Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1861-02-27

tary of War, which is of interest, and viii
throw light upon the conduct Of Gov.
Floyd's proceedings and assurances in re-
gard to the acceptances. Mr.. Irving still
further testified to the receipt of other
letters by the War Department since the
papers furnished to the committee by that
Department were transmitted, of a char
acter similar to Mr. Barnes. This branch
of the enquiry is evidently prolific; and
could be pursued to a great length, if Ne
cessity required or time would permit
| Russel's testimony as to the million Of
dollars worth of acceptances issued by
Secretary Floyd, is next commented on.
PECULIAR RECORDS OF THE WAR DEPART
By reference to the testimony Of Mr..
Irwin, clerk in the War Department, it
will be seen that he kept registry of the
acceptances on loose pieces of paper, only
as they were reported to him from time to
time and no other was made He states,
to, that there was no registration ofS799,-
600 Of conditional acceptances which fell
into Mr. Bailey's hands; and that inme-
diately after the discovery Of the abstrac-
ton of the bonds, Governor Floyd went to
his office and directed him Mr. Irwin to
enter an order of cancellation of those ac-
ceptances, which he did upon slip of pa
per as he had entered the dates and amounts
of others that had been issued. The ac-
ceptances being in the hands of the Hon.
Jacob Thompson, having been placed there
by Mr.. Bailey, in lieu of the abstracted
bonds, an order of cancellation, at such
time, was simply an order against the
Government. Had the acceptances been
held by other pGrties, the order would have
been equally turtle; for if legally issued,
it could not inYalidate them.
PAYMENTS TO RUSSELL, MAJORS AND wAD-
DELL
1t also appears from the records of the
War Department, that while these accept
ances were being issued, to the amount of
millions of dollars, Russell. Majors, and
Waddell were regularly receiving their pay
for the services performed under their con-
tract, in money, from the Government
The aggregate amount of the payments
made to them, in cash, during the years
1853, 1859, and 1860, is s4,S42,964,4l,
and large portion of this sum was paid
by the proper officer at Leayenworth City,
Kansas. Governor Floyd admitted in his
evidence that every acceptance which he
made "ran against unearned money" and
was designed to give them (the eontrac-
tors 1.-THE credit of their contract" Yet
there has not been discovered the slightest
indication that he made an enquiry about
the payment, or concerned himself to see
that they were, when made, applied to the
aeceptanees.
IMPORTANT TESTIMONY OF SENATOR BEyJA-
MIN-BUCHAXAN NOTIFIED OF GOVERNOR
FLOYD's SYSTEM, OF ISSUING ACCEPT
ANCEs.
Mr. Benjamin, who promptly appeared
at the request of the Committee, and tes-
titled with eommendable and courteous
frankness, states, that during the first ses-
sion of the present Congress, some twelve
or eighteen months ago, he was written to
by the attorney of Duncan, Sherman &
Co., of New York, and his opinion reques-
ted as to the legality of acceptanccs issued
by Governor Floyd, to Russell, Majors &
Waddell 1t was mentioned in that letter
that these "drafts,' as they were then
called, were offered for negotiation with
the assurance that they we're issued with
the appreciation of the President and At
torncy-General. Mr. Benjamin visited the
President, and submitted the inquiry to
him. The President replied that he knew
nothing about the matter, that they had
been issued without any knowledge of his.
that he did not know by virtue of what
law they were issued, but that he (Mr.
Benjamin) might rely, if Governor Floyd
had issued them, he had issued them prop
erlv. and that he had better apply to him
Governor Floyd to ascertain by virtue of
what law he was acting
GoREINOR FLOYD REFLECTS.
Mr.. BENJAMIN visited Governor Floyd,
and expOstulated with him about this swim
die. Two days afterwards Mr.. Benjamin
received note from him informing him
that he was obliged for the frank state
ment he had made to him, and that upon
reflection he had determined he would ac-
cept no more.
The report closes by showing that Gov.
Floyd, even after Mr.. Benjamin's expostu-
lation and his own reflection" continued
to issue acceptanoes. Whether this mani
fest contempt of eOunseis, disObedience of