The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-10-03
G0H FzoYD AND ms MULE CONTRACTS.
I IRON Tho 3. Ioais nspablican, Sept "a.


s' GOV FL0YD AND HIS MOLE CONTRACTS
q. From the St Lopis Republican, Sept a2l
On my TO the city, my attention directed to
an editorial article In the Democrat commenting in its
usual reckless and malicious manner the conduct Of
the Secretary Of War; for having given out certain
tracts for the purpose of enabling tho army to take up its
line of march for Utah To gentlemen who we'll
quainted with that misnamcd paper, the Democrat its
fecbe malicious abuse Of and measures Is always
gardGd q compliment But there are some honest re-
publicans in this section of the country who look To it
political textbook and to such brief explanation is
deemed necessary. ts agS
To ridcule the Mormon expedition aud to snear at
the administration for wastcul extravaganza in sending
troops maintain the supremacy of the law and protect
the lives and property Of our citizens passing through
that lawess region IL fayofite occupation with the
Democrat and its black brethren throughout tho coun-
try l-when their own columns will show that they
were the most camorous in demanding the scalps of
Brigham Young and his followers, even including his
wives But the war is happily ended, and now the adj
minstraton sladeed and denounced for carrying out
the policy which they urgently demanded But let
examine the contracts which the Mormon expedition
necessarily produced,
Every intelligent man knows that after the movement
of the troops ordered the quartermaste department
pon which the heavy burden of the expenses escd
Tor the time being entirely destitute Of funds the
teanstcrs employed about the military posts could not
get dollar of their lardearned wages In fact the
ielaAent Dad nstHer iapney nor efaalN Ane aeieSacy
ai leeHa ID Fongrrss and u was yety questionable
, tiss iit slii sft,srs
5aacy what waz % 10 d1Hg abandon fis expedition,
o. doyse ways and raeans to push t forward
Wbet yagnla tire dauqa.t aa8 its kindrcd tult ndegs
have said had the latter alternative been adoptedi
leave the answer to any rejecting mind 1t having been
determined to maintain the honor and dignity of the gov
eminent by pushing forward the troops with little de-
lay as possible in order to relieve Gen Johnston from his
embarrassing position the law made it the duty Of the
Secretary of War to provide the means. The quarter
masters department had means and Congress would
not furnish any In this embarrassing state Of affairs
tharsl NM
proposed to furnish the horses mules &c and aait the
action of Congress for the efuning of the large amounts
Of money which would necessarily have to raise on
our own individual accounts The Secretary q
gladly accepted the propositions and Immediately instruct
ed the quartemaster at Fort Lavenworth TO purchase
and receive from US the number Of horses and mules
deemed absolutely necessary for the outftng Of the ex
pedition. Nfs VT asss ytySl sAAsSl
No price for the mules was agreed upon, there
data at that time by which the value Of such mules as
required blythe department. could be ascertaned
1t simply understood that the contractors were TO ro
ceive fair remrneratve compensation for their great
outlay Of money, time risk, and incidental expenses
Owing to the quality Of u miles required and tho
rigid and as we contend ~ rbaek snd unfair mode OF
WORTH The contractors mes at extraordinary fficulties,
and incurred vast expenses fal8llmg t&f Dua acts
The price fixed by the quartsrmasteg ~ iSyt isva1
worth wholly inadequate and woue sibjcytcd
the contractors to ruinous losses. All they .1lc was
to appeal to the Secretary of War for common y0st
Governor Floyd very wisely determined MOI TO take
responsibility of deciding the case upon the statements Of
Interested parties But being determined to do justice
both to the government and contractors, no ordered
board consisting of three officers Of high rank and char
acter assemble at Fort Leavenworh TO carefully in
vesgatc all the facts in the case and report to Washing
ton city In pursuance of this order the board met and,
after patient and laborious Investigation reported in
favor of the contractors 5S
The above is brief plain statement Of all the facts In
the case and The Democrat together with the sable hosts
of its black army, perfectly welcome to all the polit
cal capital they make out of it, either against the
Secretary of War or the mule contractors aF PA
In commenting upon the proceedings of the board and
the evidence brought forward during the investigation
the Democrat founders through many columns Of IFS
dirty sheet in trying TO make up something against tho
administration aud hopes the matter will be investigated
by committee in Congress II the party in Congress- to
which the Democrat belongs cannot find better material
than this out Of which they hope to make counterfeit
capital / presume they will find il both to therin-
tres and credit to attend to the business Of their con-
stituents. dffats atl t7ti lq4Gts9 h3NtsN sRt
The Democrat thinks Captain Van Welt could have
made out strong case against the Secretary Of War If
he could have commanded tho attendance Of witnesses
In this particular he placed precisely In the same
category with the contractors Witnesses either side
attended or gave evidence just suited their
vcnicnce The Democrat foelshy insinuatos that much
might be proved by officers Of the army who were de-
sgnedly sent of to Utah to be out Of the way.
The editor will probably be surprised when he learns
that out OF the three officers composng the board
we're present at Fort eavcnworth during the whole pc
rod OF the mule delivery and that they selected
mainly account OF their personal knowledge of hc
whole subject Again, there fifteen twenty Oil
present at the fort during the sitting Of the board
who knew full as much in relation TO tho matter as any
Of those who had been ordered off, Why were they mot
examined They would cheerfully have testified had
they have known anything that could have Injured to the
benefit Of the government OF a brother officer,
The truth IS the Democrat has made goose of itself,
and II IL possesses particle OF magnanimy, II will at
once after learning the above facts mako an ample
apology to The Secretary Of War If II does not will
relate an anecIoe about the Hon. Frank Blars nterfer