The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-06-10

sertia> usmiaed We also transmit : letter from Mr.
Pom; :s' q co. and
v, S,cSy % ~ Oiscn Of Mr. Aickls, Whose letter vs
also -: :s':3 ", !... :.l.s .s ss aas:; Sss
Az sdditsop.i gysa %" a ,sss FIN rsns e. q
e ~. .:.s I. ~ sus
=. C 3 our ssy "a ss% Prom s II
Of be properly think p! .se Quantity Of Ian
TO- = bs b. pr
Win great respect We remain your osedsat ssr..asS
Hoo JOIN B. FLOYD Secretary OF War
The frat favorable opportunity having allowed to
pass oy wheG Ut scon tho part Of those into whose
hands euch matters ordinarily eotius'ed there
the permedse purchaser telsy the purchase for
an incedDite period thereby rendering oabe that
rho ormsr couSsS vss decided soon and sdoossd and an
agreement eptsrod into By the War D~psrtmeut with
Irving The then owner, 70 pay bw toe sum Of 100000
his mskDg good title 10 the United States The title
produced examined by the proper of1cer-the
Attorney Genersi-wss pronounced 70 DO good, and
Such Is . suocscs stsssnent Of facts - they were
ELECTED before tho committee Of testimony
INTRODUCED which the undersigned considers De,ug
wholly irrelevant u the OF the inquiries demanded
Of the committee BY the House. and, in instsoces
wholly variaDoe, both With the objects OF avogs
ten and the personal rights of the Witnesses. rhs ev
deoce being rrelsvaDt chiefly tending the
mcu orandi BY wh'oh the price OF the property WAS
-S
not deem 1t hs duty 70 trouble the House With
any OF the same hes been printed, aud
through This Of irrelevant matter do SO for hin
self.
Having now, ~ tho undersigned believes, fairly aud
fully sifsed wheat from the n-havns sorth all
tie leading facts conpeced with ibis Transaction they
brought out before tho might DO
In lawyers phrase 70 crest the here" the
ground that the terms Of the resolution Of tho House. BY
which this committee vas raised aud s duties assigned
s,oeraton and that Interior object
had in view In eictiog these facts. WHAT vas
thai oojeot2 II was tho ascertaipmeat OF further
feasaDce the OF certain hga government officials
the negotiations tor and The conclusion of this sale aud
Scarcely had this purchase been made when the busy
tongue Of at work. and the Secretary OF Var
{~r. Augustus scsein we're openly charged with ,ou
sop in connection with other parties, In defraudiug the
government out Of large sun Of money. Vague aud In
definite ~ these runors were they we're taken up by
parties In high standing AID frequently repeated
and their sihfoness ~as pressgy urged that nves
egstiop seemed 10 be absolutely necessary.
Looking upon the whole OF th testimony thep ss the
unoersigped believes he has done, With impartial eye
he canDos i'd coming to toe fol owing cooclosious:-
l. SO far Mr. Augustus Scneii is concerned there Is
not the first ecintaon OF evidence implicatng him In
any way soy design TO enhance the price Of this
form Of very simple duty epjoned upon him by the
Secretary Of War, ostensiby with the view OF pro
tectiDs the government from eI.or'ion. He vas
Mr. Fowler, the Postmaster Of the city Of New York. to
examine the promises TO mako Inquiries OF the neigh
hood 10 whatevsr else might bis jadg
ment peedful 10 be DONE in order ascertain the true
pert, in comparison with other property in tae vicinity
This duty Mr. Schs perfor doubtless In the best
per In which he was able. Not depending exclusively
upon his judgment he endeavored 10 fory his OPT
MON by obtaining the ia jgment OF others VII he
sdered better qualified himself form
csed ali the caution and prudence that might have
been exercised-whetber he pursued his inquiries to
the utrost extent TO which they Nigh. have been advan
fawo IN fba uod
viii not venture OPINION but he Is most decidedly Of
opinion that there nothing Whatever In the whole Of the
corrupt purpose regard the agency he had In this AZ
fa the undersigned Is corroborated In this view by
the Chairman Of the Committee lM Hs.tin Who in the
Edwin Croswell), remarked - follows
=, The ChsirmAnLMr Horace p CiSt. asked me about
near could rse Sso, essIynos be swore To- Ipno@
the a rs = e: . s that
sale Of this property 70 the governmentMss report OF ties
So isr therefore, any insinuston against M sche
the Collector concerned the undergned considers that
2. In regard TO the Secretary Of War, the under
signed s equally clear Is 70 the absence Of any
on h ss
made upon him 70 send 70 New York
large amount Of money for the purchase of this property
on, ind both from his statement and from the
letter Of Ges roten Of the Goth Of March, Major Bar
consulted Cabinet and being himself bat newly
euracd In his once Tnat be proceeded with caution 10
ccmmsnds.on than Of reprosch; and the undorssusd
would be unwilling 10 perpetrate the injustice OF casting
oensure upon member Of the government, because he
did act with precipitation the representations OF
others, without making himself acquainted with all the
facts Of The case
goes the superstition Ia wholly unfounded
II 10 matter for depreciation that the Secretary Of War
sh,uId have 30 far exoeeded his 20 sers y 70 make .
above the amount Appropriated by Congress. The
dersGned regard this zach upon
neshng testimony which ali indicates corrupt
motive So far this ndscretion Is concerned the un
derssned canno. but regard Is stepping beyond he 10
vested and that b 70 far deserving Of 70
prevent he being made precedent In future. II bno
nothing than the real value of the property In
parison with other property OF like kind That rs not
'"' here is much oonacsins evidence a. TO the
sd believes thai he reliable testimony, IN this
respect, largely prcponderates In favor Of tho
assumption that the price paid IL only fair aud
BILE price Some Of the Witnesses that the proper
o,hsrs again s.esr shs. worth from 81 500 % $4,000
per We have the evidence Of man (Mr Frngs)
that be sod property pos fT distant ron N.
vide renown phianthrops and, Of course, Of unim
psschabe integrity, tells Us that he owns ten acres
asks $4,000, or % 900 pcr acre Hon. John A. Sea
ring, . member OF this house, tells NJ that The
front OF the land ~ Wukins folnt
worth 1000 per acre. and that there rs great deal Of
'front.' that he knows Of land at Gres; Neck good
way up the bay which had been plooshed for t~en
years, and which sold ri 81 500 per acre; and that he
should say the whole Of H<ins' Point property
worth very nearly ~ 900 per acre Mr.. Edward A. Law
renee farmer living the neighborhood considers this
property worth from 500 70 $4,000 per acre because
v located elegantly. Mr. William Weeks real estate
broker Oyster Bay knows wkns Poins and thinks that
81 600 per would be unreasonable price and
Mr. H. Wright captain Of cngscers IN charge informs M
that time ago the government paid $500 per acre
for additional land Adjoining Fort fompkns, situated