, 1862-05-14

find that in round numbers ordered nearly q, |
million Of muskets, almost 1900 caIbtnes,
and perhaps as many swords. When took
Possession Of TIE: War DepaEtnent, I found
na1s, no swords Of any account, and scarcely
a1J munitions Of FaE. Within o short time
after the proclamation, it became apparent
that there was great difficulty ia procuring
arms. found the Ordnance Department
without head-:the person having charge
those In whom / had confidence, including
Gen. Scott, to be incompetent fer the duties
Of the position. I superseded him, and put
in his place one who was believed to be fully
competent, but who soon proved, in the opin-
IGn Of ssoeaae to bs un92q to The s eF
anJ contract myself Is had no time for such
details, and therefore directed Mr. Thon--
as a. Scott, my assistant, to a:I Ii
conjunction with Col Ripley, aud that
he should See that every contract Wis SO
guarded that, in case Of failure at the end Of
thirty dayE, the contract should be revoked,
leaving to Col. Ripley to determine the quality
and price Of the arms 10 be contracted for. At
this time Governors Of States, officers wanting
arms, Cabinet Ministers. and members Of Con
arms, charging the Ordnance Department
With inef6ciency, stating that if consent were
given they could be procured; and therefore
olrectfo hfr. Scott to act in conjunction with
Col Ripley and to contract with every man
who Was willing to make musket or furnish
sword, and from WHOM, the other necessary
munitions Of war could be obtained-at thc
same time instrueting him to see that the
Chief Of the Ordnance Department should fix
the price and determine the character Of the
arn's. The allegation has been repeatsdly it
Grated that In3de these contracts with an eye
preVen, gentlemen, that the furthest limit OF
evcn my official action in the matter was sim
PLY to order the making Of such contracts ss
were necessary, leaving all that regarded price
or quality in the hands of the Ordnance De-
partment; aud to this day scarcely know
any Of the individuals with whom contracts
The special contract exciting public atten-
tion Was made with party By the name OF
Boxer. On the 9th Of September, under cover
from the President, I received t note, which I
row rtad:
'r#AsnrscroE, Sept. 4, 1851,
II Hon Simon Cuuaeron, Secretary of TTar.
SIR: Our resident partner in Europe a3rises
Us by LAST steamer OF a lot Of upward Of i00GG0
Stand OF arns-1ihed, percussion muskets-ne*,
control by making advances thereof.
I'VE desire to o1fer them to your Department,
10 r M to Ct eqolv
lstgc quantity OF good arms, We would inTite
yonr attention the7eto.
ne offer the arms Mt price no, exceeding $i8
each, subject to the inspection and spprovnl Of
III atmo1er whom you shall select to acc3n-
pany our authorized agent. II the article is not
satisfactory. the Government will incur no ez-
pence. and il approved, yuu Will secure article
much needed.
ave also control. by advances thereon, 1s,ooo
cavalry saheEs which we offer as above at q price
not to exceed $7.N apiece.
Very re peczfally, yonr ohd't serv'ts.
HERMAN BOXER = Co., No % CnfI-st.. II. +.
han; 5o Mzos Of 15cse' solingeEs RenEehefd, Bhmng
This was at the time when the Queen's pro-
clamation had prohibited, among other things,
the exportation of arms to the United States.
You remember, gentlemen, we sent Al agent
(Mr. Schuyler Of New York; out 10 Belgium
to pzocnre azn5 for our Government. He
succeeded in purchasing 100, 600 guns there,
sent portion to England, where (the proc
lamation to which just referred being soon
after issued) he was prevented from transport
ing or using the arms in any manner. In this
extremity. Of the large army Of soldiers in
ard about Washington not two hundred thou
sand Of them were armed. Upon the letter
have Just read was the Endorsement OF the
President, In his own hand writing, in these
words:
II approve the carrying this through carefully.
cautiously and ezpedi'iously. Avoid conflicts .nd
interference A. IrECoLS.n
the literal meaning Of the Endorsement Was
that the world should not know Of our MILL
tary deficiency and weakness until the evil had
been remtdicd, and tnat care and caution were
to be uaed as heretofore III keeping inYiolate
the secret OF our defeat Fully coincidin5 with
the President, and in obedience to his order,
promptly directed this contract to be closed :;
and l ASSURE you, gentlemen, without the arms
it produced, NC should not hayc becu able to
achieve the Late glorious victories in the West.
l may add, in proof Of the great anxiety OF
all to obtain arms, that but q very few days
before I left the War Department, the Cabi-
net agreed to adopt Conditional contract
made By Mr. Schuyler for 100, QUO guns in Bsl.
