Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-05-15

will state here In reference to the responsibility Of
pending this money charged upon the assistant quarter
masters in California that do not endorse this charge
unless II is proved that they acted without authority If
they acted under orders from superior officer which
were sanctioned, or not disayowed, the Secretary of
War; the head Of the Department and not the subord
nate Is responsible The Quartermaster General is sub
ordinateis the head Of bureau and if he or any Of
his subordnates violated the law in expanding the public
money IT was the duty OF the head Of the War Depart
ment to report him them to the President of the United
States for dismissal to be tried by court martial
prepared to say that the Quarermaser General and
his subordnates in California, far know have al
acted under orders from superior authory and that
every abuse nd there many in the expenditure Of the
public money in that country has been sanctioned either
tacy openly, by the head Of the War Department
do not attach the least blame to the present Secretary
because the abuses and assumptions Of power to which
have referred originated before he came into Office: and
believe he Is diligently engaged trying put stop to the
extrayagant expenditures Of his Department But am
looking TO the system which established in l849 The
department is not responsible and should
not be made the scapegoa and bear the blame that
perly attaches to the head of the Administration s
Mr. DAWSON win my friend from California yield the
hoor for moment for the purpose of examining into this
mattery He says that in the Quartermaster
particularly enormous abuses have been pracced As
he has drawn attention to them win he state where
they are ascertaned to exist that we may know where TO
guard against them for the future " gs IA lga
Mr.. GwIH. am coming to that and shall read from
the documents presently But the gentleman misunder
stands me when he says refer to the Quarer1nasters
department particularly and charge it with enormous
abuses say that there has been wastef expenditure
Of public money In California not only in the Quarter
masters department, which will show has only obeyed
orders, but think may add in nearly every department
Of the Government under Executive control will now
read from report Of Major Vnton Of the most intel
gent officers Of the Quarermasers department. and the
senior officer Of the department in CALIFORNIA; dated March
20, 1850: sga fFc ? " p.as Tas
GENERAL: have the honor report that in compliance
with your orders Of the 9Th of April lB49 proceed Cali
orna and there take charge the direction Of the affairs Of
the department Of the Pacific division Of the
army embarked at New York the 18th Of April lS49
with in specie under my arrived at Pana
ma on the I'd Of May AT that place detained twenty
four days by untowad circumstances reembarked the
Pacific the 23d Of May for San Francisco"
After going state the situation Of affairs which he
found on his arrival in California he describes the point
which had been selected the great depot for the army
and navy Of the United States on the Pacific will read
what he says on that subject:
"By the united Judgment Of Major General Smith and Com
modore Jones, place situated the the straits
Of Karqunez called Benca has been selected as the most
favorable locality for military naval depots 1t is with
great reluctance therefore, venture to describe this DO
stion believing do that of its important features
are Objectionable or rather that it is lacking in many ar
bnte which are requisite in site designed for the purposes
that this has BEEN Geogaphicalyt has but few defects
being in direct line of Communication with the ocean, having
good anchorage, deep water and free approaches
for the unang the largest class of ships Here its ayau
taes cease and they relate to the interests
than to the peculiar fitness Of the place for military station
and depot Of supplies. geographically il is unnvng in
the extreme possessing aspect neither Of beauty nor Of
usefulness Hills barren trees or any other vegetation but
the wild oats rise abruptly from the water and swelling on
ward to the interior for six miles, utterly destitute
but beyond that region the crubby oak
in single trees in small clusters, aording but scanty
supply for present consumption Fresh is only found
in small spring about mile from the depot
This has to be shared with the citizens Of the town Benca
Having in view them that these great elements which
invariably form the first principles in making choice for the
residence Of community, wanting at this place. think
the defects Of the position made manifest.
has been supposed that the waters Of the straits GER
be IN ,ba
troops but think this 1t is only at certain
stage of the tides combined with very high the Sa
spaaabe and then deemed by to be wholesome
feet depth dug by Lieut. Col Caseys company
but the water proved bracksh and unsuitable for use
The rocks forming the base Of the hills have BEEN
by some convulsion Of nature thrown upwards hor
zonta position giving dip towards the straits by which the
water cannot be retained below the surface Artesan wells
may by perseveng probing remedy this great evil 1t is
the only reliance We now have. No expense should be
spared scientific as well as practical 10 uush
vigorously the search for water by such and must
earnestly urge the subject to your notice enterprise
upon which the weareof the depot and its inhabitants are to
depend. f T--.5 I. s.
Previous to my departure for Oregon caused to be pur-
chased instrument for boring and placed under the
appendix Although he has not met with full success feel
confident that with perfect apparatus water Of good
quality yet be obtained convenient to the depot But to
guard against failure through such means
general is DESTROYS Of providing another manner for
supply Of water for the use of the post 81, IF
proposes that at point of larger
buildings cistern to contain from hundred thousand 10
three hundred thousand gallons Of be constructed the
bricks and cement Of which il be formed to be brought
nom the United States But expensive artesian wells
they would cost far less than such undertaking Water
remains 10 be provided and the choice means left for your
decision Small wooden cisterns have been near
the stoehouse already erected but the supply from them
only adequate In the rainy season. a. lts
"Wood can be obtained Snsun bay and on the Sacra
meno ver but If by contract under the present
rate of for labor would form item Of expenditure
surprising the belief Of the most creduou and attempted
BY the labor Of our troops deseron would inevitably follow
This selection laid the foundation Of large expenditures
in California The officers who made the selection were
subordinate to the Secretaries Of War and the Navy
Their action not final effective until sanctioned by
the heads Of these Departments The Secretary Of the
Navy did not approve Of the selection he did there
has been expenditure Of public money towards e es
gress to act and We have thesubect under consider
alton Not so with the Secretary Of War. Notwth4and-
ing the report Of Major vinton made near two yea ago
and laid before him, where the most palpable defds In
the location are clearly proved he has dsappbved
OF the act OF the commander Of the Pacific division
therefore hold him responsible for the entire expSndi
ture Of the public money there viii call the attedtion
Of the Senate to few extracts from this docuhent
and VIII thus show Why introduced the civil fund into
this discussion:
some Of my reports made while stationed nCakfonia
had occasion 70 call your attention to the fiscal OF
carried that country by Major Fitzgerald and myself
we're speedily expended Indeed found that my arrival
there the debts contracted by my predecessors were large
70 leave no other resort for carry the current
duties Of the department. than the civil fund Of California
called which bad been raised in part BY sary contrba
tons during the Mexican and otherwise by the collection
Of duties at the custom house.
This fund.- being under the control Of the Governor the
Territory placed for safe keeping in the custody Of
Of the dsbursng officers Of the depart
ment AS 1t had accumulated 10 cumbrous amount and