The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-05-11
Inastor's peparlmen, based upon price. paia il ls5O

masters DEPARTMENT. based upon prices paid 1850,
amounted TO 81, ,l57 H.
Bun, as 10 many The animals full forage issued
ie estimate for money q be appropriated was reduced by
The ouariernasier General 10 81 ,o5J,00O.
OF this amount Congress appropriated S525,0OO.
"Agreeaby TO Lieutenant A. Suy's quarterly for
The fourth quarter Of 1851, he had hand sir h1rses and
mated Tor ~ HE estimate for the seal year ending June 80
1892, for animals al Monterey, California"
Mr.. HUNTER. According 70 that statement
no forage was used for hs year
Mr., PEARCE. This IL for the year ending
June 30, 1852. This is the information which
have, at all events. But, be thai us il may, one
thing IS very certain, that there CON be no very
great abuse at Monterey, where there are but six
horses and eight mules. We can very well un-
derstand how a small force like that may be sub
sisted by grazing, even during the Whole year. nm
less some extraordinary emergency should arise;
while at the same time, Mt another post, where
there were two thousand or three thousand ami
mails, II would be utterly impossible TO subsist
them on grazing. AT a post, where there were
two thousand or three thousand horses and mules,
II they were turned out into the plains to grazr,
either there would not be grass enough for them,
or II would require large bodies of protect
them from capture by the Indians.
III the quartermasier reports the truth, |
have no doubt he does, the Senate must perceive
that animals employed in the transportation ofthe
army are not supplied with full forage, but only
with half forage.
The Senator from Virginia spoke of great
abuses in the Quartermas,er's Department in New
Mexico. He was asked by somebody who was
the quartermaster there, and he said that he be-
eyed the quartermaster was Captain Reynolds
In that he was right.
Mr.. HUNTER. In relation to the matters To
which the Senator referred moment ago, as it is
a question of fact, wish to say word. have
statement which is called an estimate of the cost
of forage for the first and second regiments of
ttn,a n
ending June 30, 1852, and in the list is the post
of Monterey, at which, it is said, there are six
horses, nine mules, and no oxen. The cost Of
forage per month is set down at $40 25 Now, is
it no abuse TO send such an estimate as this to us
for post where nothing is expended How can
we act intelligently under such circumstances
Here is an estimate for such an amount of forage
at post where according TO the Senator from
Maryland, nothing is expended
Mr.. PEARCE. Iwould ask the Senator whether
that is mere statement Of what forage would cost
there, or is it paper in which the Quarlermas,er
General S Bureau asks for specific allowance Of
any given sum based upon that,
Mr.. HUNTER. 1t is an estimate This is the
heading of the paper: "An estimate of The cost
of forage for the first and second regiments Of
Dragons during the second half of the fiscal year
ending June the 30th, 1852" II was furnished
by the Quartermaster General to Mr.. Durham,
a member Of the Committee on WAYS and Means
OF the f1ouse OF Representatives., who gave 1t to
me.
Mr.. PEARCE. suppose they estimate the
cost of full forage there, whether it is used or not
but do not see that any specific sum is demanded
for that purpose at that place. II would seem
there as if the Quartermasfer General was stating
what the cost'would be if full forage were used
rather than mentioning that particular sum would
be necessary for forage at that post. If he did
mention any particular sum as being ne 'essary,
then ! should say there was an inconsistency; but
he that matter as it may, my object is to show,
from the statement of the Qnartermaster General
which is given to me, that full forage is not used
ut Monterey; that there may be an error in sending
the estimate TO a member of the House, but no
such abuse as the Senator from Virginia seems to
suppose, if there is that il is one for which the
Secretary of War cannot be held responsible. He
is TO be held responsible for his own acts and not
for those of the Quarermaster General
Here the honorable Senator gave way, and the
Senate adjourned,