, 1860-04-27

for calling out the volunteers seems TO have
been conceded by the highest authority
As stated in the report in this depart
ment Of its duty, the commission paid what
was deemed TO be due regard to the con.
dition Of the country, and the circumstances
under which these liabilities were incurred.
! beg you to mark this; for in all our de-
iberations and decisions we constantly
looked at the facts, and took into consider
ation the actual condition of the country
at the time.
IL is not unlikely that there are many
instances in which the commission allowed
prices in the purchase Of property that ex-
eeeded the current cash rates. In all such
instances. however, alter ascertaining that
the property was necessary for the mainte-
nance Of the volunteer forces engaged in
the war, the question determined by the
commission was. did the proper and legal
authorities Of the Territories negotiate
these purchases with faith, economy, and
at the lowest practicable rates? If the
transactions we're found to have been con
Quoted with integrity, they were approved
BY the commission, acting in accordance
with its Instructions to ascertain the
amount Of the expenses incurred by the
Territories" &c. II the rates we're dis
eOEered TO be excessive in this view of the
ease, they were reduced, as stated in the
report. and the amount and manner of re-
ductiOn elenrly and distinctly Indicated in
the vouchers.
There was great variation of prices Of
all articles Of supply 10 an army in the
beld in the different parts Of the country,
and at each principal point Of purchase al
different periods during the volunteer ser
vice, owing TO be difficulties aud varying
expense Of interior communications, and to
TIE distressed condition Of the Territories,
spaFsely settled, with few resources, and
wlose people were nearly oil compelled to
take the 6eld in defence Of their lives and
homes aguinst most formidable combina-
ti0n Of savages, who were reduced TO hu-
initiation and peace two years later, and
then only by large and well appointed
regular force"
Again, let it ever be borne in mind that
10 doubtful cuses, the commission took sworn
testimony, and that they became familiaF
with the peculiar circumstances which would
Affect prizes 10 the purchase Of supplies at
different times and places. Neither the
Auditor nor one Of the military gentlemen
whom he quotes had such special knowl-
edge Of individual cases; and the inierences
10 be drawn from the purchases made by
the qunriermasters Of the regular service
ought not to outweigh or even approach in
authority the deliberate and official state
ments Of the commission. Moreover, the
action Of the commission Is shown TO be
just BY the testimony Of the civil officers Of
the Territory. and by the citizens of the
several localities. given in the appendix Of
tie Auditors report; men who did have
such special knowledge, aud, though sum
,marily disposed Of by the Auditor as "in-
terested persons" men therefore competent
% bear testimony.
In the matter Of subsistence, it appears
that The purchases Except in the article Of
sugar. ranged from a little under the reg
ular ration to about one-third more than
the regular ration, and including sugar Civ
ing an average excess Of one-6fth 70 one.
sixth the regular ration. The Auditor
makes no allusion to the fact that the
amount purchased was more than the amount
consumed by the volunteer troops. For at
the close Of the war very considerable guam
titles Of thtse provisions were on-hand, and
were sold, and the proceeds Of the sale APP
piled TO the reduction Of the debt, aud that
during the war considerable quantities were
issued TO distressed families 10 save them
from starvation and to friendly Indians.
Considering the prominence given to these
matters in his 6rst report, iI is u little as
-tonishng they were not referred to in this
report, when lis effect would be to show
that the volunteers consumed but little, il
any, more than the army ration. On the
held Il IS well known the army ration is not
sufficient for the regular troops. The vast.
age is always considerable. This wastage
it would be reasonable to anticipate would
be large in both Territories, because the
operations Of the volunteers were carried
on in the drenehing rains of winter, and
their means for storing and keeping sup
plies were very Indifferent. The care taken
Of supplies, and their economical use by
thO fVtNuteefc, 50 Hpp0rent from iheSt
iacts, is certainly q most remarkable vindi
oalion Of the service.
The animals purchased and hired were
less in proportion in Washington than Ore
.gon, growing out Of these "peculiarities ol
the service" that there was a larger pro.
portional water service in Washington, and
that the lines Of operations of the Wash.
ing troops did not average quite the length
Of the lines in Oregon, Of which the Audi
tor Of course was not advised, bat which
the commission perfectly understood. An.
other ''peculiarity" Of those Territories is,
that their steamers are not made exactly
Of the same size and model, and to run at
the same expense, which the following Ian
guage, in page As, shows to have been the
impression Of the Auditor in reference to
the MultHeHlah and Fashion Il could not
see why there should be so much difference
in the charges Of the FashiOH and MultaO-
nah for the same service The commits
sion, however, knew that there was great
disparity in the size and power Of the