The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-03-29
WASHINGTON.
THE DEMOCRACY BEwILDFRED.

Hotel, Washington, last evening The session
was held from eight in the evening till mid
night. Belmont stated to them at the opening
that the object of the meeting was discussion
of opinion as to the course to be pursued in the
present emergency. Messrs. Casserly, Frank
Blair, Stockton, Bayard, and others discussed
the expediency of holding Democratic Ma
| tional Convention. No action was taken and
the meeting was informal.
The feeling displayed was Enthusiastically op-
posed to calling National Convention or indi-
eating any positive policy until after the Gin
cinnati Convention. The necessity of coalition
| with dlsaffected Republicans was admitted but
| 1t was held that there must be no suppression
| OF Democratic principles or disruption of the
Democratic party The coalition if made must
be with the party lines intact. 1t was agreed
to advise all democrats to withhold participa-
ton i'll the Cincinnati Convention.
Judge Davis Senator Trumbull, Charles
Francis Adams, Gratz Brown and Gen. Logan
were all canvassed as to their availability as
Presidential candidates, but the general i'm
| preston was in favor of an entirely new candi-
date.
THE MARQUIS oE CHAMBRUN BEFORE THE
FRENCH ARMS COMMITTEE.
WASHINGTON, March 2S-The MARQUIS of
| Chambrun was examined to-day before the
| Senate Arms Committee 1t appeared from his
| testimony that he was not connected with the
French Legation in any diplomatic capacity, but
acts as the counsel and is also engaged in pros
account OF the transactions of Mr. Place in
New York who had been advised by him at the
instance OF the French Legation, not to buy
any arms but keep. quiet After Place was
trled IN France and acquitted he wrote to the
Marquis showing the worthlessness of the tes-
timony against him, inclosing a copy of the
letter of Remington to LIE Cesne. Chambrun
owing to a press of business, had this letter in
his possession six weeks before he read it care
fully. Chambrun had declined to be attorney
for Place, but wished to procure such informa-
ton at the Department as would tend to leave
the case on its merits.
The Marquis detailed the circumstances of
his interview with the Secretary of War;
Chambrun said he never belonged to any Sc
cret service nor he either French embassy or
spy as has been charged in the Senate. If
the party who made the charge were here he
would answer him. On January 18th 1870 he
received a note from Mr.. Place stating that an
individual well acquainted with the arsenals of
the United States informed him that the in
voice OF artillery made at that time by Remipg-
ton was exceedingly bad and quality inferior.
Meantime information came to the legation of
such nature as to arrest his attention, and he
said to Senator Paterson, chairman of the Com
mittee on Retrenchment, that he had received
adyices, some of them of a vague character,
connecting not high officers, but other officers
of the government, with improper transactions
there was some discrepancy between the War
and Treasury accounts and asked MIR. Paterson
whether he, as chairman of that Committee,
would not see the records and explain to him
how the records stood. -f
The French government bad suffered a loss
of 81, SOC, 900 in the purchase of arms.
Meantime the Marquis read an article in the
N. Y. Sun, relative to Consul General Place, in
which there was part of the truth and some
mistakes. He learned that Chas. A. Dana
prepared statement to the effect that ring
had been formed in the United States for sell
ing arms to the French government, composed
- he. l.
Chambiteau, and outside parties, some Ameri-
can officials being part of it and cooperating
together Belmont consulted him as to wheth-
er the Consul Gen. should sue the Sun for libel,
when Chambrln advised against the action and
gave his views upon the subject. Chambrun
afterwards saw Dana who gave him the name
of John Hoey as being connected with the mat
ter.
All that the Marquis knew was that Hoey
lived at Long Branch. He never thought of
OF making inquiry concerning him.
Senator Hamln said he received q telegram
from Hoey yesterday, in which he says that he
noticed that his name had been connected with
the sale of arms to the French, but he never
had anything to do in that connection. Mr..
