others, occurring during the administration of Mr.
Polk, tie total being $6l 900; while the aggre-
gate OF those O.! General Wilson, Collector Collier
and Mr.. King, was but $4,000 The whole cost
of the escort of General Wilson but y 900
lie read letter from Mr. Medill, the then Commits
sioner Of indian Affairs, and Democrat, in which
General Wilson was directed to avail himself Of the
military Escort consisting of recruits about to Leave
for Santa Fe. Gen. Wilson did avail himself of the
escort Of this force and from Santa Fe procured an
other escort to Utah. The expenaes OF this escort
were, therefore, not chargeable TO General viii
son, for he was escorted 10y force which would
have gone out whether he was along or not.
j. was true that Wilson resigned shortly after
reaohing Utah; of this he did not approve. But
the Senator's charge, that upon his arrival in Cali
fornia, q Mr.. Fillmore approved of his con-
duct, by appointing him Navy Agent, was not
| correct. He received that appointment from
General Taylor; and it was long time be
fore the Senate Enacted upon. When Mr.. Fill
more came into office, no nominations made by
General Taylor were Withdrawn except for some
cause being shown None was shown against
General Wilson, and his was allowed to remain
before the Senate. Ii was not true that General
Wilson could not give bond. He offered one bond
whica was not accepted; but he offered another
which was accepted; and, after his confirmation
another bond offered by him also accepted.
The Senator also stated that General Wilson con-
iinutd there long time in office, enjoying its
salary and emoiuments; and, there being no other
way 10 get rid OF him, the office abolished.
Tina. Senator WAS chairman of the Committee
Naval Affsirs, an active and industrious Senator.
and it presumed well acquainted with the
laws relating to the particular branch of the pub
lie service OF which that committee had charge;
and yet that Senator seemed TO forget that navy
N % hat thew ar
ted by a PER centage on the funds passing through
their hands. The office was not abolished for the
purpose getting rid ofhm; but, as it is the policy
Of the country to keep a naval force in that quar-
ter, al the duties Of the navy agent can now be
performed by the purSers of the navy.
He next examined the Senator's remarks con
corning the expenses of the escort which nc
compsnied Mr.. Collier to California. Such
escorts were proper and necessary. II n civil
agent be cent out having money in his charge,
over desert roamed by savagcs prowlirg for
plumber II is certain that unless he be protected by
armed force he will lose his scalp, and his
ney, too. The Senator from Michigan negotiated
several treaties with the Indians he did not know
whether the Senator was accompanied by such es-
corts or not, though ne noticed that To some of
them attached the names of several army
officers as Witnesses. He thought it would have
been a loss to the country had that Senator not
have been duly protected. The expense of the c.
cort for Collier 5 "a 0O0 but that included all
the purchases for the use OF the military on the
way and at their destination. He did not know
whether, after it reached California, any part OF
those purchases were turned over to the quarter
masters department or not.
MIR. HUNTER read letter from the Depart
ment stating that part Of them were turned over
TO that service much Of the stores were lost or left
behind on the road.
Mr.. PEARCE pointed out the benefits of sending
military expeditions through the Indian terrific
t.cs, to keep them in awe, and TO afford protection
to the white men who may fall into their hands.
THE policy was that which induced Mr.. Polk TO
- a..
which expedition cost something near S226,000.
The next charge of the Senator that OF the
selection Of Bcnicia os the military depot in Cali
forna This site was selected by General Persifer
r. Smith, who was appointed by MIR. Polk, and
who acted under orders or instructions, written or
verbal, from Secretary Marcy. lie read from
several documents showing the reasons why Gene
raj Smith had selected that etc for the military
depot; and aso from other authorities used by
MIR. GwIS, showing that Benicia had no disadvan-
tnges which were not common to other parts of the
State.
lie reviewed the charge "a 10 the great e1trnva.
gonce and expenditure Of money in the cons,ruc-
lion Of buildings at Benicia, and held that the
blame did not attach TO the Administration. lie
did not think General Smith was go much Of an
economist as the Senator from California.
As soon AZ the present Secretary Of War was in
formed Of the magnitude Of the works, and the
pendituros for buildings at Benicia, he promptly
issued orders Tor suspension Of those works, and
10 discontinue those expenditures.
He examined and defended the policy which had
been pursued by the military authorities, ofcoect-
ing duties on inn brought into California.
lie then referrts 10 the expenditures growing out
Of the commission 10 treat with the Indians OF Cali
fornia Congress, in two appropriations of = 200
each. appropriated 3 80 600 to defrsy the expenses
OF treating with those Indians. Three agents and
a sOb-agent were appointed. When these arrived
in California the country was much alarmed, and
il was deemed advisable not 10 wait the arrival
Of the S25 900 appropriated by Congress, but to
proceed to treat with the Indians at once. The
commissioners applied to the collector for an
advance of that sum lie declined To advance
IL, but, upon the recommendation Of Senator
GwTN, advanced $1,000 The commissioners
divided the State into three Districts, each visiting
a separate district The collector also advanced to
the quarterfnaster's department 3 10000. That
department furnished each Of these commissioners
with escort into the Indian country These
three escorts did not cost exceeding $40 900,
though from the Senator's remarks II would appear
the whole . $50 900 had been thus expended. The
balance wac applied by the quartermastor to otter
service. These advances he admitted, were Illegal,
though the commissioner justified it on the ground
Of impcrious necessity, which was the ground on
which the advance Of s 900, recommended by
the Senator, which was equally illegal, wac
Justified
These commissioners proceeded TO treat with the
Indians; and from the necessity, az they alleee, Of