Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-02-16
EVENING STAR.
CONGRESSIONAL.
CcNTINUED DEBATE ON Tue SALE OF ARMS 10


rench government, said that when the war
broke out between France and Prussia the De-
IaTtment refused to sell arms to either bellig,-
rent, OF to the known agents of either. OF
course. they continued TO sell to our own eiti-
ZenS, and 10 was not in their power to prevent
these aims from being resOld to one or the other
IellgeTent. He claimed that there was not the
slightest particle of evidence 10 show that our
authorities were cognizant that any of the arms
sold were destined tor French use. This part of
the charge being disposed of, he would proceed
TO the second charge made BY the Senator, Mr..
Sumner. j intimating that all the money recei we'd
on account of these arms had not been paid into
the Treasury. He then read from the report of
the chief of ordnance of the sales of arms, and
Claimed that the discrepancies alleged by Mr..
Sumner did not exist. In reference TO the init
nation that certain sales OF arms had not been
included in the report of the chief of ordnance,
and to support which Mr.. Sumner had II ad from
an Associated Press dispatch, which convened
the impression that such sales had been mads
Mr.. II. explained and produced the record of
the War Department in proof that the supposed
sales were never made, but that the bids were
elected. He then
ALLUDED TO THE FRAUDS
which the French government suspected had
been Pracuced upon it by the parties from whom
u purchased the arms, and of the inquiry insti-
tuted into the matter by hat goyernme nt But
be asked what right or what authority had
France TO believe that this government was in
vestigating a subject with which it had nothing
to do. Who communicated any such informa-
ton to France? Who are the parties on this
side who knew 80 much? and hat was the OBJ
rect inducing the muulcatOn OF such INTEL
Egence 10 France? In reference 10 Remng-
tons letter, in which he speaks of dealing with
1.-THE government" what was more natural tn An
that be should use such expressions? He natu-
rally desired TO magnify himself in the eyes of
the French government; wanted to make ire
mendous man of himself. How did this letter
come into the possession of the Senator? Rem
Ington certainly never furnished it, conse-
quently il must have
CONE PROM THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT.
Then IN the preamble of the resolution of the
H. Suxx Il lxsN, g..
tary OF War. The Secretary of War saws in this
letter that he has no knowledge Of any of the
influences OF which Remington speaks. But
who obtained this letter of the Secretary of
War. He says he furnished no copy of this
letter TO any one. The Secretary of State saws
he furnished no copy TO any enc, but did fur
hlsn copy 10 the French Legation. Conse-
quently the Senator Mr.. SumnerI obtained the
letter from the French Legation. He put him
self in communication with the representatives
OF foreign government, and gets information
from them on which to found charges against
an ofhcer OF his own government. The Senator
also parades here the French record of the
amounts paid for arms purchased i'm this coun-
Try, and compares II with the amount stated to
have been received on the same account NV
the War Department. He says this record and
comparison are made by an expert, but he
REFU sEs TO GIVE THE NAME
OF that expert. He makes charges, and refuses
TO give his authority.
Mr. Sumner held mp newspaper and said
here was his authority; il was "A statement i'm
the OfiiCia journal of France.
Mr.: Edmunds asked to examine the paper,
and, holding it up, said: 'Why, this paper is the
Mr.. COnkling. 1t shines for all
the French official journal.
MI Harlan SO the Senator comes into the
Senate OF the United States and makes grave
charges against high officers of the government
Lased ON |
MERE NEWSPAPER STATEMENTS.
He would leave il to the Judgment of the amar-
lean people 10 decide as to the propriety of this
action. He would vote for this resolution strip
led of its insinuations and its false alleuations
and be would vote for il because if the inyesti
cation was refused, he knew that il would he |
made the basis for the most dishonest assaults |
and inSinuations-
Mr.. Frelinghuysen said this was a most re-
Resolution. The American Senate |
as asked 10 prosecute Its own government and |
mainly on anonymous accusations
Mr.. SChurZ said the temper OF the Senate
seemed TO have changed very much since YES
terdsy. Then every one was willing and anxious /
Tor an investigation; now il is not thought to be
,nch proper thing. The Senator from Massa- |
;husetts, whom he( Mr.. s. had always thought 10
be good American, was charged with being an
agent OF the French government, with coming |.
N here to engineer
PUT Up JOB OF THE FRENCH LEGATION
be Senator from Iowa Mr.. HarIan) intimates
his. and the Senator from New JERSEY mfr |
FIelinghuysen) cODjures up the fearful spectacle
u the PTuSsIan government claiming an apoIC- |
" and indemnity from us, because of the Seua |
or from Massachusetts advocating what he be- |
ieves to be Necessary inquiry. The Senator |
rom Iowa was very anxious to know where tie /
senator from Massachusetts got Remington,, |
{ tier. What matter was il where he got it? |
| he question was whether the letter can be i'm |
cached When the sales were discontinued % |
Remington, they were continued to other par |
les, who, OF course, were not going to saw tn v |
we're agents Of France or Prussia. What did |
hese private parties want with thousands and |
OF rifles, and with batteries? They |
lid not want them
TO SCARE AWAY BLACKBIRps,
)r to batter down beehives. And the coinci- |
ience was very remarkable that all of these arms
found their way TO France.
Mr.. Conkling said that he had investigated
his matter, and had ascertained to his satisfac-
ton that these arms had not all or nearly all
Mr.. Schurz said the investigation would prove
to the satisfaction OF the Senator that an over
whelming majority Of the arms found their way
10 France.
Mr.. Conkhng-An overwhelming majority is
very different from all.
Mir. Schurz said
ALL EURoPE WAS TALKING i
about this thing, and il was no To hide our |
heads in the sand, like the ostrich, and fancy il
could be covered up. He then argued that the |
underlay all these transactions lie said that |
during the summer and fall of 1870 protests had |
been made against the sale of arms to France.
The ls sales had been suspended until after the
continued He did not believe that the Score
tary OF War had been guilty of anything per- |
sOndlly improper. lie Dcneyed that he had |
been a victim. The general impression through |
but the country was that there was a military |
ring in Washington, exercising an unwholesome, |
and corrupt influence on this admin |
stratiOn. Ii this was 80, should not il be ex- |
posed and broken up for the good name of the
The Senate then, after executive session, adj
iOurned.
PASSAGE OF THE NAVAL APPROPRIATION BILL.
Hot SE--After our report closed-the House
being in Csnmittee OF the Whole on the naval
bill
Mr.. Butler Mass offered an amendment,
which was adopted, providing th at the gradu-
ates OF the naval academy shall be ranked &C
cording to their proficiency, as shown by their
order OF merit at the date OF graduation.
Mr.. Hale offered the following at the close OF
the bill additional section:
:" Section 2 That the Secretary of the Navy
be, and he is hereby, authorized to sell at public
sale such vessels and materials Of the United
States navy as in his judgment are not suitable
for or capable of profitable use, repair, or reft-
ting out: PrOrtded, That before any such sale
shall be made public notice shall be given by adj
yertisemen Mt in some leading ne wspaper or news
papers in at least four Of the principal cities OF
the United States, which advertisement shall
state the number of vessels and the amount
of material proposed to be sold, with .
description thereof 50 far as the same shall
be pT acticable, together with the time and
place when and where such vessels and