The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-05-29


on into United States territory aud settle in the
far West. 1t alleges as . reason for this that
the facilities for travel are 50 much greater In
IN. United States than In Canada, and induce
ments 70 settle In our territory SO much more
tempting, that immigrants readily find their
way here. whash il doubtless quite true.
The Prsssde.< and the "a umpevy Charges
or the c'evsde Cenmittss.
On Friday we pub 'ished the testimony of FL
wood Fisher before the Covode Committee, In
which he stated, in reference to the Sloo con-
tract with Mexico for the CONSTRUCTION Of
route, consisting Of plank road Md railroad.
establishing intsrooeanic communication across
the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, that "ths diple-
matte functions Of the United States govern
ment abroad and the Post Office Department st
home were prosttuted for the purpose Of
Wrestling valuable contract from one set Z
American citizens to give it to another. whs
were favorites Of the administration" In sup
port of his testimony, the witness refers to .
letter Of instructions to Mr.. Forsyth, Minister
to Mexico, in July, 1857, written, a. he alleges.
by Mr.. Buchanan, but aligned by General Cass.
This letter we publish complete In another
column, and it will be seen that Fisher is fatty
contradicted by the very evidence to which hs
has appealed to sustain his testimony. From
this document the following facts appear
By clause Of the agreement it was stipulated
by Sloo Il Co., as guarantee for the fuldlnent
of their contract made in 1853, that they should
deposit in the Mexican treasury the sum VI
5000, 600 half Of it Immediately, and the
remainder in monthly instslments of
$50, 900 each. Sloo * Co. failed to fuia
this stipulation, when an arrangement
was made by which Mr.. 'Falconnet, British
subject resident in Mexico, should advance tho
sum Of 100000 to the Mexican treasury sad
take bills drawn on the house of Sioo. Tho
grant was mortgaged for the payment La
case of failure Of the payment of the bills the
grant or contract was to be transferred to Fal-
comet The bills were protested and were
never paid. Falconnet applied repeatedly to
the Mexican government to acknowledge him
as the rightiul owner but could receive NO
answer. He then, with view of recovering
his money, made legal cession of his grant to
Mr.. Hargous, Of New York, Of which he sp-
piised the Mexican government In 1855; but
that government took no notice Of his CEN nu-
nication at that time, nor Of subsequent CON-
munications, till the British ChsSge d'Afaires,
in April, 1856, extorted an answefk which was
to the effect that the goyernmeAk Wsuid
recognise Falconnet, but not HArgous. rho
British Charge insisted in vain on the recogai-
ton of Hargous, and Falconnet, thus deprived
of his money. claimed to be the owner Not
wi,hstanding the default in the payment OF ths
bills. Sloo and his partners organized COM
pany, under the laws Of Louisians, by which
Sloo was to have $4,000 Of the 100000
shares into which the stock was divided, ss .
So ~v.sruruy tuo CONTRACT
By the agreement with Mexico, the contract
ors were bound to construct . plank road, In
anticipation Of the completion Of the railroad,
and by the 18th article It was provided chat the
contractors should incur the peoalty OF losing
the expenditure already made, the materials
and tools in the Mexican territory, and the
rights conceded 10 them by the contract, If they
did not commence and fnish the wheel rosa
and II they did not commence the railroad with
In the stipulated time" The company violstea
this engagement and forfeited the contract.
They have not commenced, to this day, the
construction Of the plank road.
1t was pretended that the Mexican govern
ment had waived the stipulation ~ to the plank
road; but General Cas- says there Is no evi-
dence Of this, and besides, that 1t could not b
waived without the consent Of our government,
which acquired an interest in both the plank
road and railroad BY treaty, in December,
1853. The United States had deep interest in
the construction OF the road, aud all our govern
ment required was that 1t should be built BY
some one Sloo & Co. were unable or unwilling
TO do It, and the interests Of American commerce
we're suffering Under these circumstances
| Mr.. Cas- instructed our Minister at Mexico to
obtain modification Of the original contrac.
| from the Mexican government for new COM
pspy, who would complete the road, and who
would recognise the rights Of Mr.. FAlconnet.
who had sunk his 100000. In this applica-
| ton the Minister was successful.
This IL all Mr.. Buchanan has done. "The
head and front of his offending hath this ex-
tent-no more;" and yet witness comes for
ward and charges him with prossituting"
the diplomatic functions Of the government
and the Post Office Department to gigantic
fraud upon American citizens, 10 order to bene-
ft his own favorites. Could the force Of i'm
poten. malice further 60: Mr.. Buchanan IL
denounced for patriotic act which benefits
the United States and deserves the applause Of
the whole country. This is but specimen Of
the testimony before the Covode Committee
a sample Of the Witnesses. Hitherto they have
bad on the stand bankrupt printers, brokea
down steamboat men, disappointed politicians
and Office seekers, corrupt lobby men, wiz
the other scum Of the community nosuDs