New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-04-27
TIE CHARGES AGAINST TIE FRENCH
CONSUL.
HIS REPLY-A MILD DENIAL OF HEARTLESs
ISLANDER.

ISLANDER.
NJ. Victor Place, the French Consul at this
port who was accused by NewYork journal Of having
defrauded the French Government in the purchase of
war materials and provisions, has addressed to the
Courier des Flats Uns the following reply to the charges
NEw-YoRK, April "a, 1871
hfessrs en- LAssAILE & Co.: read in the Courier des
Flats Unis this morning. the reproduction or rather the
translation OF an article published yesterday by sheet
scandal Being responsible for my official acts only TO
my Government, would have disdained to reply to
this article but that IT reiteraes many material al
legged facts which contrary 10 the TRUTH that Is
impossible for me not to reply to some OF them Az inc
shall occupy the Consular position s still IN suspense,
hut the emOumeDts which attach to IL are entirely at the
disposal OF the French Government, ana nave never
As regards the furnishing Of arms and munitions Of
my action has been so circumscrlbed that IL Woud
be very difficult for TO realize the profits which mas
were concluded directly Tours between the French
Government and the American contractors. MY uuty
has been simply 10 superntend the carrying out OF he
contracts that is TO saw to press forward the shipment
OF the materials TO certify To the quantities ana not inc
qualities OF the transmitted and TO pay the COM
missions on them Many propositions to purchase arms
and munitions Of were made TO me by French ana
instructions by which bound and it is in the disap
pointment Of these firms that the true explanation to
be the viruen attacks OF which have been the
am not therefore, responsible for the prices at which
the $4,000 not 10000 Springfield rifles were negotiated
for; and If any desires TO know how 1t happened
that afterward having negotiated for $1,000 others at $
$40 80 for them the Committee of Armaments In
France, TO the firm OF Remington. that the inquiry
ought TO be addressed 1t Is the French Minister or
War who must be consulted 10 the contracts for the
various materials, regarding the negotiations for
In the matter OF the salt beef, where everything has
the appearance Of being perfectly correct the purchases
werc IL Is true begun by but they were brought 10
termination by the French Legation at Washington
and had not the dispensing Of single cent In the
AS to my extraditlon, undertake to attend to that
matter myself. No one here IL Ignorant OF the iearu
afor GNNhipl
render stay In this city utterly Impossible stay
only until my two remaining children are nt or ,e Wy
continuation OF the inquiry, winch nave nrgea into
all the transactions done by me IN the united o'es vi
Behold how moderate is my reply OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES inc
with hate and envy to such an extent that its author
to by his excess TO have gone beyond the end
sired that the author OF the attack refer the
real authOrhad the courage to make known ms person
atty rely sufficiently on the honor OF the American
press 10 hope that those journals which have reproduced
The Suns article, will also publish my reply Receive
ConsulGeneral of France at New-York.
NJ. PLACE NOT REMOVED.
WASHINGTON, April 26-To ascertain the
truth or falsity Of the published disclosures about NJ
Victor Place your correspondent to-day called At the the
talk with French Charge dAfaires, obtained per
consSaiTeV that the Whole story as published
Nep York sur is sensational and untrue, ana based s
ceived instructions from the French Government 10 pur
chase in the United states no tntsc
orders as allowing him certain per cent commission
for making the purchase. He bought large Quantities OF
arms amounting many millions OF dollars, and In his
accounts against the French Government he allowed
himself the commission To which he considered himself
the Government declined 20 allow this commission. and
notified NJ Place that he had misunderstood, OF rather
msconstrued, the purport of MS Instructions NJ Place
maintained that he properly entitled 10 the amount
Of commission which he had charged up IN his account
The French Government however insisted tnat ne had
taken a wrong view TO his rights under the orders
sent and requested NJ Place to return TO France ana 10
expan more full and satisfactorily than he had done by
letter ,, a, =.
amount which he claimed he entitled to the COM
mission subject the order of the French Minister or
Foreign Affairs, and would ere this, have sailed Tor
France compliance with the request made but Tor MS
health His children and himself have not as alleged,
refused TO return. -.
M place was not removed recalled from his position
"a Consul at NewYork, OF even ordered 20 re-
turn to France but merely requested 10 come nome
and explain being understood that his absence was 10
he only temporary. The French Consul at Charleston
was ordered to New-York acting ConsulGeneral. TO
remain during absence Of NJ Place and was not In
structed alleged TO replace NJ Place but was only
sent TO NewYork temporarily In accordance with the
saws very positively that. far known NJ. Place has
frauds and he Is not suspected OF having
done so The point OF the matter this that he claims
that under certain orders he is entitled TO commission
on his purchases while the French Government take an
opposite view OF the All money in dispute has
been placed in bank TO remain until the matter Is nnay
ed of