New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-05-13
WASHINGTON.
THE FRENCH ARMS INVESTIGATION
REPORT OF SENATOR STEVENSON.

a., - ,ho I,,oh arms Committee The subject matter
OF investigation divides itself naturally INTO 'nc 'oiio"'
iVg inquiries: -. ou,..
,,,,,. an The Government sell during the fsca, year
r-,,- Irre 80 ISM 10 whom soldf at what prices
md what disposition has been made OF the proceeds OF
sssd salesf ,-,..
',g laws Of the United States and were their require
,nents complied wiihf
M We-e AIMS sold by the Government in such guam
,es as to irpase tie defensive capacity of the country
in case OF Wart
~ Was the order OF the Secretary of War upon the
18th Of October $780, that arms ordnance stores
should lee sold by Government OF the United States
during the FrenchGerman war; to either Dehgereh' I'D
that country CO rriod out in good fathi
v Was there any corruption malfeasance on the
part of any official empoye OF the Government in the
sale OF arms or other munitions Of wari
VI Has any Senator other American citizen been
IN communication couson for Illicit purposes, with
the authorities Of any foreign power or
with any agent officer thereof, touching the subject
matter of this Investigations
Senator stevenson says that the testimony shows
that balance of S2l9634 AZ alleged TO have been
speI by the War Department preparing the and
stores for sale. and the incurred in making the
salcs has paid into the Treasury The items
Of these expenditures have not been given.
IN regard 10 the second subject OF inqury-the lc-
gaty of the saesthe minority calls attention TO the
language OF the acts OF 81 MdfcD, 1870, anu IOt Juy,
s6s first of these acts requires that an inspection
or survey OF the stores sold should he made The latter
law repeal the first hut adds to it requirements
advertising, &c, before private sales arc made
Mr. Stevenson continues that 1t does not appear that
any inspection Of the damaged or unsuitable arms was
made and that therefore the law Of 1875 was violated
The testimony shows that the War Department pnt the
following construction upon the statute OF 1885,
a. That the advertisement Of small quantity OF arms
or OF any kind authorized the sale OF
any quantity Of the kind which the Government
might thereafter have to sell.
b. That formal offer at public sale after 80 days
notice Of each lot sold not necessary.
e. That II superior model OF carbine or musket had
been invented partially introduced, all other models
however good might be sold damaged or otherwise
unsuitable" &C.. no matter how small tue quantity or
model might he at the time in the pos
session of the Government
Tie testimony shows that Gen SchOfled first placed
the above construction the law Of 1868 that be conf
inundated verbally 10 the Ordinance Bureau. and that
IL has adopted by the present Secretary OF war,
the opinion OF the Judge Acknowledgement rem
dered 1863, and also given in the testimony, warrants
no such construction. Tie debates in the Senate aud
House Representatives also quoted to show that,
when the law Of 1868 passed, tho general under
standing Congress the meaning of this act was
not in accordance with that of the War Department.
Again many Of the breechloaders sold of the
caber [5 while others of the old calber $50 still
In the ion OF the Government, and 1921 Spring
ne,d muzze-oadors still in the hands Of the militia.
Mr. Stevenson concludes, therefore, that the sale of
breech-oaders was wholly without warrant OF law so
long as left in the L. s Arsenas in the
hands Of the militia arms inferior TO those sold.
the third topic of inquiry the minority reports that
prudence aud policy alike dictated that the larger
supply of bre5choadeTs deemed 10y Gen. Dyer in his an
nual report Tor 1870 100000 the number he thought
ought have) absolutely to he kept in
nrsenas should not have been diminished though,
load nudp
mi yht supply place the defensive capacity Of
the country might he reduced. and the Government
forced I'm case OF sudden war, to look to foreign
tet for the purchase of arms.
In regard TO the strict observance Of the order Of the
Secretary Of War of Oct 49, 1870 the report continues
THE undersigned is of opinion that If the Secretary
OF his duty prohibit the sale of
90 known agent Of beligerent his sub-agonts for
purpose OF securing the observance Of the neutral
obligations United States, he should have consd
cred equally his dIy rescind sale Of made
such agent the latter discovered to be
SUCH prevent the delivery Of the to be sod
The testimony shows that such action TAKEN hut
that sold the 18th and 18th of October 1870
all delivered for two months after their destination
was discovered.
"The undersigned therefore not escape the concu
sion that the order of the Secretary of War in this
case hagrany and with open eyes violated Ivy the Ord
nance Bureau the sanction OF the War Department
this is not the only in which the order Of The
Secretary Of War failed to be observed. After his dis
eOvery Col Squire, the known agent Of Remington,
procured the intercessiOn Of other persons middle
10 effect the purchase of arms from the Govern
Of the United States. Two OF these austin Bald
win & Co., and Thomas Richardson) might, If strict
vigilance had been exercised, have been properly sus
pected Of being in business connection with Remington"
Senator Stevenson also makes out pretty strong
against Gen. Dyer In connection with the sale OF breech
leaders Thomas Richardson. He shows from the
timOny that Gen. Dyer and Samuel Remington in
Eew-York at the time this sale and the Frank
ford Arsenal ordered to fabrcate the cartridges and
while Col Crspn testified that they in cOmmuni-
with each other at his Office. The day after
that Dyer telegraphed conditions the Of the
sale 70 Col Bene for the secrearys approval and
the necessary orders and Remington TO lie Cesne
that he had made the purchase, while Richardson
membered nothing OF the details OF the transaction in
which lie allowed his 10 be used The ground for
suspicion is very strong that Dyer personally arranged
this sale with Remington nearly two months after the
Secretary order
The history OF the exchange OF Calling guns reviewed
ut length with the following result:
THE conclusion is inevitable that there was an under
standing between Remington and somebody connected
with the Ordnance Bureau In regard to the exchange of
guns for without this neither the matter Of the
deposit TO pay for the carages the delivery
the gun carriages could have been effected in the abb
sence Of instructions and advice Of any kind from Gen.
Franklin. In no other way the testimony DO har-
nOnzed Franklin testified that he thought at the time
that the Chief OF Ordnance knew ell about who was the
purchaser Of these guns, and where they gOing
The minority calls attention to the fact that the defect
the 1000 navy rifles sold POultney Trimbe of
Baltimore, and by them to Remington was brought to
the attention Of the Navy Department by Remington
himself and that, having convinced the Department
they Imperfect he bought them himself al
advanced price that the and ordnance stores