Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1854-05-23
M,s11yGrox. AnriI 22d. 1851.

WASHINGTON, April 22d, 1854.
To Inc Editor Of tic UaiOH:-Sir On reading
your article on National ArRorCs, published i'll your
paper OF the 20lh not at nil surprised to lind
That your statistics $50 far at least us they relate to
Spr;ngGeld Armorv) do not agree with those pre-
yioilSly promulgated by the Commandment OF that
ArmUrv. The public had right to expect hat the
officer who had been held up to them as " PARAGON OF
honor, economy and skill, would haYccorrcd!y stated
the EXPENDITURES OflhC ArInOrl Immediately unGcr ms
command: yet such does not appear to have been ne
fact. and although was aware OF the i:tiaGy OF ms
statements. | also aware that any contra
ctior Of them kv an "Uutsider' unless backed 10y
incontrovcrtiblc facts would lie overWh cnlcd with
quotations from ordnance or otherreForS, accused OF
iusauitv' scOtted at ~ visionary Zotat
So believing was, when your paper came 10 hand,
husily engaged in attempting to ascertain the facts as
they really were, and you may well Judge OF my sur
prise when found that yoUr statements OF c%pcndl-
ure taken as they profess to be, from the records OF
the Government do not agree with hoscgiven by Col
RifIcv How is This? Col Ripley says that the Total
Expenditure" for the l2t years preceding the LIST OF
April, 1871, was S2,3l l,92I03 And you say that II
was 81 $500 land that for The following period OF
l2} years ending the 30h OF juno 1852 Col Rip
lev saws that the I0iui Expenditure WAS -, 422-
6G540. and you say that it WAS S2,3IlaJ@.59 /
will ask which of you are right, tor lcei CONN
dent that nci her Of your statements are correct Tor
if the public documents, furnished by the War De
parmcnt and published by order Ot Congress, are 10
be relied on both of YOU have Ovcstatcd the eNpcn-
dturcs under the Civil Superintendent and under
stated those under the military shall not at present
INTO particulars nut anu NOl' my ~
reconcile your discrepancies as best you can. How
this to be done is not for INC to say but YOU VIII
permit me to say, that if there is such a rigid ac-
countabtY cxacted at the departments, rs you NH
mate how did it happen that Col. Ri lcy was cna-
bcd to draw from the Treasury so large sum, III
the shape of pay, cmolunents, &c, &cY over ana
above his lawful pay as Ordnance Mayor! Ana II II
is true rs YOU say that every cent so reunited
must be accounted for in vouchers, showing Pe-
officially when, how and for what objects expended,
how happened it that Col. Ripieys boastcd DOCKS
t1,T 11aTfn M
books another and the published records OF Congress
still another But if it is fact that every cent
must be specifically" accounted for, will You have
the goodness CnIightcn the public in regard to the
entire cost of the commandants quarters ut Spring
field? | would ask this Of You, if had the same
access to the records which you seem to have. You
will probably recolcct that in former communca-
ton, stated that those quarters cost at least $780,
OOO This Col. Ripley denied, but did not state
what they did do not know the fact, but he
evc that neither Col. RipleyS books, nor the books
or records of any all of the departments OF gov
crnmcn will give true answer, at any rate You VIII
Oblige friend ndperhaps crafty atenst lauda0le
curiosity in the public mind, by making the inquiry,
and giving the result to your readers at the same
time YOU will permit to say that the COnlnanq-
ants of those Armores are have BEEN in the haot
of disregardng the laws under which they profess 10
act. Does this require prOof2 II so have only 10
refer to the fact that they have, from year to year.
called for appropriations for specific Objects and al
most as constantly disregardcd those calls IN Inc cN
pendture of the money obtained. Ihls disregard Oh
their calls, has been open and notorious that
it is quite of the question to suppose that the Ord
nance board, at least, were not cognlzant OF Inc
facts, ifthey not particpators in the perverslon
For facts it is unnecessary to go further back than
the present Congress to find them Examine the re-
quirements of the present Secretary of War, you
will there find calls for money to construct or nIsh
works, that have been constructed finished paid for
and the vouchers, in all probsbity passed the Trea-
sury or War Department And II you want proof OF
the perYersiOn of the public money from the SPECIFIED
objects for which it appropriated and its exPen-
diture objects not specified you will please asCer
tain, if you can, what has become OF the S2S 10000
appropriated toward the erection of an Arsenal at
Harpers-Ferry. Multiplied instances could be given
but until these fairly answered, the public Will
be slow to believe that these officers are either law
abiding men, men whose military honor does
not require watching As to your assumption that
the arms made under military supervision
better cheaper, than those made under
civil suPerintendency, you will pardon me for dsput-
ing your assumption and without intending to give
offence to any one, you will permit me to say that
your other assertions in reationto the quality of the
arms, is in direct conflict with the clearest testimony
to the contrary. If the fact of the inferior work
maushp of the muskets of 1853, to those of 1870,
rested alone my judgment should have re-
manned SILENT not daring to face such fearful odds.
But that is not the case competent men, men whose
known qualifications cannot be denied, have recorded
their testimony to the fact that the Tnusets made an
1858 inferior in point Of workmanship to those
made tn 1870, and with this testimony before the
public how you expect to be credited in your
sertion to the contrary?
As to the realcost of the arms, feel so confident
that there is fallacy, yes, designed allacy in the
published accounts, that do not hesitate to pledge
myself to you and TO the public that in due time, if
need be, will demonstrate the fact to every unpre-
JUDGED inquirer and show that instead of the United
States being gamer by the change from Civil TO
Military SUPPLEMENTARY Gas you say) of S5Is,s63,
they have actually been alooser, as now believe, to
amount fully equal to the entire value of those
Armories.' This will do or openly acknowledge
my error
Surely. sir, you would not seriously contend, that
how to handle and use rnusket he is therefore not
only competent but the only suitable person to have
charge oftheir construction Hyou do, do not see
how yop can avoid advocating their being placed at
manufacturing articles necessarily used in or by
the Armory.
While do not doubt that there are military men !
who not only fbenO DlaCPd /