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

stipulation, to protect from their incursions You
cannot keep permanent force everywhere in the
Indian country That would be impossible, d
| you had the wealth Of Cricsus, and were willing
thus to expend il, because the country is too vast
and sterile, and affords no means of subsistence
But il is, obviously proper means Of keeping
these Indians quiet, 10 send detachmens Of troops
into their country, at different times, often as
may be, and at such an expense AS will not be I'M
tolerabe to the Treasury. precisely that pol
! icy which Mr.. Polk pursued, when he sent the
rifle regiment 70 Oregon. He did not send them
by sea, but the plains, at expense Of over
S226, 900. | have the vouchers by me for the
amount. do not charge that as an improperly
on Mr.. Folks Observation-Disclosures at all. But
the Senate will recoect that, at a preceding ses-
sion Of Congress, the chairman of the Committee
on Ways and Means, in the House of Represent
atives, Mr.. BAYLY,l spoke Of this MS :. most
improvident thing" while he said the arrange
ments made by the present Secretary of War 10
bring that regiment back, were " extremely judi
cous, and " of the most economical kind |
presume he thought that the rifle regiment was
not wanted in that country, where the lndianSare
more pacific than elsewhere, and where troops of
policy which induced Mr. Polk to send that rifle
regiment overland 10 Oregon, and to establish
military posts along that route, and to protect the
gentleman appointed 10 the governorship of that
Territory, justified General Taylor in sending such
an escort with Mr.. Collier to San Francisco.
Mr.. HUNTER. have now the letter Of the
Secretary Of War TO the Commissioner of Gus
toms, to which referred II is in these words:
WAR DEpARraEST, !
WABHISGToN, .1Jrfl IL, 1852. \
SiR have received your letter OF the 81 ut request
ing 10 be informed whether certain property, or any part
thereof, had been turned Depart
nent by Collector Collier, when he reached his destinations
and tle amount In reply thereto, have the honor
form you that far this Department IL informed
OF The property has been accounted for. Ills believed
that the whole of lost LEFT on the route though on
this point the Department has official information.
Very respectfully your obedien servant,
c. NJ. CONRAD,
Secretary Of IPar.
Commissioner Of Customs.
Mr.. PEARCE 1.-THE property was LOST pr hti
on The route, az the Secretary supposes, it was not
converted TO his own use by Mr.. Collier. Mr..
Collier was nominated TO The Senate as Collector
Of the Customs. IL he had basely abused his
trust, and peculaed upon the public property, III
the manner which the Senator from California
supposes, but which is not sustained by the letter
which the Senator from Virginia has read, il was
the duty Of the SeGafe, undoubtedly, to reject him.
Most unquestonably, it the Administration had
known of that proceeding, the President would
not have nominated him, nor have suffered his
nomination, by General Taylor, to remain before
the Senate after he came i1to power.
The Senator from California has spoken of
divers abuses, by Mr.. Collier, after he arrived at
San Francisco. He has spoken Of his seizure Of
French cargoes; and it is tact, as he says, that
some of these seizures were wrongfully made
II occasioned good deal Of trouble at the time
But many Of these seizures, am informed, were
fully justified by our revenue laws. La regard 10
the Others the fact is that instructions sent Mr.
Collier, in time 10 prevent these improper seizures,
were accidentally sent 10 Europe instead of Cali
ornia, and he did not receive them in time to avoid
~, H. -
full seizures of property, which he made, and the
selling of that property, what was the for
| il; There was, al that time, court in Ca!ifor-
mia with jurisdiction to determine the questions, and
to condemn the property. learn that the owners,
or the agents of the owners of the cargoes, called
upon him to sell them. They preferred that he
should sell them, rather than that they should
perish on his hands by decay, or be sent, Tor adj
Indication, to distant tribunals. believe that he
rs now in defaults bnt that fact WIS not known To
this Administration when his nomination was
acted upon by the Senate.
take il for granted that the Senate would not
hold an Administration responsible for the defal-
cation Of an inferior agent, unless they tolerated
the abuse. or rewarded him for it, as the gentle
man seemed 10 intimate at the opening of his
speech. Mr.. Golfers abuses, whatever they we're,
were not known 10 the Administration. Suspicious
were afoat il is true but no official information
had been received at the Treasury Department of
any maladminstration by him, at the time when
his nomination was sent 10 the Senate; and IL
would have been grossly unjust, upon mere rumor
and suspicion, tn dlscredit man who had always
before borne an honorable character, when, bv
waiting little while, official information could be
obtained upon which the Department might deter
mine its action. He was, however, rejected by
the Senate as the Senator has stated.
Another complaint, which the Senator makes
against the Administration is, that they have been
guilty Of gross extravaganza I'm regard Ia the es-
adjustment OF a military depot at Benicia. His
first objection is, that Benicia no, the proper
place. He read from the report Of Major Vinion,
n quartermaster IN the Army, IN show that the
lection Of these sites was determined by General
Persfer F. Smith, gentleman who is, above all
exception, one OF the most gallant men in the
Army, as know the gentleman will concur with
me in saying, man Of general and professional
intelligence, and ofthe very highest Of honor
whose especial duty to select these sites, and
who was appointed 10 the command by Mr.. Polk Is
administration. He was a sterling Democrat
too, but doubtless received his appointment be-
cause Of the special confidence reposed in his fdel
/ ty. That officer communicated 10 the Govern
ment, mt different times, the reasons why he
preferred establishing the military depot At Benica
instead Of San Francisco. ! propose 10 read
few extracts from his letters TO the Adjuian Gen
eral:
Under date Of April s, lS49, he says:
The town Of San Francisco fitted for military
commercial purposes there is harbor, bad landing
place. bad water supplies OF provisions, Indictment
climate aud IL u off from the Of the country
ccpt By long circuit around the southern extremity the
hay. There points the bay. inland. having
good harbors and landings good wafer, aud op-n the
whole country iu and accessible without difficulty
ships " the largest class One Of these should be- the
nj which the future dep5ts should be established"
| In letter of the 9th Of April, ls49, he shows
how carefully and infinitely the Straits Of Karqui-
nez, and the position Of Bencia, had been exam
ined by himself. and other officers Of the Army
and Navy, and says:
"The Straits about five mites long, and from
broad Near the lower end the land bold and high
both sides. Between the plat Of this twn, and the
upper end Of the Straits, distance of about ile,
large vessel be enough the bank unload
era points, and in The whole extent small expense fot
wharyes." "The road TO the upper Sacramento
from the southern country here during the
Of high water. when the Valley of San Joaquin Is over
flowed and this point has AZ Nil times free commuuica
tnn with a parts Of the Territory The objections this
place that there Is wood The SITE whereas the
south side Of the Straits has scattered rces is
hills and there u stream of fresh water on H. The wes
horcrer furnish much better Tofer HH Is found at San
Frdncisco. and good T. generally found from Dece
her until June when the rivers high AZ low water
the OF the Straits Is fresh found perfectly good
| at the time"
He also repeats, that "the expense Of landing
stores at San Francisco is enormous;" and con-
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