The Portland daily press., 1872-03-21
Washington Matters.
TESTIMONY OF COL. SQUIRE.

The testimony of Colonel w. c. Squire be-
fore the Senate French Arms Committee, Tues
day morning, was more important and inter-
esting than any which has yet been developed
IN the investigation. Concerning his telegraph
ic despatch of October, Z, 1870, to Mr.. Samuel
Remington, in which he said eve have the
strongest influence working for u.s. Colonel
Squire said that the expression was general,
and that the only person referred to was Colon
ell Kilburn Knox, connected with the house of
Schuyler, Hartley & Graham, an old and per-
sonal friend of Secretary Belknap, and whom
he requested to urge upon the Secretary an
early and prompt sale of the fifty thousand
arms then offered. This influence which Col
onel Knox was expected to exert was merely
that of acquaintance and friendship, and Col
onel Squire stated that he knew of no officer
outside Of the ordnance department who had
any connection whatever with the sale of ord
nance stores or to whom he had spoken upon
the subject He also testified that Remington
at first received five per cent. ON all his pur-
chases for the the French government, but
subsequently voluntarily reduced that amount
one-half. Concerning the despatch quoted by
Mr. Sumner in his preamble, that the French
committee on war contracts had asked to be in
formed of the result of the inquiries by this gov
eminent, and which has since been repeatedly
denied, Colonel Squire stated that upon the day
Place, the late French consul, received his SEN
tence in Paris, La France, newspaper of that
city; published statement that cable des-
patch had just been received from America an
nouncing that the President of the United
States had sent message to Congress request
ing that an investigation be made into all sales
of arms and ordnance stores. This despatch
was supposed to have been manufactured for
the purpose of influencing the sentence of NJ
Place. Two recent letters from Mr. Samuel
Remington to Colonel Squire were presented to
the committee, in one of which Mr.. Remington
writes from Paris, February 28:-
have seen MILeehesne to-day. He does
not know how how it is My letter to you or
your telegram to me has come into Sumner
hands. l have your telegram and he has my
letter, and he does not know that it has been
copied.
saw the duke [presdent of the committee
on war contractsl with NJ Moreau yesterday
He, as well as others whom [ have met, de-
nounce the acts of Bellonet and Chambrun, and
it is not believed by them that they had any
Duke says that no resolution from his commit
tee has been sent asking the government of the
United States to give such information as Sum-
ners resolution states. What their motives are
would be hard to divine.
BILL TO CITIZENIzE INDIANS.
Representative Taffee of Nebraska will soon
introduce bill declaring all Indians now with
in the domain of the United States, citizens
antit1ad N tho ar,la ,ip MD ip;n tho
same obligations under the laws as any others.
Mr. Taffee says he regards this as the only
means of securing to the Indians what the
whole race are willing to allow them and their
only salvation from early and entire extinction.
JUDGE DAVIS
1t is said that Judge Davis expresses the hope
that if he is to be nominated for the President
cy by the Cincinnati convention, Joel Parker
may be nominated for the Vice-Presidency
Judge Davis has been in constant consultation
with leading Democrats, and has yet to hear of
one who will not support him if he receives the
nomination from the Cincinnati convention
Judge Davis declares that the letter printed as
his acceptance of the Labor Reform nomination
is forgery. He says bad letter has killed
many good man.
MAINE CLAIMS.
Mr. Foster of Ohio, from the Committee on
Claims, reported bill to pay Joseph Wescott
of Portland, Me-, the sum of 81, 1926 for gran
furnished in 1860, for the navy yard at Norfolk
and which has since been used in the construc
ton of buildings and sea wall.
Mr. Frye, from the Committee on Claims, re-
ported bill to pay B. G. Bailey of Bath, Me-,
the sum of 81, 1868. "a from damages resulting
directly from the seizura of q CHI, o,,a o,ro =;