Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-03-28
WASHINGTON.
Sumner before French armsCOmnAttee
He Gives His Testimony under Protest
And "InsuIts /" the Committeeman
A Blank Refusal to Answer HamIin.

And "InsuIts " the Committeeman.
A Blank Refusal to Answer Hamlin.
WASHINGTON, March 27-When the
Senate Arms Committee met to-day Mr..
Sumner appeared and protested against the
summons served upon him. He enter
tanned the same views that he did yester-
day on the subject.
Mr.. Sumner took the oath with a pro-
test that the Chairman was disqualified to
act in that capacity. He, however, testi-
fed under protest. he knew nothing of
this question until on the ed or oath ofDec.
A friend in the Senate, not SchurZ, first
mentioned the facts. Afterwards he saw
Schurz who had seen some papers. Mr..
Sumner at Schurz's suggestion saw the
Chairman, from whom be received copies
Of the letters of Remington to Lecesne, and
Of the letters from Secretary of War to the
Secretary Of State. He gave circUmstan-
tial account Of the steps taken by himself
previous to the introduction Of his resolu-
ton.
In response to question he said he re-
ceived numerous confidential communica-
tons on the subject, but declined to give
names. He had handed them over to Mr..
Schurz. Mr.. Sumner declared that he con-
sidered 1t his duty to move for an inVestiga-
ton.
In the course Of his testimony, Senator
Sumner stated that picking up newspaper
one morning found under the Geographic
head dispatch, dated Pasis, in which was
stated that committee of the French Ma
tional Assembly on war contracts had
adopted a resolution, asking the United
States. Government to furnish the result of
an inquiry into the contract of the Ameri-
can officials suspected of participation in the
purchase of arms for the French
Government during the war with
Germany. He understood the tel
egram also appeared in tie
New York papers and other papers and
that it came through the Associated Press.
This telegram seemed to 60 as unquestion-
ably genuine. Added to the letter of
Remington and the dispatch of Squire to
Remington, stating that they had the
Strongest Influence.
working for them, made it still more incum-
bent on him to institute inquiry. 1t was
under these circumstances that he brought
buC bGIICNl DCAOlC bAAO AOCLehOCs
Mr.. Sumner, in reply to a question as to
how Chambrun obtained copies Of these
letters, said he thought Chambrun told him
they were handed him by Bellonet, the
French Charge d'Affaires, and that Bellonet
didn't consider the letter of the Secretary
of War as confidential.
Mr. Sumner further said that he was at
home under medical treatment the day this
committee was appointed. If he had been
in the Senate he should have felt it his duty
to oppose the formation of the committee
and hold it up as fragrant violation of
law.
After further questioning Mr.. Carpenter
objected to Mr.. Summers protests going on
the record as they assailed the committee.
Mr.. Hamlin regarded them as
Absolutely Insulting
to the committee; and then asked Mr.. Sum-
ner whether Chambrun had furnished him
with the names Of witnesses.
Mr.. Sumner replied he had not, nor had
he furnished to him his sources of informa-
ton. he thought, however, that he had
mentioned one name,
Gen. Ingalls,.
Mr.. Schurz asked: Would you consider
it Legitimate to derive information on mat
tiers Of public business from any agent of a
foreign government?
Mr.. Sumner-Not in the least. l should
fail in my duty as a Senator if didn't OBJ
tain information from all sources within
my reach.
Mr.. Hamlin-Would you deem it the
duty OF patriotic Senator to inquire of
foreign legation as to questions tending to
put his government in the wrong with
who have made no complaint?
Mr.. Sumner-That is an abstract ques-
ton, but Oh this point | am obliged to say
that no such question here arose.
Mr.. Hamlin-Answer my question.
Mr.. SUMNER answer in my own way.
Mr.. Hamlin-I put general question.
Mr.. Sumner consider it question not
applicable to this case.
Mr.. Schurz then pct question to Mr..
Summer, when
Mr.. Hamlin said, want an answer to my
question first, to which
Mr.. Sumner responded, l regard it as an
abstract question, not involved in this in
QuirY. l decline to answer it.
Mr.. Schurz then repeated his question
somewhat in this form: In the case before
the government about the Venezuelan
claims where charges were made against
the commissioners of improper awards and
it was being investigated by Congress,
would you consider it proper in order to
ascertain the fact as to the conduct of the
American Commissioners for a Senator to
obtain any information on that subject
from the Venezuelan legation?
Mr.. Summer-he should deem it to be his
duty to obtain information, no matter from
l., l. &c Init
this inquiry he considered that our neutra-
lity had been violated, while it was his
judgment that no complaint would come
from Germany.
Mr.. Hamlin said others might have their
judgment.
Carpenter-If you had heard rum
ors of conduct on the part of our Govern
ment affecting Great Britain which she did
not see fit to make a subject of complaint
and you had come in possession of facts
from the British Legation to show that our
was in the wrong, would you
feel il to be your duty to enter the Senate
and spread them before the world?
Mr.. Sumner replied-That is an abstract
question. A Senator must be governed by
his sense of duty. If he sees the character
of the Government suffering, and its Off
GERS falling under suspicion of establishing
a dangerous precedent, he must prevent the
precedent from being established.
Mr.. Schurz asked Mr.. Sumner whether
he knew when the vain facts of the case, so
far as the international question was con-
cerned, were first spread broadcast over the
World2 Was it not on the trial Of Place?
Mr.. Sumner in response exhibited an &C
count of the trial as it appeared in Paris
journal. The letter Remington sent to
Lecesne was fled in open court. The doc
uments were fled Jan. 10.
In response to a question by Mr.. Carpen-
ter, Mr.. Sumner said be received copy of
Beiknap's letter to Secretary Fish, from M.
Dechambrun, and he understood he Cham
brun) had received a copy Of Remington's
letter from place.
Summer then retired.
Mr.. Carpenter renewed his motion TO re-
turn the protests to Mr.. Sumner, but on
motion of Mr.. Stevenson the motion was
postponed until there should be full COM
mittee, and the committee adjourned until
tomorrow.
A Tool of the National Banks ?
Considerable interest prevails in Treasury
circles as TO the ultimate result of the in
vestigation into the official conduct Of the