New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-12-20
PURCHASES FOR THE ARMY.
TIE VAN WYCz INTERROGATION
AGENCY oE ALEXANDER CUIH1Eea
EAls Tcstiricny-I.is, Manner OF Eo'Hs
business, nDt Lis Confidence I'm Men,
Especially ship-ovrcrs % have IrnH'-
pOr.s for snie. and aR1r4w&ic BAen WAC
Zeal ia Provisions.

To illustrate the Importance OF elcu w the Pu'
case Of these supplies, ss well as the prudence OF
ony employing toe responsible agents Of Govern
p1eut in tie cxecui u Of public trusts, Instead OF
irresponei, e Temporary agents, through w6omnsys-
ten Of f.voriiism conld be consutDma'ed, the Conn
uittee call tie especial attention of tie Hons TO
the purchase Of supplies by A!exsrder CunuingF,
in the City Of New ork, under the CnecI0h % Tie
Secretary Of Wsr. Tie purchase # thcse supPhe-,
without advertising for competition, was Clearly
in.tifaSle But Ito f5ilJe 10 employ IN this 1nri-
ness an experienced public oiEces iaIEis just
ground Of public compl.
| Tie purchsses were made on The srur o. pres
ing essity. nsing about tie @lst Al Afiii
bat Il that time ere were n tie CITY Of New =,
al to head OF Qtartermasier and IomiHASd'y
ter ftus,s -ertenrr iar Win every wan Of TIE army
fsui liar wi,h the Newfo rk make's ard ,e'ng eys1Y
Eto the As,rant Col'ui, aly General ct Nrw York AID
lo IomrAis k,si-iant Quartz isstrO'nera Il. ne
= turit "a tie II :egsr'y, ibteg 3, laioNsin
Tie lesiiuste dutr. of esch Of these esL' em.H nave
pour to Il. a aad Of a, t ar.d
ieuoe sd SO lAras the tomu'o Il inio 'nrd N"'..
ntn.York have L,sn f.iiy ,hle tty eueeei'y
o. W. ~. i o. s p Or fe A' sa.s9 - In f. Pen i
Tor ,h Ia. eighteen month. The isler ofa ne" pap"
allied The polL. d. few-fogA ely, rccsled t. ieef'
from tDe ton ii Cameron Secretary " War the one.
spYarehtiy private Letter, i'as follows; roc,
DEAR Sir: You win receive snoLer letter hoa me tAi'
Ss .hsIl need supplies 10 very lage here
from. N.wi since nc iarTra %" TO pa cl-'" ." "
NOE Ihey III, arA, much " ''en Ia'r 70 co". VS.
Ea.'on heading. Fsitus AID tho res ~ 'e' "" Ma
psis have called GA Th"le' a. -o'i 10 'aAr g. are - '-5
qusrsTusse, n pushing forward tsir sppp~. % vel 90 10
aiding th-l ug p.lc1isrs a. OF from yea >orA
uetd m~u here without delay, az ~ he. scu'd &C.
c mpao, then if possible. sl3.Oh CAS.G.oH.
1hs OLAF no- official sn.r su'i th.t tho war Depart
needed m interSeus effs'isleeo I'D 'r.fs.he aso
10 ssss be pus1i.s ~sId tfo.ia So .ntl." a. ..s
IsL-.nIn go cshn'c ions ~ 30 I.i IS 1"
49,. Win ths Wv IaiI thss Ia GouIi uIa Win
nj ,rar /, h M a. rad con- aoes iof thn .ccOnurds
al oi ts troop. iat hey rsdy 70 mrfeh 10 'n'r
dee sou, aid also 20 rstit tAtm Ia aAn6 t"c .'' =
Len cr arrangements srd 10 Commute T. a. the "a is
moment any in.v,Haln oil ,eice 10 this D'Isrutni'
s-. al f.l ~ v 40 diI uol req.i ~. sfvcus Va his ie
Ini,nt and tie Zth Of Aph Gen Wool IN 81 o aef
tlsvsnIer Cuuu.iue' IN c-rfsr With coL TOnrsin. ard
Mrj.r Ist1u, who viii ave suca 'nsti.i a. =. ~
q Vs. Il. iii confer 'i' tue linton p.f.s g %
Mite. Vii employ riT tUHininls III ~" F@@ 80"
n 49, di.,largc VI TIC d.te' a. -cA'sd ~ 1A' 's'e W.
h en- b., the Secretary Il War to hsve been
awre 81 Nj Cuuiuihg,. pecusr fines o % iuPofia't
dpy tie pur.neo supplies wien sfe4i nn'n =. rhpr
~ics aia isu sy Sisb o., New foiN m-Is.t and . y
tfi-s grurra woe tndisf % ah but % liz ec-4hg
e.J de 80 81 A t~o daysaef Csf'ui' !t''in'''
t. c. op rae ri the oicr OF tie uoveia- he sece'
tap OF Va issued The ioiio~ils odsri -, >, ,.c,
4, Of fl~ er.T-srCrs gecf Ntrh De
immediate end deceive u,.sie' or me PI''rfsoh Of
te ~ 2l ,apsl sn9 .n9 srss ~ As uiin1 ~ ~.
state OF Ncv ois. d AsIsufrr tuninif... DO" an tie
cry of New.lo, q ~. 81 trees'ar ~ senel' Tor Ne
tni osiion ofroops aud a'rriionto ~ ~' ~ Ad al 80
al. nee tie 90 % l- sry 81 ne Ont"d s~f urt
icsou BY isi and ts'ssfaSh o. g u ~ Va
hsh-d ts~scn the c.it, 81 Ns.ii s''n .hl 80" roc.
