The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-04-22

voluntarily deposited by the importers in the hands Of a.
All dralts pom these de posites blythe dsbur,ing
OF The army have been considered loans 70 be fepa
AFTER the action OF Congress shall have been had relation
TO the iund."
The $4,000 taken out by Major Vinion--and Know
not how much by Major fl,xgersld--s speedily i,
hausted But this was but drop in the bucket in hiny
up this depot and carrying the services in olbs
parts pf the State. The depot likely be brougl,
TO stand still. What is 10 be done , Why, bouow
from the civil fund Presently the sums thus bonowsd
become enormous fears are entertained that ,bev
will exceed the appropriations made by Congress- but lh
commanding general tells The quariermaser 10 go o.
and pledges Congress provide for this excess Of en-
penditure This pledge IN this quartemasiers report i
brought the notice OF the Secretary who expresses no
dissatisfaction at this assumption Of power He tactIy
assents this OF the civil fund, and thus with his
sanction hundreds OF thousands OF dollars expended
in establishing depot in the face oil most unfavorabe
report OF Major Vin,on as TO the site.
The quariermasers frightened at this system Of
borrowing money TO carry on work not authorized 10
be built BY CongressweTe frightened at exceeding The
appropriations made by Congress to meet the expenses Of
their departments but the commanding general said 60
on the Secretary OF War acquiesced, and another atse
item is thus made up Tor deficiency ball.
| One word more, and Will pass on Major Vnton
acknowledges that Colonel Mason collected the civil
fund without authority OF law. He also refers to he
voluntary deposite made under General Smiths egula
tions these voluntary deposites being made under the
threat that i any importer should refuse his vessel
woa.d be driven from the coast by Commodore Jonsss
guns
Now, ] ask this question. tai bono7 What was the
necessity for these expenditures II may be said pro-
tect the people OF California in the event OF There
could have been other Jusabe reason given for ex
pending such vast sums OF money without authority Of
law unless there was pressing necessity for IT. will
Allen, to show what benefit the people OF California were
to derive from expending such sums in establishing
and expensive depot on large scale quarter the
| army:
/ in (at the nrutor
lsa and post place selected for general depot
the straits Of ksraulnes, near the town Of Benics
stores had been ,ansleed 10 his from San Fran
cisco and were piled upon he ground near where
sails Of vessels and no projection buy the walchlnness
single ageni The lime for which he stoehouses al San
Francisco had been rented expired the LIST OF July and
the rent demanded per month lohheI continued
occupation determined the commanding general TO remove
the stores in advance OF improvements presumng that
the loss OF property would be less Ia value while thus
haa The espsndn sa na f., IL
this pon the officers with families were quartered
together with The soldiers were living in tents upon The
shore One hall OF tho men belonging TO these companies
soldiers excepting in name They refused to work unless
paid the mining value labor, and they could not be
medste commanding officer N ,asir hdeity that he de-
from them any extra duty whatever"
i To avoid the enormous rents OF San Francisco, hun.
drcds Of thousands must be expended in building new
depot And for what To Quarter troops for the de-
fence OF California that could be trusted by their off,
with In their hands, The officers starving tfo
1t Is we'll known they could not live their pay,l and
the soldiers to whom the people were to look for defence
deserving Vast paid to aborers to build barracks
for soldiers such state OF insubordinaiion that they
would not work. and could not be nirused with arms,
or with the charge Of the public property. With full
knowledge of these facts the Secretary OF War sanctions
these enormous expenditures on depot established with
out authority Of law-wi,h the full knowledge that no
corresponding benefit could result from its establishment
Clatth Inn Iuita m
be distinctly understood that these extraordinary expend
lures known to the Secretary Of War, and not DIS
approved OF by him.
Hear what Major Allen says In the report have Just
read from The italics mine
\ "That the the provements made, and services
rendered. have parallel in the history Of the Qnartermas
public Interests been subord of things
have acknowledged standard OF has par
you. during this year, will show with what reluctance
have submitted TO circumstances which could not control
TIE silence Of the War Department. until rsceatfy induced
the commanding general bsisps thai the he
directing had az least Ae tae eosss~t Of che hshu
fhoras and the expenditures had periodically been
ported Pr0amed that hey had aequfssd IN ne nseti
ry Of submitting % ts earrsa RATES Of ne eountrs"
" do remind you OF this of thiags for the puf
pose, this late day Of giving you information For
portion Of the period 10 which REFER the department
here represented by officer of superior rank to
self the special duty OF this officer report you
every circumstance attendant upon TIE exa9 e I
edge being present. OF every transaction have not seen
his report but have no doubt nom the vigilance zeal
omitted which the subject and nothing that
was requisite clear and explicit understanding OF the
condition of the country From this source alone, maj
venture tho presumption that Il was made known to the
department early day. the impossbiliiy Of making
any here without enormous oil fitting
providing transportation Tor any military movement
without expenditure OF money exceeding in amount
enod the outlay incident TO like service on Inc
Atlantic side retrospective inquiry implies an absence
Of this knowledge and invites explanation, which have
givennot however, with the expectation oil stating any
new actsp >.
every transaction OF mine has, howeycf, been subject
ed to the wstchfness and control OF superior authority
and, superior discretion. Ny immediate commanding
general is accordingly most competent witness and
dence that my whole conduci has his full and entire np
! prevail" 4f
Il Mr. DAWSON What is the date OF that report
i Mr. GWlN June 80, 1851. Ii is in the Quarter
master Generals report sent in at the commencement
this session repeat the fact, these expenditures we
4 known to the head of the War Departments and tina
the commander of the military division the Pacific hat
no reason TO believe that he acting contrary 10 The
4 wishes of the head OF that department. when he re
doubt but that all OF his approved until very
late period He not censured nor attempted TO b
censured No assert that he acted without au
hority. He refers to his commanding general, who ap
proved all of his acts. Has this commanding genera
been censured for giving this approval Not al all Th'
whole OF this movement and OF this extraordinary ex
penditure OF the public money known TO the head
Of the War Department and he never dsapproved Of y
As TO its necessity have shown that the army was in
state of utter disorg that the officers wers
starvngihat ia TO say no officer could live on his pay
and the desertng that the soldiers al
suppose 1t the case al every other po,nt-coud no
be trusted The regiment commanded by Major Seaweil
as he informed me- reduced TO two hundred The
soldiers would no, labor without the pay of workma'
49, ...-lt ar