, 1859-05-06

b atoms, the quarter-maSter OF the Tegnla
t service in southern Oregon, paid nt For
2 Lane for oats, prices varying from two t
S five dollars per bushel, aud for hay, price
= varying from thirty to one hundred dollari
, per ton Which will be the cash price o
, the article under the recent resolutiuisI-
: The maximum price allowed by the com
: mission for hay was one hundred and TWEEN
ty dollars per ton. But nearly all the hay
J was purchased at prices much under ont
J hundred dollars. The paper Of Captain
/; Keller gives many interesting facts in re
: gard to the fuctuntion Of prices on ouI
coast; and what has excited the surprise o
the Third Auditor, is personally known to
all men of intelligence and experience in
western coast matters, as an everyday oc.
currence.
Now, these remarks in regard to prices
are sufficient for my purpose, showing how,
in two matters Of fact, the Third Auditor
has been led 10 q most unfortunate and un-
true conclusion. Heis equally unfortunate
when be refers to the subject of sales, on
which rest, particularly, the vindicaiion Of
our service; because it is n fact, that the
property, after being deferorated by long
use through rainy and long winter, sold
in the aggregate for about what it cost
He enumerates particular articles, such as
packsaddles, ridng-Saddes, and gear Of
all kinds, which sold for small amount,
forgetting that they had been worn out in
the service, and that if it had been a case
of property in the regular service, it would
have been condemned by board Of Off.
GERS, and wonld have brought nothing -
He also forgets the fact that, in the sale Of
property such as provisions, there was a
considerable surplus, and it was not to be
expected that it wond bring even the cash
price Of the country; for every one knows
what the effect is Of throwing upon the
market large quantity Of provisions. .
Again, he complains that we sold more
horses than we had purchased lie brings
that as evidence of greatfrregularity and
great unreliablity in our accounts. Well,
sir, we lost some horses, some died in the
service, and some were captured by the In
dians, but we captured many from the In-
dians. And all those horses were turned
in as public property and sold at public
auction. They were au inferior kind Of In-
dian horses, run down by service. which
brought the low price Of which the Auditor
complains. sr. ,r r.s 5ll z5l.,
Now, sir, the fact that We sold more
horses than we purchased is undeniable.---
Animals were captured from the hostile In
dinns. There were stringent orders issued
to both Territories prohibiting the appro-
priatiOn Of captured property TO private
uses; and such property was accounted for
aud sold, aud the proceeds made use Of 10
diminish our debt. f 4sa astl 4ff
In justice to the qnartermasler and com
missary general of the Washington forces,
General Miller, who has come under the
animadversions of the Third Auditor, and
than whom there is not on that coast a man
Of larger business capacity, or more infexi-
Bile integrity, desire TO quote from bis
official report, passages, showing the dis
couraging circumstances under which our
operations were carried on, and the facts in
regard to the sales Of our aBimals and
other means Of transportation; sf
The operations Of the department under my charge
have been carried under very discoumging circum
stances. There was no ready money with which 70
meet daily expenses There were no large cities, or
wealthy communities, where supplies could be pur-
chased for the immediate ueed Of the troops. Every
thing had 10 be obtained II possible for scrip, from
either this or Oregon Territory both sparsely popua
ted, already impoverished by Indian hOstilites, and
Of which large number Of the inhabitants were IN
arms against the common enemy. IN this Territory,
especiaily, many Of the farmers have been driven
from their claims others, with every disposition 10
help the common cause, could not do 50 without de-
af thaf.
The conduct Of the citizens has been worthy Of all
praise. Without their Jealous coopefation, the vol
unieers would have starved. faau-a
"In obedience TO orders, the public property has
been disposed Of soon pOssible and all haste is
being made 10 bring the affairs Of the department. 10
close. am gratifed to be able TO state that much
oF IL sold at high advance on the original prices
which were regarded as sx,Faysgant q S ne com,
$3.50 "a $500, brought from 500 70 $500; wagons,
costing $500 were readily sold for $500; and oxen
were disposed Of at thirty per cent above cost This
too after the property has been, Of course detelorn
led bV tx montlls active service TI'
As an evidence Of the fidelity with which the pub
lie interest has been protected i Is Sufficient TO state
that whilst five hundred and seventyone horses were
purchnsed for the service six hundred have been
| turned in and sold. When Il Is remembered that
many Of the animals have diSd in service, and that
many have been captured by the enemy, Il will be
Keen how faithfully the animals purchased, and those
captured at Grand Ronde, have been accounted for"
How is it with sales in the regular serV-
ice2 How was It with the sale Of the vast
quantities Of supplies, transportatiols, &C.,
at Vera Cruz, at the close Of the Mexican
War; How was ii at q similar sale at the
Brazos2 1t is matter of notoriety, that
everything was sold for song. How is it
with the sale Of condemned property at
military posts; with the sale OF horses re-
ported upon by board Of officers, and
pronounced unfit for service? How is it
with tbe sale Of provisions, condemned for
a like reason? How is it with the sale Of
clothing, condemned for like reason2
know something about these sales, aud Il
the Third Auditor had gone to the records
of the War Department, and had ascer-
tanned the prices at which condemned
horses and other property had been sold at
the military posts in Oregon and Washing
ton, be would have had reason to cOngrat-
ulaie the National Treasury upon the sale
Of horses, made in the volunteer service Of
| q 900 tarrffnrias fni,n r,ncrs of el,