InLsr Of trrl in Of naby % ovnsu, "ih lie oL.
nay e1e'e'o tie 'Si5s ',;g} ESS Secretary Of Wal,
And on the Stu Of May Governor S!ofs' tsutd ls ioow'
/ H. order: A,.,.v rsv4 Iri.
Du"s ., the e'9i' rr"ven'inr Te..ei e1' -. o. ne
siihn conferred oPou ui., d-rfne nv ' there
Of 10 G.oso M.gta AFl 20 llal bsrg tLen b. tco'
rfsPh, hr't a.pri'ed Of ,hi' appointment - .,,po,v
George D. Horg,n ~, ssil,s al bu. Gov
81 s.n is.iding In No" foit ~ Gov Morgan 're.s 20
suoyc,t 20 be- trsr,'srn q hsue Lnder tbs a.thyry
Ge6.se D. Morgan purchased articles to the ,sii- o on
tsseh.r. by tamniss; and h.rr George D. No rl. o. a.
,'iors hi. oder terminated sd Cummings alter ths
txeicifed alone the power ,onirfIed
In con.rri.n with he spponin Of Morgan and Cum
EiBss n'.. these fuichase the s,c-rians II Ma and o.
psced IN he Of Gen Dix Nj Ofdy M aiatb.
io.d Of N-w.fofs t2F.h THIS lsr.e san 81 money
SUBJECT 20 the oIe 81 'oIs'H sha .1n.ins' %
.iiter OF ,hcn. lsee pesr 81 he''S' DiH ota5IT ana
Hstchford dsinEile q ren. Of New ron ana on
lar sh while iIsse - 900 ae apparently par nnaer
tie these vel Known e'it .nd iadred iri un'
der the euod OF the United S,tes Subtle II New
ryan ard CUMMINGS. either OF them ~ the Seosa
O. dow did the second cite, aael Don To-. ora,
A. reuclater u, Il ave Governor Moran
.nd ny ,sli suhoy dreety to oct simultaneously h
that 'a'h@n'y there ~ fini peed Ia the hands OF Dir
ogishs. e,agal pit and Dr.. sl.e.iord
A. FIgfp the Wa Depaumsnt,
& Mia, we've yoa ssa Coz. Morgan authorized to do,
siboii4d Us 10 upon The Ca Is ia those sensle-
O. Iy whom wss the fund placed 10 those gentlemen.
A BY the Secretary Of the Treasury aud b! the Secretary
Of War jointly hint.
Q. Ba' # pl.eeaa ,here subject 70 your orlsrl
SuJeo 60 oint ofd e. The odef OF either ~ us
think ri her Of aab, rled to act 10 the absence of
So dos: Mes.r. biz, opdyhe end Blaehford were
nf.s holding fund. .uj tie order Of Alexander
Gun ng- IL ilat tumDing' say. al the tonuit
Dix Opdyke and Bisicbsod) nade purchase chartered
vessels Ac the OF JWJi yet he cay that sysa
where they purchases he bod to maAe feeu oHs oil
them for the money TO pay wi h.-tpage SHl.
Within day. after Cummings was inse. ed with this
authority BE- drss from de C.n g''es through the suo
which, IS Cummings lns srIlied to pay fo' the por'
chsies made BY the Conniee elE sr by Nh 1lnchiod,
crt the Pork Bank NewYork City aud Va
evidence a he made purchases for tho Goyornent to
81. Cummings employed a cl.'k. Mr. James tIumph ey
and exhibited 10 th-t = most Other snsae, eonhdnB
disposition hardly consistent with thorough busnt
aged Ia public duty lie eses in reference to his CLERK
q. Had you any other cI,ik than james Hunrhreyi
o. Is he resident Of this city'
A. Not now bat bs YVES Ia. 70 then.
.. Where did you hBi hint
A. lie va. recommended TO me.
q. By whom'
q. 10 you know what bis position previous to that
tluei
A ! think he recommended to me by Mr. Thurlow
Weed. bat am not snrs.
Q. DO you what his pre,iou, business wssi
A. douoL
q. Do you know where Le had been Ia busineai
A do not know whs' her e was he q or in Albany
o Did ascertain whether he had been In busines here
or in Albany
A. No. Sir
DID You. before employed him. ascertain anything
A. Zee. Sir; remember that Mr.. Weed told me h.
know oil about him, and upon lila recommendation took
hin.
n,