Washington sentinel., 1856-07-22

n y
for President on the books of the department
1t is more than probable that the story current
| in California will account for the disbursement
of the money borrowed of Don Cot, which is,
that it went to pay for the celebrated humbug
"Mariposa claim" of and about which so much
has been said and written within the past four
months. A
Second and third financial operations Of Col.
on Gopernor" Fremont in California.
Below we give the letter of COL Mason, gov
ernor of California which explains the accom-
panying documents, and places the gallant
colonel" or governor in a rather unenvia-
Bile light among all right-thnking men. The
italics are ours:
HEADQUARTERS TENTH military DEPARTMENT,
Monterey, California, Oct. 9, l847.
SIR: | have the honor herewith to enclose
to you the papers relating to certain contract
entered into on the Sd day of March, lS47, by
Lieutenant Colonel Fremont, mounted rife
men, with Don Eulogio de Cells, resident
of Cindad de los Angeles, California. The pa
per marked A is copy Of this contract, with
Lieutenant Colonel Tremont's certificate, bear
ing date april 26, l847, that the contract had
been complied tciM on the part Of Don Eulo-
gio de Cells, and that he, Fremont, had exc
cuted to him in payment a note for the sum OF
six thousand nine hundred and seyenty-6ve
dollars. #s
Lieutenant Colonel Fremont left California
IN the month Of June, l847, giving no notice
to General Kearney or myself of the existence
of such contract or that he had pledged the
faith of his government for the redemption of
| it by the payment of the sum of $6,975. Nor
had the least idea of this obligation until ap-
| piled to by Col. Stevenson whether | would
recognise the contract, and redeem the bond at
maturity This letter was accompanied by
others, which show that in fact, notaoithstand
ing the certificate of Lieutenant Colonel Fre-
mont, Mr.. Cells neyer delivered to the commits
sary of the California battalion one single head
of beef cattle under this contract, and that not
one of these sic hundred head Of cattle aoere
slaughtered for the use of that battalion; but,
on the contrary, that they hare been delirered
tosa Mr.. Searas, of Los angeles, IN taco par
GELS; one Of four hundred and eighty-one on
the first day Of May, and another Of one hun
dred and nineteen on The sirth day Of July,
| lS47, both of Which dates are subsequent to the
discharge of the California battalion command.
| ed by Lieutenant Colonel j. G. Fremont.
| There is no doubt that these cattle are the same
six hundred contracted for by Lieutenant Col.
Fremont on the Sd March lS47 Mr.. Cells
stated it positively in his letter marked d; and
the receipts for them by Stearns, marked B
and f, specially state that he (Stearns) receipts
for them in the name and behalf of Lieutenant
Colonel Fremont.
| These deliveries occurred at time phen
| a garrison was stationed in Los Angeles, with
q commissioned agent of the commissary de-
partment of the army, Lieutenant Davidson, to
take charge of subsistence stores intended for
public use yet these cattle, furnished by formal
contract, are deliuered TO priuate indiriduol
upon a special agreement, las he Searns says
TO breed on shares for the term Of three gears.
| have endeavored to procure from Mr.. Stearns
copy of the agreement he has made with
Lieutenant Colonel Fremont for taking care
OF these cattle, but his letters (marked and
l0) positively assert that he regards those
cattle as the priuate property of Lieutenant
Colonel Fremont, but that the agreement by
which he holds them is verbal one, witnessed
by Mr.. Hensy and Lieutenant Gillespie, of
the United States navy. Thus stand the facts,
and ! am applied to know whether payment
will be made upon the paper marked 2, which
| is certificate that the sum Of $6,975 is due
to Mr. Cells for supplies furnished the Califor-
MIA battalion, Which supplies are clearly and
plainly the lot Of sir hundred breeding coaos
now IN the hands Of a pirate indicidual, not
one Of ,ohich has been used for public purposes.
This note becomes due the 18th day of
December, lS47, and bears an interest of TWEEN
ty-four per centum per annum after that date.
In connection with this subject, | call your
attention TO the paper marked 3, wherein Lieu
tenant Colonel Fremont has bound himself
and future governors Of California to pay the
sum Of $4,000 at the expiration of eight
months from the date of March 3, l847, or in
default thereof, that the note shall bear an in
terest of twenty-four per cent. per annum
this, too, ichen the acting assistant quartermds-
| ter at Monterey had been more than a month ia
the country, oih a supply Of money applicable
10 the proper expenses Of the army an Cali
fornid.
| Mr.. Cells states that il was partly to secure
this loan OF money that Lieutenant Colonel
Fremont made with him the liberal bargain for
cattle, for which the price is about forty per
cent. higher than the market price at the time.
i Both Of these notes are soon due, and Mr.. Cells
is going to make application for payment, as
he claims to have fulfilled his part Of con-
tract for the redemption of which the good
faith of the Government of the United States
is pledged by an officer thereof; but the whole
transaction, as shown by the accompanying
papers, appears to me of such a character that
/ shall not order payment Of the money to Mr..
Cells, but refer all the papers to the Depart
ment, for such action as they may consider
proper in the case.
have the honor to be, &C.,
r. b. MASON,
Col. lst Dragons, Commanding
To Gan n JoNPs Waahingfon citv