The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-05-11

SAYS, that Mr. Wilson was suffered tn remain as
navy agent mt San Francisco, although he never
gave all official bond that he was allowed for O
long time to receive the emoluments Of his Office,
and that that Office finally abolished in order
to get rid of him. A most extraordinary series Of
mistakes! Ii is very true, that under his tempo
rary appointment, Mr.. Wilson did offer bond
( which was passed upon by the persons appointed
to do so in California, and was rejected But it is
also true, that he offered another bond, which was
accepted and that after his confirmation by the Sen
ate, he again offered another bond, which was also
accepted Then, the Senator is entirely mistaken
in these particulars. He is also greatly mistaken
in another, and il is mistake about which mus,
confess my surprise The Senator from Cnlifor-
| MIA is well known as very active and indefat-
igabe member of the Senate; no man here,
believe, is more attentive to his duties. No man,
think, takes u more active part than the Senator
from California in the duties of the committees OF
which he is a member. But he is chairman OF the
Naval Committee Of this body. Upon him pecu-
iarly devolves all the duties which belong TO that
committee. II there Is any man IN this body
bound TO know the law and the facts in regard to
any particular case in relation to a naval officer,
that Senator is prominently bound 10 kfsb~ Chem
/ He has told the Senate that this man received the
emouments of the office Of navy agent during q
considerable length time. ] can say TO the Sem
ate on the information have obtained ut the De-
partment, that he never received any emoluments
AT ALL | confess | must express my surprise
again, that the Senator should have so far forgot
| ten those naval affairs which were committed to
I his charge, as not TO know that navy agent re-
ceives no salary. The only compensation he gets
is commission of one per cent. on the amount
he discusses. Before the Senator made the charge,
| | think he should have looked into the facts Cen
eral Wilson is one Of his own constituents, who
has right to look to him. if to anybody, for de-
Tense. The Senator, if he had inquired, might
have ascertained the fact, that never, during the
4 whole time General Wilson held his commission,
did he receive dollar Of the public money to dis
burse, and, therefore, he never received cent OF
emolument That is the fact. Besides, the office
was not abolished TO get rid Of General Wilson.
Very soon after the present Secretary came into
office, he discovered that the navy agent at San
| Francisco had nothing to do. No money went
into his hands, and therefore there nothing for
him to do. There was an experienced pnrser on
that station; and rs il is now our policy 10 keep
ships-of war there, there would always be purser
competent 70 do all the business deyolving on the
navy agent Therefore, considering the office to
be useless, he recommended the President 10 ask
for its abolition. That is the history of General
John Wilson.
The Senator has alluded to the escort which was
sent out with Mr. Collier, who was appointed collec-
tor ofthe customs in California. There ismanifestly
nothing very extraordinary in this. | do not know
that the troops which escorted MIR. Collier were
sent out i'm order to recruit the army in California.
do not undertake to aver that. But the Senator
has stated that Mr.. Collier went out with great
outfit, and, if understood him Alright, that when
he got to California, that outfit was not turned
over the public service as II ought TO have been,
hut was appropriated to his own use. | ask the
Senator il he can furnish any evidence in support
of his charge; or is it thing which he takes for
granted; sthere any official evidence of the fact :
Mr.. GWIN. | so understood the chairman of
the Committee on Finance, who had made inquiry
in regard to the subject.
Mr.. PEARCE. Then the Senator made an
other mistake; that is all. Asregards the sending
of military escorts on these occasions, il seems to
me very manifest that, if you are going to send a
public agent thousands Of miles from the seats Of
your civilization, through barren and unacceptable
wastes, where no civilized man lives, but where
thefercest and most warlike savages roam in search
" plumber you would send military escort with
him, unless you wanted to have his scalp taken.
IL you send money with him he will lose that
and his scalp too, unless he be projected by mil
tary force. IN point Of fact, from the very foun-
dation Of the Government, when civil employees
have been sent into hostile Indian territory, or
into territory where, though the Indians were
not hostile, they yet occupied such doubtful at
titude that no man could say when they would
become hostile, military escorts have been em-
ploved for their protection. suppose nobody
knows that better than the Senator from Michigan,
| MIR CAss.l | take II for granted, though do
not know the fact, that IN the course Of his eXpe-
rience, he has awaited himself of military escorts
many times in making Indian treaties. recollect
that, on looking at one of the treaties which he
made. found the names Of number of officers
of the Army appended TO it as witnesses. | sup
pose they were part of the escort which protected
him. No one would depore more deeply than |
should do any negligence of the Government in
past times, 10y which that honorable gentleman
should have been lost To the country, as might
have been the case. if he had been suffered 10 go
into dangerous Indian country TO negotiate trea-
ties without such military protection as was neces-
sary to insure his security, and the absence OF
which wodld, in all probability, have frustrated
the very object for which he went.
Mr.. HUNTER. A little while ago the Sena-
tor asked question in relation to Mr.. Collier
expedition. Does he wish it answered now
Mr.. PEARCE. Certainly.
Mr.. HUNTER. have not by me the papers
containing account of the expenses of the trans
poriation Of the expedition Of Mr.. Collier; but !
think the expense was about S3A 900.
Mr.. PEARCE. That was the whole expense
Of the outfit and escort, as furnished by the Guar
,termaster's Department.
Mr.. HUNTER would ask the Senator ifhe
is certain that it includes the expenses Of the
troops composing the escorti--for certainly un-
dersiood differently from General Jesup.
Mr.. PEARCE. Il does not include their pay
or subsistence, but does cover their transporta-
ton.
Mr.. HUNTER. ! understood that that amount
did not include the expense Of the troops Of the
escort got my information through the Com
missioner of the Customs. ] addressed General
Jesup's Office, in order to get the information, and
he sent to me u letter, in which he states that no
account was eyerrerdered by Mr.. Collier, or suite,
for the property which they took with them; and
so far as the records Of the Office show, no account
was ever rendered in regard TO the public property
which they took.
/ Mr.. PEARCE. was furnished with state
ment that the expense for the outfits and escorts
Of ci, agents in that expedition, amounted to the
sum mentioned by the gentleman from Virginia
100. This does not include the pay of the
troops. but it includes all the purchases that were
made for the TRANSPORTATION of the troops, and OF
( their supplies. We are not To suppose that the
s34 900 was a private fund, pat into the pocket OF
this civil agent, and expended for his individual
benefit. |, was fund which was expended in
the purchase Of everything necessary for the es-
cort II there was any small pecuation on the
part of Mr.. Collier, know nothing of il, and
I have no reason TO believe such TO have been the
fact. take il for granted that the officers Of the
Army, who commanded the escort, were respon-
u