, 1862-01-06

Ed1Iofs ChlcaSo IT1bune:
Enclosed I send you copy Of letter ad-
dressed 10 the editor Of the Alton Telegraph,
together with letters from Generals Grant and
MeCleznand, which would respectfully ask
you to publish as an answer to certain inju
Tious imputations cast upon my character and
o1licial action, in a communication by an
anonymous correspondent Of the Telegraph,
and copied into your paper Of the 3lst ult.,
under the head Of *' More ofthe Cairo Frauds ~
The statement Of the miller who furnished a
portion Of the flour used by Lazare, which is
also furnished, is important, as showing the
quality Of the bread furnished By him. In
orGcr to furnish good bread to the soldiers, I
found it necessary to make d new contract, and
thus displacc Jew aUho claims that he osees no
allegiance to the United States and believe that
have thus not only ministercd to the health
and well being Of tile soldiers, but also have
saved to. the Government some fifty dollars
daily.
I cannot doubt that you will do rue the JUS
ticc to publish Ill these documents and thus
enable tie public to judgcWhetler I have been
justly assailed or not.
f143 StHl'N%a1AH1 Sou1 OpA 6Iif
". w LELAND, Capt. and Com Subs.
C0xH1ssARAT DEPARTMENT,
CAIRO, Jan. LIST, 1852.
Lawson A. Parks. Esq, Editor Alton Telegraph
DEAR SIR: My attention has been called to
an article in the CHICAGO TRIBUNE Of Decenl.
5cr 31st, credited to your paper, and purport-
ii:y to be from Jour correspondent at this
place, As tue communication docs me great
i,,iY,r- fri,, ,rnu11 ..usranffut1,.
mand OF you tue name Of the author, as wish
to hold him personally responsible for The
statements therein made
Very respectfully your obd't scrv't,
W. W LELAND, Capt. and e. s.
LETTER FROM GEN. GRANT.
HEAD QUARTERS. DEPARTMENT OF CA1Eo,
CAIRO, Jan. 1st, 1862.
Capt. n. ". Leland a. c. s., Cairo, Illinois:
SIR: In reply to your statements Of this
morning Tclaiyc to IN attack made in the
Alton 1t'tyTcph, rejecting upon the honesty
and integrity of the Conalnissary Of this place,
particularly in the letting Of bread contract,
/ feel it but justice to you, and take great
pleasure in making full statement Of facts.
The same charges were made to me that arc
n,,w repeated in the Telegraph. I felt it my
duty to hare the matter investigated, which
investigation entirely exoneratcs you Of the
Charge made, and conyicts the author, which
without statement from any one to support
it, Of base ca1umny. This man Lazare, whe1
he supposed that no one but himself could fur
1,ish bread, told INC that 1T ~ cents, he was
losing money every day-that 5 ccnts WAS a.
little as be could furnish it ut.
Knowing thai such . price would be re
| 4:rded rs eSorbitant and feeling, rs Mr.. La
:sarc did, that no one but himself could furnisl
it, I tried to prevail upon him to take the con
tract at =: =: cents. His reply WIS that his cx
l'tnsc was great. Water had to be haulct
iron, the river, -four from the wharf-boat
10 lie prepared for the contingency Of IN in
crease Of the number Of troops.
As an inducemcnt, then, told Mr.. LaZar1
| tl::.t if he would continue to furnish bread 4
-: cents, would require the public teams t
| do all his hauling at this place, and possibl.
| the authorities at st. Louis would allow Gov
| cr1lulcnt boats, when they Werc coming her
without full cargo, to put some -four on 70
| lin, free
| Upon these terms he agreed to continue
About this time you made a contract at 2 s.
cents, the contractor to do all his hauling
ifelghting, aud cycrsthing, FREE Of expense .
| lal'or- OF tliis contract was not advised IN
Ill ii was completed. This was probably IL.
worst feature in the whole Transaction
Since This matter WIS stirred up, complaint
have come 10 me from all quarters whcr
bread has been furnished by Mr. Lazarc, stat
inw that The bread Las been bad contiuuous1,
and sometimes short in weight
Samples have been sent to my office w1ic
'scrc totally unfit for ISSUE, and if fir san
pies, as they we're represented to be, hay
no hesitation III saying that the bread fuz1lisl
cd has been fruitful source Of sickness
tllie command
These eolnpluints were never officially mad
| to me; but l now learn were madc to loc,
commanders frequently, and that the gricyant
! has been Of long standing.
| The investigation have caused entirely e
| onerates you from The charges, and, as bcfo
stated. Traces the authorship back to Laz:arc Z
jlis wife,) man who represented to II
| that at p. cents per pound he was losing Ill
| ncy every day, and that at * cents he lnu
lave other benefits worth, to him, several de
lars per day. Yours, &c,
[Signcd] U. s. GRANT,
BriCadier Gcueral COMMANDING,