, 1870-04-24
The EAc&R In tho Cnxc of the Great
Hcef Contract.

Kark 7ttasn, in The Nay Galary.
In as fow words AZ possible j wiAh to lay be-
fore the nation what share, boHsoerer small,
have had III this mattcr-this matter which
has 70 exercised the public mind, engenacred
40 much Ill feeling, and 10 filled the newspa-
pera OF both continents With distorted state
ments and e2ttsvagant comments.
The origin OF tllis dstrensful thing WAS this
and assert here that oserr fact in tho fol-
lowing resume can be amply proved by the OIL
cial records Of the Central Government;
John Wilson Mackenzie, Of Rotterdam,
Chemung County, New jersey, deceased,
contracted with the General Government, on
or about the 10th day Of October, 1861,
70 furnish to General Sherman the sum total
Of thirty barrels Of beef. Very well. He
started after Sherman with the beef, bnt
when he got to Washington. sharsnsn had
gone to Mansssas; no he took the beef and
followed him to Nashville, to Chattanooga,
and from Chattanooga to Atlanta--but he
never could osertake him. At Atlanta he took
fresh start knd followed bin, clear through
again by few days, bat hearing that sherman
was going ont in the Quaker City excursion 10
the Holy Land, he took shipping for Beirut,
calculating to head on the other vessel. When
he arrived in JeTnealem with his beef, be
learped that Sherman had not sailed in the
Quaker City, but had gone to the rlains to
fight the 1niianB. He returned to Amorica
and started for the Rocky Mountains. After
eighteen days Of anluoua trayel On the Plains,
and whcn he had got within fonr miles Of
Sherman's headquarters, be was tomahawked
and seafped. and tho lndians got the beef.
They got an Of it but one barrel. SheTmans
army captured that, and SO. even in death, the
bold navigator partly fn}hllbd hia contract. In
lis will, which ho had kept ike 3 journal. be
be1ueAthed the contract to his SOB DaItbolo-
new n. bartholomew ". made ont the fol-
lowing bill and then died:
THE tSr1Ep STATES
n ufs. Nth 5oHs WILSON MAcEKS-iE,
al New Jersey, deceased, Or
To thirty .,aE7es Of beef for General saer- ~,
TO travelling expenses and transportation 1s,,oo
Tota, .... tl7,ooo
Reed Part
&c died then: but hs left the contract to
VIM. J. Martin. who tried to collect it, but died
before he cot through He loft it to Earker
]. Allen, and lie trted to collect it Also Ha
did not survive. Barker J. Allen left it to An
son g. Rogers, who attempted to collect it,
office, when Death, tho great Levolle1. came
all unaummoned, sud foreclosed on him also.
He left tho bill to relative Of his in Connect
cut, Vengeance Hopkins BY name, who lasted
four Weeks and two dsya, and tnAde the best
time on record. coming within one Of reaching
The Twelfth Auditor. In his will he gave the
| contract bill to his uncle, By the name Of
O-be joyful johnson. It VIA too undernin-
ing for joyful His last wotds were: Weep
not for mel am willing to 60" And 30 be
| conirsct after that But they III died. So il
| came into mv bands 1t last. It fell to me by
| rr1Asive hy the name Of Hubbard-Bethle-
/ hem Hubbard, Of Indiana He hAd =
| t1udgc against nc for long ius; bnt in his
! list moments he sent for nc, ard fo1sase NC
| everything, and, weeping, gave me the beef
contract.
1Is ends the history Of it up 70 the tius
| that succeeded to The property will now
endeAror to set myself straight before, the
| in the matter. ! took this beef contract, and
the bill for mileage and transportation, to the
J President Of tho United States. He eaid.
"Wen, Sir, what cau do fo1 yon7" sAd !:
Sire: On Or about the 10th day Of 0ctober,
1861. John Wilson Mackenzie, Of Rotterdam.
| tracted NTH the General Government to fur
] u1dh to General Sherman the SUN total Of
thirtv barrels OF bect-''
He stopped NE there, and dismissed me
from his preeence-kindly, but firmly. The
next d.s called on the Secretary Of State.
He said:
"Well, ais?~
said: "Yon1 noga1 Highness: On or about
the 10th day Of October, 1851, John Wilson
Mackenzie, OF Rotterdam, Chenung County,
Sew 5erteE, DECEASED, contracted with the
General Government to furnish to General
i
l beef
THAT viii do, sir-that viii do; this Office
has nothing to do with contracts for becs."
| Iwas bowed ont. / thought The matter al
the Secretary Of tbs NAvss; who said "Speak
quickly, sir; do not keep mo waiting. said :
| " Your Royal Highness: On or shout the
10Th day Of October, 1861, John Wilson MAG
| kenzie, Of Rotterdam, Chenauug County, Nov
Jerse., deceased, eontz.ctsd with Tie Genera J
Government to furnish 70 General Sherman the
sum total Of thirty barrels Of beef
YELL, il VIE ~ far zs I could get. he bud
nothing to do With beef contracts Tor Gcaet1
SHERMAN, either. began to think it WIS !
curious kind Of = government II IookeS
| somewhat - il they wanted to get out o.
rayiue far that beet. The following day
went 10 the sec1etar! Of the interior. said
| ''Youz Imperial H,shnesa: On or Asous thE
| 10Th Of October"
t1Ilat il sufficient, Air- have hoard Of !os
\ befoYc, Go-take your snfAuons beef eon
tract out OF this establishment. The 1ntez1o
Department fas nothing whatever to do viii
Subsistence for tho army.
Iwent AWAY. But was e1Asperatsd now
| aid would haunt thcm: would mics
every department Of this iniqaitoua govern
ment TIL that contract business was sstsled;
| would collect th&t bill, or faN - fel my pre-
deceAsosa. trying. I 1asailed tho Postnaste'
GonerA1; boaieged the Agricultural Dspatt
1nent; xAvlaia tda 9poAhax cf tho House o
Representatives Thay had nothing 10 dt
With army contrasts for beef. moved rpo1
the Commissioner Of The Patent Odcs-