The Mountaineer. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1859-1861, 1861-01-14

Il ItleN tiitNN tltttf AiNtu lNilttSAt t4tStN hno
mot from any violated law of commercial
81 H,eNcsary action, Eudgr this evident
fact. was not unwilling 10 afford these
employees Of government any assistance
I likely 10 save them from serious injury
growing ont pf political Disturbances, il
/ that could BE done without running any
risk of loss 20 government, think such .
I course can dcrogatc nothing from sound
administrative discretion, although the So
tqpri laS shown that such confidence has
beer .fnisplaccd .=.. f, III.
Bnt there IS another end higher public
reconsideration connected with the subject
OE contracts for transportation. and one
which uautlot be overlooked with any Just
appreciation Of good administration,
Good and thoroughly responsible con.
| tractors for transportation ncloss our i'm
lnenSc plaias arc extremely important
Epersons to our titllS army, nhd difficult 10
obtain There Is no otiter service like Il
/ L own in ii, ia e6rld. Nowhere else on
the globe would the idea be entertained
lOf suhststipg on army by transporting lie
supplies overland ii distance OF u thou
sand or twelve hundred miles. through an
Euninhabfted wilderness; aud yet a very
large part Of our army Is furnished and
suhSiSted by this means Ii the present
contractors, who have so long and SO
faithfully performed their work, should
/ fail or become SO embarrassed us 10 be
unable 10 do their work and supply he.
army, il would result in the loss 10 tho
Tnitel Slattsef d vast sum of money
probably 4 million dollars. But the pc.
cnniary loss would lie small IN comparison
with the risk and damage which such
failure woutd subject our troops 10, who
are stationed in the deserts Of New Mexf
co and Afigalia VI 81: +
Should my accident befall these men.
or any serious inconvenience result to
them from the failure Of regular and
certain transmission Of supplies, il would
be difficult to estimate the just iudigaa-
ton Which would be heappd upon the
head Of the Ignorant or delinquent officer
whose iuefiicicncy had allowed it, Trains
necessary for the transportation, To he
performed by Russell, Majors and Wad.
del, could not cost much short Of 4 mil.
lioh dollars, and would require months Of
industry and activity TO prepare. 1t
would be very clear to any one that
wise forecast demands of the government
TO sustain these contractors by I'LL fair
and legitimate means, ...=. = +. f..
] have now nearly brought my admins.
tration Of the war department 10 {. close,
and | will lie excused for adyerting tO il
briefly. There is not ote branch Of tho
military service which Is hot in perfect
order, ns Ear as may n,oa,,s IRE afforded
oil knowing, and they are very complete.
Some have been particularly encouraged,
mud | think improved; discipline is excel.
Lent, and the accountability 10, superior
authority in every department could
scarcely be exceilcd. 7. s. !.
Strict economy is enforced, aud per.
feet responsibility ia OH money expcndi.
ture IS md lms been successfully Carried
into effect. Within four years, since /
have presided IN this department. not
dollar, | believe, has been lost 10 the roy.
eminent by emhczzlcment or theft. and
within that time sixty millions Of dollars
have been disbnrscd, No system of nd.
Imlnlstrlttop, no line OF policy, | think,
icoald reach better results; no system OF
accountability could be more nerfect
These facts confidently assert, and the
department is everywhere Full OF the
proofs OF them. ! invite any inyestiga-
ton which the House may think proper
to institute into any or all Of my official
acts. Very respectfully your obedieni
servant, T.. - =.
~ JOHN b. FLOYD,
-. ~ I'LL. Secretary Of War
Mr.. Bocock moved that the communi
cation be referred TO the select com
mittee appointed to inScstigate the matter
OF the abstraction Of the Indian trust
fund bonds. T.. ':>.:.."@>. -.= : :.
Mr.. Curtis opposed this course.
Mr., Bocock said that Mr.. Curtis could
appear as witness before that commit.
tee, aud briefly contended that the com.
munication should take that direction 4.
the Secretary of War says be has been
complicated to some extent as u party 10
the question before the committee.
Mt. Curtis denied that he had offered
himself as a witness, mud remarked thar
the Secretary of War had made n CON.
tract with MesSrs. Russell, Majors A. Co
without authority OF law, to the prejudice
| OF other parties u. -. ~. :.
Mr. Grow raised the poiut that tho
Secretary Of War has no authority Inv
law to communicate TO the House az will
Mr.. Bocock said the question came too
late. When public officer believes him.