Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1858-05-01


When his time is nearly cut, il he is no
able to complete his remarks, shall have
no objection to his time being extended
Z Mr. LETCHER Ii / consent to inter
ruptions it must be upon the understanding
that the House shall consent to an extern
sion Of MY time. If my time is extenled
will ckcerfully consent to be interrupted
to any extent whatever, embarrassing a.
the situation may be.
Mr.. CLARK 3. COCHRANE.
move that the time Of The gentleman FROM
v Virginia be extended for one hour.
i The CHAIRMAN. The proposition
can be entertained BY unanimous consent.
| Mr.. FARNSWORTH. Iobjcct
/ Mr.. LETCHER. Then I cannot yield
It is perfectly manifest that these supple;
have to be transported to Utah, and that
they can be transported for greatly less
money between the first day Of A pril and
the 31st day Of August than in any other
period Of the year. During that period
these supplies can be transported for 81 SO
|pcr one hundred miles, or computing the
distance at one thousand two hundred miles,
at $2l 60 per one hundred pounds for the
entire distance to the Territory.
! Now, sir, the Secretary Of War, with We
~ great propriety, and as I think, with
that due regard to the public interest which
should characterize public officers, and
which he has displayed i'll this matter, pro
poses 70 anticipate the regular appropria-
ton, that would not, in all probability, be
made before the last Of July, about the RI
Using Of Congress, 50 as to purchase those
articles, and to have them ready to sem!
of from Fort Leayenworth at some perio;,
between the lst Of April and the 3lst Of
August, when they can be transported ut
tho rate Of 81 80 per ono hundred pounds
per enc hundred miles. | think the recon-
mendation IS aproper cae, on the score Of
economy and what difference does it make
whether we appropriate the money nov 81
on the last day of July next?
There is the whole of it, and there is this
whole objection that has been raised to am
tlcipating appropriation made by the gen
tlemen who have discussed this question on
the other side. Now. sir, on the score of
economy, those gentlemen ought to sustain
this proposition because, if their purpose
shall be carried out, if this bill shall be de-
feated, if these articles shall be purchased
from the appropriations made in the regular
bill, then the government is to pay from
| three to four and half dollars for trans
portation and not only that, but the gov
eminent is to run the risk Of having the
wagons overtakcn during the winter, and
the loss, probably, Of the entire supplies.
put it, then, to the common, practical sense
Of the House. whether they are economists,
or whether am practising on an ecnnolni-
| cal rule, in the recommendations that |
have presented from the Committee Of WAYS
and Means.
| Let US look at It again, Mr. Chairman,
in another point Of view, and see whether
this contract is not an advantageous con
tract to the government, and one for which
the Secretary Of War, instead Of reproach
deserves commentator, at the hands Of this
aud the other house. Why, sir, it is an
immense business. How many wagons do
you suppose will be required to carry on
this transportation? how many yoke ofoxen?
how much other preparation will be requir-
cd to meet the demands made by the gov
eminent under this contract? 1t will re-
4uire two thousand four hundred and six
teen wagons to be used for Transportation :;
md that is counting two trips to Fort Lar
amie and two to Fort Kearney during the
year, and one to Utah 1t will require two
Thousand four hundred and sixteen wagons
to transport what is already ordered, to say
nothing Of what may be ordered hereafter.
It will require twenty-eight thousand nine
hundred and nluety-two oxen for this pur-
pose. Wagons cost about one hundred
and seventy dollars each, delivered at Fort
Lcavcnworth. The oxen cost about ninety
q ollars yoke. They travel in companies Of
twenty-five wagons, and there must be
twenty-five teamsters-one to each wagon
Besides, there must be wagon for the CON
tractor to carry supplies for his men, which
makes twenty-six in all and there is a
captain and lieutenant to each train, who
have charge Of it. Yes sir; and there
must be extra teams if they carry trayell-
ING forge, Or anything Of that kind, for they
must be prepared with that aud everything
else Necessary to enable them to supply adj
equately this train. When you come to
count up all these items, to say nothing of
the extra teams besides those I have emu
mcrated, and those referred to by my friend
from Missouri, Mr. PllELps you have
two thousand five hundred and thirteen
wagons, thirty thousand one hundred and
htty-s!x oxen, two thousand five hundred
and thirteen transfers, one hundred and
ninety -four captains and lieutcnants, ma
king in all two thousand seven hundred aud
seven men. And the capital which this
contractor is required to raise on his own
credit, without dollar Of advance from
this government, is something near two
millions Of dollars. And now, sir, when
he has performed part Of this service; when
he is executing this contract, the House
here say chat they will not furnish the means
to pay it; and that after running his credit
to the last verge, they will not pay him
for what he has done.
The views Of the Seer etary Of War ought
to be carried out in the execution Of this
contract. We know that property is as
high now as it was year Or two ago. This
party has to buy on credit, and Of course he
has to pay something additional on that ac-
count. lie has to 60 into the market, fur
nish these wagons, these oxen, and hire
these men for this hazardous service: and
yet the increase in the cost Of transpnrta-
ton is the difference between $40 ~ Is