The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-05-28
Letter TO the Hon. ). A. pearoe.
HARTFoRp. (Cr.l IN

HARTFORD, (Cr.,) May IS. 1882.
SIR; My attention has been called to speech dely
cred by you in the Senate. the goth ult, recently pub
shed in which is the following statement:
81 eager carry the war into Africa; but can
not avoid al this time mentioning tue last instance
that have head OF Improper in the Navy De-
dersand tina, in the year lsis during the presidential
paign, the Navy Department supplied with large
ton Of three years Yet gentleman we'll known in the
political world conyed, some how other. TO effect
Of cheese Tor the navy. eighty thousand pounds per
annum Tho consequence was that great deal OF cheese
thus accumulated in the hands of the Navy Department
Ii did exactly take wings itself and ny away, but
great deal OF took leg itself and cIawled away Some
obliged TO sell Il at great sacrifice hat is the last contract
o. an improper sor. made ny me department thst have
that that contract made with the knowledge Of the then
Secretary Of the Navy, J. Y Mason"
The accusations and insinualons here made are in
tended only for party effect but 10 cas-, oboquy and
prostitution Of official trust But two officers of the gov
ernment authorized TO make contracts for navy
cheese-one of them is the Secretary Of the Nays the
other is the chief of the Bureau of Provisions and Cloth
ing for The Navy Department II may be added though
hardly suppose you ignorant of the ac-hat were
the latter officer to make such contract without the
knowledge of the Secretary, without consulting him.
it would be not only highly feprehensibe, but such
proceeding would justify and demand his prompt dis
missal from the service In making your accusation you
expressly declare that you feel yourself "bound TO say
that you have information that that contract made
with the knowledge Of the then Secretary OF the Navy,
J. Y Mason;" consequently me- who in 1913 held the
Office Of chief OF the Bureau of Provisions and Cloth
ing devove the repoach and crimnalty of the trans
action, as stated by you, and also devolves the
duty Of denying and repeng the charge thus reckessy
made. If the statement made by you be true it is not
only improper contract but the person making il
unworthy Of public trust and confidence If il is untrue
hat ba
flutes his place in The Senate in defaming and misepre-
san,ng another and who publishes and sends broadcast
through the land his ISLANDERS at the public expense
Had you been as ready TO inform yourself OF facts
TO assa political opponents, you would have known
from documents in your possession that contract
made in lsis," 'durng the presidential campaign"
for navy cheese-that gentleman well known to the
political world ever had, at any time, "a contract for
four years, at eighty thousand pounds per annum."
When took charge Of the bureau 1916 there
outstanding contract with individual for the de-
livery of one hundred and twenty thousand pounds OF
navy cheese per In the spring OF 1Si7 not Gin
ls4s," nor "durng the presidential campaign new con
tracts made-no with one individual, as had been
the previously, but with four several contractors,
who 10 deliver in the aggregate, not hundred
and twenty thousand, bu, eighty thousand pounds
nualy. The principal contractor, whether known TO
he political world" or otherwise, the same in-
dvidual who for many years, and under variety OF
Secretaries OF every party, had been the sole con-
tractor with the government for this article As
there was at the time large surplus OF cteese on
hand proposed TO the Secretary reduction of the
tracts TO one-haf the notwithstanding the deliveries
sixty thousand pounds annually instead OF bundled
and twenty thousand pounds. The Secretary, although
concung with in the proprey oil reducing the guam
ly annually delivered, not prepared, under the cir
cumsiances, for great reduction. The authorized
force in the service had been within the year. increased
from aiy In nd maj nd
TO him and to others who were always willing TO voun.
their opinions the department, and who proiessed
be under constant apprehensions that there would be
deficiency of supplies, that to reduce the deliveries
onehalf. while the consumption was increased forty
per cent was hazardous experiment l was not
unaware OF the responsibility incurred; and knew,
moreover. that full rations for ten thousand men
quired an annual supply of one hundred and thirty
thousand pounds Great stress was laid on this fact,
without considering, thought, sufficiently the large
supplies hand, the Communication, the probabilities OF
peace and the reduction Of force before the expiration OF
the contractsthat the deliveries might be increased, or
new contracts made before the surplus in store
haused II Is still my opinion that the navy would have
experienced no detrment had the contracts been made
for only sixty thousand pounds, even had the then
sng force been continued But that the Secretary, out
OF abundant canIon came TO different conclusion and
overuled my suggestion, caused surprise. He
directed, in view Of all the facts, and the uncertainty OF
Inc future, That Toe contracts should be reduced
third instead of nehalf Or the cessation OF hos,es
the force reduced and the surplus, instead OF dmin-
shng has probably rather increased unless disposed Of
as you represent from deterioration,
These and all other contracts reported TO Con-
gress in Obedience to the acts approved April n, 1908,
and March 3, 1909, and are in your possession. My
views the subject also fully expressed all
proper occasions and reported TO the Secretary and TO
Congress In my annual report OF the 10Th November.
lsi7, published with the documents accompanying the
Residents message, which you have in your possession,
ore The following remarks:
Under the authority the Of March last contracts
for the Of four years have been made FOR tho annual
delivery sixty hoasand pounds Of navy butter and eighty
pounds OF cheese Tor the use OF foreign
squadfons The preceding contracts were Tor quantity
hundred and twenty thousand pounds OF cheese Not.
pthstandpg the reduction, IL beieped that less
quantity pgrfcnarig Of cheese, nil The wanfs Of the
pies" (Exacutive doc LIST session S1h Congres2 vol,
p. l2,7)
In my next annual report, made the 10th OF Novem
Der, Isis-during the presidential campaign" 10 use
your own language made the following remarks
"When Tor specified quantities are m sde IL IL
designed TO limit the supplies the smallest that
may be required, and IL Is believed there Is OF
none bat cneese of which there Is quantity
larger authorized force than present, BE- ad
pabt 20 reduce the dsrerfes hsreofsr 10 BE- mad Eek
Doc, I'll session u the 3oh Cong, vol l. p. SOL
may also add that in my FIRST business interview with
Mr. Secretary Preston, after the Inauguration OF General
Taylor called his particular attention TO these contracts
and the superabundance hand advised that the neces