; GUM, which successfully opposed, on this
ground that NC had guns enough contracted
: for, and with tue eacouragement which had
! been afforded to our own manufacturers, the
supply would probably be sufficient for our
+; future wants. By this means s., 500, 600 have
been retained in the country to be expended
in those localities from which our soldiers
/; have volunteered, aud this occurred after all
! those contracts had been completed Of which
, SO much complaint is now nude.
! The Investigating Committee Of Congress
have said that the r1uskets made at the spring.
| field arnlory cost only SI2 apiece. That ~
| sertion, ike many Others that have been made
+! in connection with supplies for the army, IL
+! Dot the fact. Without taking into considera,
ton the expensc Of superintcndencc, the cost
! Of buildings, machinery or capital invested
The mere net cost of the gun for labor Il I'd 1na.
! terial whtn there is no competition in time oI
peace, has amounted to S1260. But had those
guns purchased on my order proved to bs
twice moro expensive than tleY actu Ally were
! then, in view Of the fact that the army was
! l:rlciical1y peeless without them, I ould have
| done exactly as did with the beef contract to
| Which other gentlemen have seen lit to refer;
i When we expected large arrivals of soldieri
! fF.I1p Pennsylvania and other States, and thers
| vas nothing to feed them with, the Actiug
! CommiEsaIy General can1o to me and said, s"
! can now buy {, 0O0 beeyes 1t pay 2 or coptf
/ pound more than they should De WORTH
Well,' replied, "pay it [applausel, paJ
/ dollar per pound rlther. than soldier shou1:
+; suHtr, but be guarded thst your contrac
/ grasses when supply can be had at the custo
| mary price (which WAS done. He made
/ contract for two thousand beeves, aud th'
whole world ring with the announcement tbs
! THE Secretary of War bad cheated the Govern
i nent in order to enrich some faYorite, and "a
| TIE contract was made with my personal ene
| miles, 30, again, I 1was censured At the timeo
! the battle Of Bull Run for not having suf6cien
; cavalry In the field. Yet could nOs speak il
| ny own defense, for tho safety Of the Govern
mint compelled mo to secresy. Plenty o
| horsemen offered their services, but had n
t pistols, swords, or carbiucs, to give them an
| did rot want the world to know that such VA
our condition. My function was to raise 81
army. Of the largest kind In the shortest posi-
bic time. and to supply them with whateve
ncedfn1 material could first lay hands upon
As Boon as I could obtain pistols, carbinea
swords, and holsters, had cavalry enough
Eut then the cry VAS g lie las got too many.
! Dfcourse, then again I WAS chedtang the Eouern
rneut, By giving my friends all the horse cor
tracts [Lsughter.1 We'll, Mr. Mayor, til
horses have been in the setvice, and the cour
try las been saved Those who then cried IN
more hofEes," to-day can see advertisement
for the purchase OF an Increased number an
to-day saw also published advertisement
asking for proposals to furnish more n1usket:
Had the material resources Of the Govern
meut been, in any manner, commensurate
ternlinxted ere this. So far as concerns MI
self, would rather have had million of gnu
too many than that single soldier in any
our battles should have been sacrificed Fl
the want of wespon- suppose that had
been the willing tool of every 1naa who waute
to rob the Government. aud if in place Of a
tending to lny duties, had been content t
receive men at my house and treat them to tt
hospitalities Of my social and political pos
tion, or allowed them to control me IN Il
dlscharge Of my duties, those men who no
attempt to s1andcr nc would still be mo-
prnfusc In compliment and profession. No,
than this, had I remained in tts War Dep1r
: ! ment until this vote came of, should doub
: / less haVe received the compliment paid to u
late and esteemed colleague, Mr.. NeIe
Il [IauEhter.1 He WIS charged with having il
! properly employed q man 70 purchase ship
| get the House Of Representatives Totea doH
reaolution to ceusure him by about the sau
! vote that they censurcd mo for having securs
the services Of an employee: NJ. Welles o
: timed the assistance referred to long after Il
| excitement and confusion attending the coz
| lnencenent OF the rebellion had ceased / d
: SO at q time when the country was alnlost
tally hereft Of q Government. and when VIC d
| not know whom to trust.