Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-09-19


which vas 10 be sent to Canada, has
dWindled down 10 :, 400, q very reasonable
and innocent number. We may therefore
dlsmiss our fears Of an invadi ng aeet
across Lake Erie.
ICommunieafion TO the Cincinnati CoAhmereial /
A Rui Explanatian Of QnarteEmaHter Gem
Ems. Coz Some Of The less oonseien.
tious members Of the press have ,s' On IL.
liberal freedom with the letter OF Qgarler-
mastar 9eneral Wood; addressed in Febru
airy last to A. Hitchcock, dealer in arms
In New York, whose correspondence has
recently bsen seizsd and published.
Il is implied that the phraseOlogy Of this
letter indicates that General Wood Was as.
sooiaied with Hitchcock in supplying arms
10 the rebels, most unjust imputation
upon most indefatigRble and worthy pub.
lie servant a.s
The facts Of the case are simply these:
A joint resolution Of the General Assem-
bly,, passed I7th April, 1857, authorized
the Executive to collect the public arms
Throughout the State, not in the hands Of
regularly organized volunteer companies,
to cause she same to be sold in the counties
where found, or to be transported to the
State Arsenal, and after defreying eZpen.
ses, 10 pay the balance arising from the
sales into the State Treasury.
General Wood, then Engineer in Chief,
vas appointed the agent Of the Executive,
and in q special message to the Lsgisla-
ture, made April, 1859, Govern or Chase
highly oommends the faithful execution Of
The work entrusted to his agent. Accom-
panying the message were elaborste tabu-
lar statements, prepared by GeD. Wood,
showing the number Of arms in each Brig
sde, the number collected, shipped, and
sold q specific statement Of sales, and
smoanis received, Of expenses incurred,
&C. The general result exhibits saving
to the State Of about twenty four thousand
dollars, in valuable arms and proceeds Of
sales, q which, says the Governor, would
have been almost if not wholly lost had
the collections not been made, or longer
postponedH The nett cash proceeds Of
Bales certified 10 at the State Treasury
were disbursed, under an act Of the General
Assembly, in the purchase Of q site and in
the constructions Of a building for q State
Arsenal an Institution which has been
found Of great service in the present tur.
bulent times. sLdl
Subsequent annual reports by the Quar-
termaster General, exhibit further sales
and appropriations OF proceeds 70 the
same purpose, and the Adjutant Generals
report Of last year refers in the highest
terms Of commendalion 70 General Woods
unFemitting labors to subserve the mill.
tsry interests Of the Commonwealth.
Ehe sales Of the [" old traps" 10 Hitch
cock who vas general agent for manu-
facturers Of arms, we're made under these
circumstances: The arms sold were such
IS hsd been superseded in style BY those
gilmore recent fabrication, and were use
less FOR issue to the militia, and The pro-
ceeas Of the sales appropriated to building
the much needed Arsenal, and the pur-
chase Of better equipments for our citizen
soldieFy.
The State Of Ohio has rore recently pur-
chased aims and equipments from Hitch
cock, and even now isindebted to him sew
efal thousahd dollars. As q general dealer
he bought and sold throughout the Union,
snd, as recent developments have exposed,
was no doubt engaged in supplying the
uacsEsitie7 nf the NON FebelliEuE States
As early as January last neweVer, Gene
raj Wood declined selling him any more
arms or equipments.
Il Is doing great injustice to this oiheeE
10 surmise that he was cogniz ant Of Hitch
cocks reasonable projects There is not
the slightest evidence upon which TO found
such suspicion. eatt
General " ood has been called upon by
the press to publicly answer its defama-
ton. This he will not do except when, as
faithful servant Of The State, he renders
sn account Of mis- stewardship 10 his super
ior officer. BE has the full confidence Of
those who know him beat, and can afford
TO bide his time
This statement is made by one whose po-
sition gives him an intimate acquaintance
Of the facts, and without The Generals
knowledge. t is prompted solely By 9
sense Of justice towards citizen who has
done more than any other man in the State
TO prepare il for the present military emer
genoy. Il is hoped the same motives will
prompt the press to give the sane pnblici
to this refutation Rs it has to the calnmny
coLUxsus, o., Sept. IS, 1851. "a J,