The weekly Butte record., 1862-07-05
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Scenes in Congress---Republican Thieves
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,LEx. CUMMINGS FRAUDS II LINEN rANIALooNss
STRAW HATS AND COFFEE

aLEX- CUMMINGS FRAUDS ~ LINEN rANTALooSS
STRAW HATS AND COFFEE
Mr.. Kelley-In the course Of the gentleman
peech, to which have alluded, Mr.. Cumming
denounced cor his contracts OF linen paDta
oons aud straw hats for cur troops. Yes, sir
le did make purchases Of those articles and
he eallent men who came from distant Maine
md Northern Michigan, leaving the snow IN
Ter their feet and at the doors Of their homes
we're brought suddenly under c summer sun
banked God many time that somebody had
be sagacity to provide them with linen instead
IF heavy w0olens, and a wide brimmed straw
lat TO protect them from the sun while work
ng as laborers in the trenches.
Mr.. Steele, Of New Jersey-The hats and
ineu pantelo0ns purchased by Mr.. Cummings
e now 10 the possession OF the QuaFtermas-
kers. The panfqlo0ns cannot Be used because
hey are not half selred, and the hats are too
mall for anybody
Mr. Kelley-1here is question of veracity
between Us, and will 90 to the Department
with the gentleman to settle il.
Mr. Steele of New jersey am willing
10 assent to that.
Mr.. Washburn-Inquire, also. about the one
hundred aud fifty bags Of coffee purchased by
Mr.. Cummings
NJ htiitN--A BCJtlculau WHO l4u never
been 10 military life was ordered to cooperate
with the officers of the government, and he
bought coffee. He sent to the Capitol for re-
freshments for these men who had left their
luxuriant homes and had come. with muskets
on their shoulders to guard your barricaded
capital.
Mr.. Steele, of New Jersey-WM the gen
tleman yield to me 4 moment?
Mr.. keley-Yes sir.
Mr.. Steele, OF New jersey merely desire
to say to the gentleman from Pennsylvania,
who says that one Of his constituents bad fur
kpished coffee to the regiments which came on
hNe at that time that coffee seat on here By
Alerqnder Cummings as nor IN possession Of
the commiSsary, and had not been distributed at
all for the reason that It leas not fit for dHtri-
button. Laughter
Mr.. Keney-We will settle that question as
we settle the other. | had never heard
question raised about the coffee. | say it was
provided for such a purpose, and am willing
to 20 with the gentleman from New Jersey 10
the source of the truth upon the subject, and
| learn what it is.
Mr.. Steele. cf New Jersey-I had the evi-
dence before me this morning, together with
samples Of the coffee itself
TIMELY DIsCovERY-oNE MILLION THREE HUN
DRED THOUSAND DOLLARS SAVED \ BROTHER
IN-LAw.
Mr.. Dawes-I may be permitted to allude
TO a single contract which was made last Sep
tember-made by the then Secretary of War
| himself. Mr.. Cameron, Its terms not known AZ
[/he Ordnance Bureau until three days before
be resigned. for the purchase of one hundred
and fifty thousand muskets abroad to be In-
spected abroad by man sent out there by the
War Department, and whose expenses were to
be borne by the parties selling the arms, and
under such circumstances that the man who
was sent out by the party who made the con
tract with the Secretary Of War, went out
under an assumed name brotheriulaw of a
of distinguished officer Of a Pennsylvania
railroad Brother-inlawS, | may be permitted
to say, are very fortunate in these times, and
if | ever begin life again | will take TO be
somebody's brotherin-law. Laughter
say may be permitted to refer to such 4 con
tract aud when committee came to Investigate
it, the parties came Straightway here before
commission on ordnance and ordnance stores.
now sitting in this city, and consented to a
settlement Of it upon terms by which one mil
hon three hundred thousand dollars have been
saved to the government IN a single contract.
That contract | say. was made by the then
Secretary of War himself, and, as appears by
the document have before me, its terms were
not known to the Ordnance Bureau until the
10th of January last three days before the
\ Secretary resigned.
y SOLEMN DECLARATION OF SIMON CAMERON
PROVEN FALSE-HE SIGNS \ CoNTEACT TWO
DAYS AFTER REsIGNING.
In connection to this statement send up to
the Clerk the document. and ask him to read
! l.. j
dressed to the Senate Of the United States by
the then Secretary Of War 1t bears date the
18th Of January last. two days after he had
resigned while be was then acting Secretary
af War, and while his nomination as Minister
to Russia was pending in the Senate, and where
it encountered opposition because of certain
statements which | happened to make here
upon this floor upon the day he resigned.
The Clerk read as follows:
In the meantime take occasion TO state
that have, myself not made single contract
for any purpose whatever having always in
terpreted the laws Of Congress as contempla-
ting that the heads OF bureaus. who are expert
enced and able officers Of the regular army,
shall make all contracts fer supplies for the
branches OF the service under their charge
rcSpectveyely.
: So far | have not found any occasion to
interfere with them in the discharge Of this
portion of their responsible duties
| have the honor to be very respectfully,
your obedleut servant
SIMON CAMERON. Secretary OF War.
Hon. H. Hamlin, President ct the Senate of the
United States.
Mr. Dawes-I have stated that in this sol
emn declaration, signed by the Secretary of
War, and addressed to the Senate when his
nomination was pending. and when the aceusa-
ton was made against HIM that he had made
contracts for the purchase of arms, as stated
by me upon this floor, TO the amount OF one
million niuety-siX thousand muSkets. he stated
deliberately that be never made 4 contract,
when the book have before me, which Is Ex-
ecutive Document No. g., containing all the
contracts made for arms by the War Depart
ment. recapituates ana sums up the whole
matter in these words
MaSkets and Rifles,
Contracts by order of the See'y O., War l,S56,9oo
Contracts by Ch;et of Ordnance, 6l&oo
Contracts by order OF Major-Gen. Fremont. 1000
Contracts by order OF Major P Hagner, l.5O0
,-, eo,