Hamlin said Hoey had been summoned before
the Committee on the ground that the Marquis
had given Hoeys name to Senator Patterson.
Mr. Chambrun remarked that he did men
ton Hoeys name to the Senator Patterson, but
remarked that the name had been mentioned
to him in connection with the transactions about
which he knew nothing at his interview with
the Secretary of War. The Secretary said il
anything was wrong he desired Chambrun to
prefer charges in writing When the MARQUIS
said he could not do SO, not being an American
citizen, but he would help him make an inves-
tigation to find out the truth regarding fraudu-
lent transactions in the sale of arms The
Secretary did not appear exceedingly struck
with his argument, but said: "If you prefer
charges, L will make short work with those fell
lows" .r=.-.l .,...,..
The Marquis repeated that he could not make
such charges for reason given, adding ''the
government of France has no desire to inter-
fere with the case at all"
The Marquis was not pleased with the result
of his interview.
AMERICAN AND BRITISH CLAIMS COMMISSION.
On the 18th lust. which was the last day upon
which the claims could be filed before the
British and American Claims Commission un-
less by permission in each case for cause shown,
avery large number of memorials were pre-
!. scented. -Four hundred and twenty-one British
claims were filed up to that date and at the ses-
sion to-day, fifteen additional claims were fled
1t is thought the number, including all claims
on both sides will amount to about 500 The
American claims number Is only. There were
no decisions made to-day and the Commission
adjourned until the Sd of April
Since the Commission was organized eleven
cases have been finally disposed of, out of which
only one was favorable to the claimant, that
being the first case on the docket.
THE SIGNAL SERVICE.
The House Committee on Appropriations
heard arguments this morning on the question
! in dispute between the Western Union Tele-
graph Company and the government in regard
to the compensation to be paid for transmitting
weather reports of the Signal Bureau.
THE NAVY INVESTIGATION.
| There was full attendance of members OF
the Navy Investigating Committee tonight.
Secretary Robson stated he had determined
not to employ counsel, but would be present at
| all meetings, except when prevented by pres
sure of official duty to hear the proceeding and
| give and give any information desired by the
| committee.
The Secretary than read paper in which he
said charges had been made against him in the
| New York Sun, mpeaching his integrity as
| Secretary of the Navy.
These charges were repeated from day to day
in various forms alleging fraud and robberes
of the most fragrant character and of enormous
amounts. He insisted that the accusation
should assume some definite shape before the
committee and that his accusers who had not
scrupled to produce them before the public
should be first called upon to make them good
or abjure them under oath. If the publisher
should establish the definite charges he made,
1t would hardly be necessary for the COMMITTEE
to go farther, but if he refuse or fail to sustain
them by oath and witnesses, he would stand
before the committee convicted and wanton
llbeller. 1t would then be for the committee to
| uoteIHliIle 10 Wnat extent lie Woul0 De eiltIuop
ed with the management of the case. When
the accusser shall fail to sustain the charges,
then he (Robeson) would feel that his personal
honor was indicated and then the inquiry into
the Navy Department could be proceeded with.
In making his request, he felt he was not ask
ing more than was allowed under the law, and
therefore he wished to be informed of the
character OF the accusation and confronted with
his accusser, who should make good his charges
or expose his falsehood
| nj RartIptf al f>r IT.. rarlty
to query by Mr.. Archer what charges he in
tented to take up, said he would rather wait
before answering to know what the committee
had determined.
Secretary Robson said he had copies of the
papers in the Tennessee contract case,--iron
for torpedo boats, the Corlss case, &C. .s-
Mr.. Bartlett said that one of the papers call.
ed for was not here, namely, receipt of $115,-
900 awarded under the act of Congress, July
30th, 1868, to Secor & Co.
Secretary Robson said that there was no such
receipt in the Navy Department Secretary
Robeson asked that specific charges be first
| made and that the editor of tho Sun mt On thf