The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1872-03-14

1t is well to get occasionally from tho quick
of the administration revel to the solid ground
of fact Such an opportunity is afforded by the
recent prolonged DEBATE in the Senate on the sale
OF arms to France
s.Now, what / want is facts" said
THOMAS GRADGRIND, with his square
wall of a forehead, square coat, square
legs, square shonlderss and square
fore-finger. Facts are zFe<slities, and
they are needed respecting the French
arms performances at the War Office
in 1870, but the administration Sena-
tors have resisted inquiry through
many a weary day. "GRANT's Oa0p"
thinks debate better instrumental
ity for ascertaining facts than the ex-
animation and cross-eXamination of
witnesses under oath. Secretary BELK-
NAP testified last Thursday that he
could not extract from the Marquis
the names he sought; possibly Sen
ate committee.will be mere successful.
REMINGTON wrote that it was very
difficult to persuade the War Depart
ment to manufacture the cartridges in
our national workshops, but he had
secured "the strongest influences, "and
we know how well they succeeded.
Facts about those influences would be
edifying just now. REMINGTON had
the "strongest." Not merely strong or
stronger, but strongest" is the word.
Certainly all of us wish to know who
of the military ring deserve the super
lative appellation.
The administration said no arms
should be sold to France or delivered
to France by this government, but
400, 900 were so delivered. Let US by
all means have facts as to how it hap
pened.
The law declares that only old, dam
aged, unsuitable arms and stores in
possession of the War Department in
July, 1868, shall be sold, but new,
suitable, and undamaged stores were
delivered to France which were not
on hand in 1868. Facts about this pal
pable violation of law will be most
welcome.
The statute requires public adver-
tisement for thirty days of the articles
for sale, and the country seeks facts
proving such notice.
General DYER endeavored to get
Congress in 1868 to authorize the hi
ring of an enormous depot in New
York, wherein the War Office could
store and expose for sale any arms or
stores it deemed"surplus"at any time,
but Congress firmly refused, and linn
tied the sales. in every possible way.
DYER was perfectly aware of this, but
yet i'm 1870 went on as if Congress had
given the very power it refused. Facts
are needed in explanation of this.
Senator WILSON in 1868 said that
the War Office only had authority to
sell old stores on hand in July of that
year, but in 1872 insists that under the
same law it has legal power to manu-
facture new stores for sale to France
to enable GAMBETTA to equip new
army OH the Loire with which to kill
more Germans. The people require
from him facts to reconcile 1863 and
1872.
If, when LEE was compelled TO sur
render at Richmond, like Louis NAPo-
LEON at Sedan, some Confederate ci-
william like GAMBETTA had begun to
organize new army in Texas, and
England had sold arms therefor out of
the royal arsenals, and hypothecated
or delivered over her royal workshops
to the rebels, on 'the strongest infiu-
ences," to make new ordnance stores,
what would the United States have
done and said More than that, what
would we have thought if the British
Parliament had repelled all inquiry
as to the 'stongest influences" on
which and by which the unneutral acts
were done Give us World.