Santa Fe gazette. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1859-1864, 1862-08-02

In the Senate, llth June, the following pro.
Ceedings took place.
"0n motion Of Mr. Clark, the bill for tho relief
of j +. Simmons was taken up,
"Ihe bill provides an appropriation of $4,000
76 for wrongful seizure ofthe schooner Charity
Passed"
The schooner Charity, it will be remembered
was fitted out by the Senator from Rhode Island
and sent 10 North Carolina with q cargo Of uick
nacks, to profit by the prospective opening Of the
ports in that State, but was Immediately seized
on her arrival by the United States authorities
there, on account ofaleged rreguIar,ty in her pa
pers. Congress is now asked to pay $4,000 and
seventy six cents for damages thus inflicted,
will ii be belieyed that at the very time this
claim was urged upon the attention Of Congress,
the Senator was deeply concerned in gun con.
tract contrary to the express stipulations Of the
laws Of the United States? Ia truth, among the
frauds which have been exposed from time to
time in the conduct of the war, nothing has raus.
pred more thoroughly disgraceiu than that relat,
ing to Senator Simmons, as disclosed in report
from Hon, Joseph Holt aud Robert Dale Owen,
now transmitted to Congress in answer to reso.
luton of that body, adopted on the 2lst inst
1t appears that y. D. Schubarth, gun manu-.
facturer at Providence, obtained contract for
$4,000 Springfield riaed muskets, through tho in.
terpOsiti0n Of Mr.. Simmons, and that the latter
was to receive therefor commission of Eve per
cent. /. O., $4,000 Mr.. Schubarth made the
following statement, under OATH
II came to Washington and got my order
through tho Introduction of the Senator from
Rhode Island Senator Simmons had patent
breech loader of my own, and came to Washing.
ton to get an order for IT, but was told that there
was no time for trials, but that Springfield arms
were wanting, and could get an orer for them.
| proposed making the breech loaders myself in
Providence but upon getting the order Tor mus
kets, found | had not time enough to do all the
work under one roof, and determined to branch
out. Nothing was said eitheI by myself Or the
Assistant Secretary Of War, whom saw as to the
manner of making them. 10 raise funds took
lnto partnership Mr.. Ryder and Me-, Griffin, Of
Brooklyn; besides this, promised o commission
Of five per cent, to the Senator spoke of-Sena.
tor Simmons, of Rhode lsland-fCr his services in
obtaining the order for me. gave him no writ.
ten promise; but when took Ryder and Griffin
into partnership with me mentioned ii to them,
and think the articles Of partnership refer to it.
| have not concealed the matter although | have
not conversed about it generally but recolect
mentioning II to some persons. | believe, also,
that it was referred TO by me IN hitter, or in
conversational am not sure which--with Mr..
Norris, Of Springfield. have since spoken with
Senator Simmons many times, as We always talk
when we meet about how am getting along IN
business but no particular reference has been
made to this commission. %
d offered Mr.. Simmons the commission because
heard that it was generally understood that
commission was paid for obtaining contracts, !
do not recollect any particular case; but think
that Amos D. Smith, the firm Of Amos d. 4 j.
Y, smith, Of Providence, with whom first ex-
pected TO 30 on in executing the contract told me
that it was customary before came to Washing.
ton. They afterwards declined to join in as they
thought the terms were too stringent They ad-
vised me to get an increase Of number then
came on here and saw Senator Simmons who
went with me to the Assistant Secretary of War,
and the order for increase to 10000 was given,
upon representing to him that the prior number
Of 10000 was not sufficient to repay for the in.
yestment required to make the arms in the time
specified Iconsder myself bouod to give Sena-
tor Simmons FIVE per cent, commission on both
orders, and think be considers me bound to keep
my promise. He has said, in several converse.
tons, what produced this impression on me; say.
log, for example, on one occasion, when talking Of
rich mon in Providence, Il shall bel rich man
When ! got that commission" Or II ever get that