Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-09-11
CO... Fremont,s Government Contracts.

Failing to find any assaable point in Col
Fremont's political career and principles, his
enemies were driven to the fabrication OF cal
umues against his personal character. in which
! they have displayed "a lamentable facility
! They have asserted that he was q .Jesuit, IL
! gambler sOt, thief, a swindler, foreigner
! bully, mutineer, and we know not what
/ else, and falling 10 produce any sensible effect
upon the popular mind by any OF these stories
/ they have been looking into his transactions
with the government TO see If nothing can lie
| found there in conflict with some of the rules
of the Auditing Department Of the Treasury.
of which something can be made. One Of the
mares nests which this inquiry has revealed
| relates to certain contracts made by George
! W Barbour, United States Indian Commits
! siCner, with Colonel Fremont for the supply
of quantity of beef to conquer the Indians
/ with, in California, food being found by the
commissioners both cheaper and better anniu-
milton for fighting red men, than powder and
ball. FremoHt's proposals were lower than
any others received, and were accepted. lie
| could afford to offer better terms than any of
! his competitors. because he had greater pow
/ ers OF endurance than most men he had more
| experience in fighting or managing Indians,
/ through whose territory, for a distance of some
! three hundred miles, the animals had to be
driven. and ne was withal much more Ready 10
expose his life to the pcriIs Of s1ch an enter
| prise than any one else in that regi0a. He
/ fuiG,led his contract agreeahly to its stipua-
| tons, and went to Washington for his money.
! The Auditing Department said, Mr. Commis
( sioneF Barbour had 10 right to make contracts
! ia the name OF the government, to feed the In
| dians. He only had power TO make var or
/ peace with them. Col. F. went 10 Congress,
and asked them to order his bills TO be paid.
/ The subject was referred To 0 committee Of the
( SD Congress lin 1854 composed Of the fol-
| lowing gentlemen james l.. Orr Of South
! Carolina. Chairman Ben c. Eastman Of Wis
conSiu. Galusha 4 Grow Of Pennsylvania Ed
/ ward Bal Of Ohio, Augustus E. Maxwell of
FLORIDA. Daniel B Wright OF Mississippi, A.
/ fred B. Greenwood OF Arkansas. Benjamin
Pringle and Milton ) Latham OF California
Ali Of these gentlemen we're democrats except
| Bail. how Fillmore man. aId Pringie, now
! Fremont man they were wings All are now
| Buchanan representatives, except the two men
toned and Grow and Eastman. the latter now
| dead Latham IS the present Collector Ot san
| Francisco.
On the 18th DAY Of July this committee
made their eport They state that the con
| tract was conceived in a wise and humane spj-
| rit that the prices were reasonable that
is terms were fairly and fully complied with,
| Col Fremont, they say. " purchased large
/ number o. beef-catlie Il the southern part of
the state. aud hired drivers n 2 heavy cost TO
drive them to the designated place. The cat
/ tie were driven upwards OF three hBndred miles
/ IN the heat VI summer. IN the dry season. -
| great labor aud exposure, and some 400 were
/ lost or died on tue route. He delivered To
| agent BarJour. and took his receipt therefor,
ohe mliol two hundred and twenty-five thOa-
! sand five hUH.lFrd pounds OF beef Oa the hODf
! .2z5. .5oJ los. aid accepted in payment
/ drafts drawn by agent Barbour on tie Secrs-
/ tary Of the Interior, amounting TO one hundred
and eighty-tAFee thousand eight hundred and
| twenty-five dollars t$lo3,o25j. These drafts
/ were protested on presentation {: 10 apprOpria
/ ton ha wing been made By Congress from which
! they could be paid Subsequently the trea-
! ties were rejected by the Senate, for reasons
which have not vet been made public, AMI the
( Iniians Of California have been driven from
theic lands ant homes, and have received 10
| compensation from the government. save the
( beef furnished them by Col Fremont, AMI
which he DOW asks the government 10 pay hia
for The beef vent into the hands Of the
agents Of tie government whether il WsS all
faithfully distributed among the IusliaaS by ycLe
<ub-a.euts. Is not qa->ijOa thas Is 10 aE-cc
the iaStice and eqnjIy OF the claim OF Col Fre
mont. He furnished tie agents OF the gov
ernmeat with large quantity Of beef AUst.
If not all Of it, vas G>c1 Il feeding the IEdiaus
il vas furnished 70 comply With treaty stiPula-
tfoG< il stOVTse,l the war and restored peace
+ 10 the country aEI viii the gU7erRmeut now
shield Itself from tae payment OF this eiaiEn.
and devUiVe ruiu0aS loss upon oaAS OF Its O~n
citizens, upon tie technical pretext that lse
+ agent had no specific authority 70 make the
contract. We have received the advantages
aal begIefts of the contract. aRk. y0ur co.aHit-
tee believe that il Is just thai Ee ShO-iI Pay
for il
- say We. saI - say alt
Both the senators and both the Representa-
tfves from California. Mc<SrS Weller and q Ria,
and MeSsrs- Mcnou-s.I AL Latham. united IN
saving that Fresn1a.s eaEletl Lis money, Ehiie
at tFA gseTuber- of C0z-rgSs from ke8tGrk&g,
frsclr,iia- NJ. Boe-kiari5ee tie Buchanan can
slissate f5r Vfc- President, uslitry N restIfv.r
20 the uaeyceTritgsaL5e character Q. VI Cota-
missioner Ba-u0ar.
The cotua-,gee reported unanimously, = bill
flr tbe pavuen- oi tie CGIos-e. aroO48r. aEd
i passed. ti.. Hogse unanimously, tbOa-h Fre-
seuted o. g O5.ie>t5oa iay.7 * it : teFgaed
when 4 si#gis o.1ieeliga Z oabi have been fatal,
We DO lot Eefer 10 talis c1se now, Tor pats-
lisa she report u the cOsg.l1i'Iee, fox the par
pose O. .iefentiiag Col FrcloaG fEoza sry AZ
,zcks EF0a Us Fer>.1aa! character, for L : too
ase to ~ lFrssss that setessfaEly hE' 20 --a's-
fv z1.Eerszl d-s-Tr 20 hear aEeE ka0W every
thing that cza l.- aag8E @ooS1i one whose a.
Fger f-azI e4es5e>E yosss.l .4ss 4~sSSSs7a : e-s
Lar an.. Increasing Interest L~y9l@g Pcsf.