Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-01-04

OF the contractors, anu WIN iIau "ilc"uy 'ohS,
engagements with them to large amount, and
who had, as | was informed, and, as believed,
already consented 20 and desired the arrange
mcnt.
If these promises and faithful engagements
had been performed, no difficulty could ever
have resulted from the transaction. IL coulo
not and would not have miSled or deceived any
one. No expectation based on it could by any
possibility have been disappointed. But the
PROMISES made rnc were not kept-were broken
This PAPER was. it seems, placed in the hand:
Of the clerk Of the interior. who had abStractet
4 large amount of securities belonging to the
Indian trust fund. Finding this to be the case
! have not hcsitatcd 10 give an order to canoe,
and aunul ali those acccptanccs. Their per
version has rendered them void and OF no effect
au g%ratiiicd to assert Il confident belle
TINT no ono connected i'll any way, directly, re-
motcly, in any shape Or form, with the duties
of the War Department, ha' any The least con
nectlon with or knowledge of this cmbezzle'
mcr,t. in It's Inception or lis progress.
The issue Of this paper resolves Itself INTO Il
question Of administrative consideration alone,
! think; and 81 regarding it, | will tic pardon
cd for a,lvcrtinS very briefly 10 this aspect o.
the subject. These contractors have, by n Ione
series Of rcars of faithful, honest and most eli
cicnt services, wan the confidence and good
feeling Of all persons having any connection
with the transportation for. the army in the
country living beyond our Western settlements.
They lave never failed in any Of their engage
,u.nis, and had executed many Of them under
circumstances of peculiar embarrassment
They we're men OF very large wealth and most
ex,rlE.re means, and possessed fully the con-
flcncr Of all who knew them. it has become
lattcrlY pretty evident that but small profits,
if any, were likely 10 ir realized from their
operations, and this was pu. into great danger
from The recent rcvcrScs III MONEY atil'rS. Inc
,cvulsionS which recently swept over the cnun'
try have arisen from no rauSc winch business
men could bc fairly called upon.to lake the risk
OF. They have been from political CAUSES. and
not frDal any violated law Of commercial OF
monetary action. Under this evident fact,
was not unwilling 10 afford these employees Of
Government any aSSistancr likely to Save tncm
from serious injury growing ont Of political
disturbances, if that could be done without
running any risk Of loss to Government.
think such Il course can dclugatc nothing lroir
Il sound administrative discretion. although tho
SEQUEL has shown that such confidence has bccr
- l'
misplaced.
. Eut there is another ard higher public con-
Sidcratinn connected with the subject OF con
tracts iur transportation, and one which cannot
he Overlooked with any Just appreciation L"
GOOD administration. Good and thoroughly
responsible contractors for transportation across
eur immense plains are extremely important
persons TO our little army, and difficult 10 ob
49,. ''L.,. -. -, nY1,.r srrpir, lin ~ bpnWI
IN the world. Nowhere else on the globe w0GIt
the idea be entertained OF snbSiSt!ng an AMY
by transporting its supplies overland Il distance
oi = thousand or twelve hundred miles, through
an uninhabitcd wilderness; and yet Il very
large part of our army is furnished and sub
slated by this means. If the present contrac
tors, who have so long and so faithfully per
formed their work. should full or become st
embarrassed as To be unable to do their worA
and supply the army, it would result in TIN
loss TO tho United States Of Il vast sum OF money
probably 4 million dollars. But tho pccu
mary loss would he small in comparison witt
the risk and damage which such a failure wonI'
subject our troops To-, who are stationed III i!''
deserts Of New Mexico and Arizona.
Should any accident bcfall these men, or an!
serious Inconvenience result 10 them from th'
failure of Il regular and certain transmission
Of supplies, it would he difficult 10 estimate
the lust Indignation which would he hrapc,
upon llc head Of the ignorant or d%cllnqucn
officer whose iucilicicncy had allowed 1T
Trains necessary for the lrarsportations, To h'
performed i,y Russell, Majors and NaddeiI
could hot cnst much short Of Il million dollars
and would require months Of Industry and &c
tivity To prepare. 1t would he very clear Il
any one that Il wise forecast demands Of TIN
Government To sustain these contractors bv a.
fair aud legitimate means.
| have now nearly brought my adminiStra
ton OF the war department to a close, and
will be excused for advcrting to 1t briefly
There is not Gnc branch Of Inc military service
which is not in perfect order, rs far 'S my
means are afforded of Knowing, and tlleE ar
very complete. Some have been particularly
encouraged, and | think improved; diSc!pIllt
IS excellent, and the accountability to supcrIo
authority il! every department. could Scarcrf
be cXCpllcd.
Strict economy is enforced, and perfect r,
spunsibiliiy in ali money expenditure Is an
has been successfully carried into elect. Wit
ia fn,m wears. since | have presided III TINS D.
par,Iu,it, not Il dollar, | believe, has been lot
to the government by crnbczzlenlent or thclG
and within that time sixty millions OF dollar
have been discussed. No system Of admins
~tratlo., no line Of policy, think, could reae
better results; no system OF accountability
could hc rIorc perfect. These facts conildcn'
Is assert, and the department is evcrywlie:
full of the proofs Of them. | invite any lnVe'
~ti-atiun which the House may think proper }
institute into any or all Of my official acts.
Vcrr respectfully, your obedicnt servant,
JOHN i. FLOYD,
Secretary Of War.
Mr Eocnck moved that Inc communication
be referred To the select committee apPoiliil
to investigate The matter Of the abSIrartlonl
the Indian trust fund honds.
Mr.. Curtis opposed This course.
Mr.. Eocock said that NJ. Curtis could -
near a.: = witness before that committee, al
briefly cnnlcnici that tic communicated
should take that direction, Is the sccretar.o'
War saws i've has been complicated to some "
tent as Il party TO the question before tic Gill
mittce.
Mr.. CARTS denied that he had offered m
self as a witness, and remarked that the oTc'
,ary of War had made Il contract with MrrS.
Russell, Majors X Co., without ;uth"ri' Oh
Law, TO the prejudice OF other parties
Mr. Grow raised the point that the S'rcta-
ry Of War has ma authority by law I" cn'n'l'
nicatc tn the House at will.
Mr.. Iocock said the question came to Iatr'
When 4 public officer believes himself aISeIy
implicated in IN Improper lranSnct'nr''e mas
Il right to come here and ask MI invGsEatir'.
The Speaker said it did Hot a~ppcato hIm
that, while i, is made the duty Of tho resident
to transmit communications, the ls,a' oi the
Departments could not Il" so.
Mr. Clemens referred 10 the act IScs' 10
show that it is expressly provided TT lie Sc
crclary Of War shall have no rig, To make
communications in regard 10 contrah:
Mr.. Grow did not consider tina law 10 nc
applicable to this cas-. E..
The communication WAS rclcflGtt 10 Inc Sc
lcct committee on the abstraction o:lIc bonds
Mr.. Bingham Of OHIO, introduce u h'II to
further provide for the collection duties on
imports. Referred to the jud:ciy commit
tee.
Mr.. Hooper Ct Utah, l~rcScntc the mrfIic-