Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1872-03-07
The Sale Of Arms Question

The Sale Of Arms Question.
As the Senate ofthe L nited states has been
engaged Tor some two weeks Ia the dis
cussion Of the so-call-d Sumner preamble
and resolution OF investigation. IL {. 40
wonder that the question has become 50
absurd tina, fes people understand the ex-
act ground. OF the conssoyct.y.
The preamble makes four distinct
charges
First. That there was q discrepancy In
the accounts between the reports 81 the
Treasury and the War Department, a. to
the money received. amounting to nearly
TWO millions Of doliAr-.
Second. That arms were sold Ia Viola
ton Of international Law. 10 the French
agents.
Third. Tia; new arm, were sold in yio-
laiion OF statute law.
Fourth. That owing TO The difference ~
the money paid France and the non-. re
ceived 10y the United States. amounting To
ups ard, OF million Of dollar,, there i.
reason TO susp.c, TIA, some ~ our officers
have been guilty OF briher. and corlip-
tion.
That the above IL a correct reproduction
81 the charges eau Ice aSceftained bs a
comparison With .he >smncr preamble
which j. psraphraseh ~, the sake af bFpy-
hy and p.r-picuiIs.
ratse adm Of hus
made on both sides. aud Ne. therefore.
eliminate them from those Ia controversy.
The charge OF ss apparent discrepancy
heiw,et. the account, 81 tile va! and
Treasury Department, has been abandon
ed because It ~as discovered that the A.
'-grd di.creuamc, wa> based upon a mis-
under -taading oi the figures The s.~--
tsry VI War. personally. has also been ex-
ororated from all Intention To violate Law
or 10 eonniye Al corruption.
The facts set forth in the report ot MIR
Dyer. the Chief of Ordinance. are also adj
mitted M follows: That cannon. small
arms. and ammunition have beca sold rom
time to time under a statute passed at the
close OF the war authorizing the war De
partmeni 10 sell old arms or such a. were
po, suitable for the armies or militia OF the
United State. That in October. 1870. and
subsequently,. arms we're cold on giving the
usual notice and tina, they were soid al
unusually high prices. and 10 the adyam-
:age of the government.
la October very large number Of arms
were offered for sale. Squire. the agent
OF Remington. discovered himself a. the
agent {: France when all the bids we're re-
jectt,l. and other proposals invited. About
the 20ih Of October several hundred thou
land muskets were sold: and German
lao use OF New York. believing that IL could
seli these arms to the Prussian Govern
ment. put In bid for 5p.oo9 muskeis The
Prussian Government, having no use for
said arms at that time. refused to buy, and
the German mercantile house sold said
arms 10 one OF the firms that sold those
arms Ia France.
~ To the October sales. IL is admitted
that when a firm discovered itself to be
the agents Of France It's bids were rejected.
and that all the bid we're opened regularly
aud that no distinction was made between
the German house buying on its own re-
spon-ibility. but In the interest ofGermanv.
and the other mercantile establishment.
which would have sold 10 either party tina,
Va ready 10 give them the largest profits.
but which ia point Of fact sold TO the Gov
eminent OF France.
Ii u not claimed that there is neither ii.
legabilry or corruption apparent or sus-
pecteI in this sale. The most that can be
claimed ID that in consideration Of certain
moral obligations OF absolute nutrality. our
government might have better sacrificed
the di6ereuce of priee-seycral hundred
thousand doliars-so ss 10 appear perfectly
impartial. than 10 sell arms In time Of war,
when. in point OF fact. that was the only
time when old arms were saleable. This
question. however. is not one for an inyes-
tigating committee: nor for subordinate
governments 10 decide. II ought 10 be de
cided BY law and the sale Of arms should
W hSS W rtA2oAC bo luot no OHencG
even by implication might lie given here.
after. II is An unquestioaed fact that.
when, in January. 1871. the attention ofthe
President was specially called to the sub
jeci. he ordered the sales Of arms to be
suspended.
Sumner and Schurz. however. claim that
the sale OF forty thousand breech-loadinx
rifles made on or about the 18th Of Deeem-
Der. 1870. were made in violatiea of statute
and International laws. 1, will be observed
Il, at the entire controversy hinges upon
this sale. II is really curious. and one Of
the most remark able instances OF our times,
coDtrpyersy-we might say excitement
1t is in itself very great tribute to the re-
markable ability Of sumner end Sahurz in
special pleading; and another evidence OF
their great anxiety to throw discredit upon
the Administrator.
But their case shall be fairly stated: The
arms sold were bEeach-loadins Springfield
rifles, made after the model Of 1865 They
were sold to Mr.. Richardson. who had
not been previously known to the trade;
and he IL claimed 70 have been the mere
sub agent Of ReminGsoa, tbs suthorized
agent Of France. 1t 10 ciaiused that isas-
much as these arms were new they could
not be sold under the statute: that reasou-
able diligence was ~ employed 70 ascer-
tain whseher RiahArdson was not Remins.