, 1859-06-17
Statement Of Mr., ChaS E, Weed concerning the
Third Auditors Report,
EDrroR PIONEER AND DEMOCRAT

EDIroR PIONEER AND DEMoCRAT:
Sir:-As have been noticed among the others
connected with the volunteer service Of Washington
Territory, by the ID Auditor of the Treasury and
that notice is of character calculated to cast re-
proach upon me, feel called upon in justice to my
self to vndicate the course pursued by me in those
transactions in which he, the Sd Auditor, has
deavored TO render as ridiculous.
No person disposed to treat the matter OF claims
with fairness and justice read the report Of Mr..
Atkinson without coming to the conclusion that he is
bitterly prejudced against u.s. and IL such be the case
then certainly he Is not the proper person tJ utrst
with our accounts. There is not single pallating
word in his whole report. lie finds fault with every
thing. Some have done too much; others too little,
~ d some nothing. Those who have attempted 10
copy the forms OF the regular service censured for
washing time and stationery and others for not doing
His report is kind Of speech e. such as it is }
against the war debt.
But will proceed to an explanation Of those trans.
actions Of mine noticed by our friend. am accused
of having gotten rid Of large quantities OF beef pork
bacon, -four coffee, rice, sugar. candles, vinegar, salt
SOAP &C.. &C., by kind Of barter at fixed rates. for
board, goods, labor, &c.
Well that Is all true and to those who were living
here at the time needs no explanation, but for the
benefit Of others (and particularly hr. Atkiuson)
will state that could do no betterit last
sort every other to supply the demands Of the
service having been exhausted. 1t must be remem-
bered we had money to back us. No United States
Treasury to draw upon and at the time this barter
ing took place, no credit. Uncle Sam had been good
up TO this time Merchants and private individuals
alike had furnished all they could. They had in many
instances nearly deprived themselves Of their
OF support. Many had even advanced cash to pur-
chase goods in San Francisco and Oregon to supply
the men In the field and where 1t was known that
persons able and had not furnished their part,
goods pressed into service This being the state
Of affairs and large quantities Of certain articles being
hand at the post Of Olympia that likely not to
be used Immediately and it being known that an CX-
change could be effected for stores absolutely neces
sary for tile efficiency of the troops the order came to
ne pPrhaOS
would have been necessary for Inc to have said in
lAton to this business is that my superors ordered it,
but have shown why it was ordered, which will
doubtless be more satisfactory.
Again the Auditor says: The quantity Of proper
ty and supplies which came into his hands appear 10
have been greatly beyond the wants OF the service at
his postn &c. This Is also true was it intended
for the Of the post In my charge alone It was
intended and was used In the service generally. Much
Of the property and supplies was purchased in Ore
Ron and elsewhere, and shipped to the post of Oym-
pia (head-quarters) . be used wherever required.
The bulk Of the subsistence stores and forage used in
the service concentrated at that post by the Quar-
termaster General 1t being deemed the best and SAT
est point to pack and haul from to the scene Of opera
tiOns in the interior; besides did not las my abstracts
will shoW) purchase Onehalf the property In my pos
session. 1t purchased by Others by orders from
the Quartermaster and Commissary Department, and
turned TO me, and for which became accOunta-
Bile. 1t was not known how long the war would last.
At that time the chances were that supplies for one
year at least would be necessary and as they had to
be collected together from distant points in the Terri
tory and elsewhere, and at such times, places aud
terms as could be best made tpithOut money think
instead Of words Of dsparagement and lAbored ef-
fort TO show fraud ncapacty and recklessness in the
management Of affairs connected with the service
and thereby cheat the people Of this Territory out of
their hard earned dues an impartial and unbiased
mind would have given us credit, for sagacity at
least In providing so well for future contingencies
Besldes all stores and property of every description
that not used was sold at auction and faithfully
lccounted for; the prices, too comparing favorably
vvith ms n tbe mi of Ault.
tor mentions this to be sure but in such manner as
to leave the impression that the surplus was appro
priated TO our own use.
Again he says Like Qnartermaster General Mil
ler he reports money accounts due for meals fur
nshed at from rs cents to 81 each to volunteers en-
plOyees &c, and in such manner as to make it
ceedingy difficult to ascertain whether such bills
ought to have been contracted according to any
known rule or usage Of the military service As
general thing meals were furnished at so cents but
wherever meals were furnished, they to express
men coming in from the field with dispatches to the
Commanderinchief, employees volunteers on some
special duty. In every instance those persons certi
fed to the fact Of having received the meals and stat
ing the particular service in which they were en-.
gagged It was believed at that time too, that il
would be cheaper to have the meals furnished in this
way than to keep up quarters aud issue ntions 1t
win be remembered that the post at Olympia was
Head Quarters and all business with the Commander
in-chief, Adjudant General, Quartermaster General
and others, was done at that post Expressmen were
constantly going to and fro. Teamsters and vessels
were loadlng Ahd dscharging, which made 1t necessa
ry to employ considerable number of hands besides
many Of the employees engaged at other stations
were paid of there many others drew their clothing
there also. great number Of persons were entered
as employees who were engaged in guarding the
mills Indian prisoners, and garrisoning block houses
&c., &C., which made the number of employees en-
gagged at Olympia look large but when the situation
Of affairs in the Territory at that time is taken into
consideration, and circumstances which controlled
our action be properly viewed, feel that we have
nothing to fear from the aspersons of Mr. Atkinson
concerning the purchases and disbursements being
mixed up together" Such is not the fact. Tha
purchases are separate from the disbursements in
every Instance That the property and stores are not
classified particularly the forms Of the regular
service require is true did not understand at the
time that such classification would be necessary In
fact, there attempt made on my part to follow
the regular formuar in any particular believing as
did, that a common sense exhibit, showing the man
ner in which the property in my charge was applied
TO the public service or otherwise disposed Of would
be sufficient II was my endelvor to conduct the af
fairs Of my post as economically as possible and 10
see that nothing wasted destroyed unnecessa-
rily This did TO the best of my abty--faithfully
With regard TO the prices paid by me for supplies
have only say, that 1t is ridiculous to suppose that
could control the market. My purchases were made
at the lowest possible figures and ! assert without
the fear Of successful contradiction that whateyer
they we're they the ruling market rates at the
time they were paid. Many articles were purchased
time-the patriotic citizens being disposed TO under
value their property in consequence Of the use 10
which It was to be applied.
/ will next quote: " Considerable quantities OF
clothing and other goods are disposed OF by CERTI-