New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-03-13
THE WEEKLY REPUBLICAN
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The French Arms Investigation.
a Washington special to the Cincinnati


Gazette of Friday says:
The Senate committee on the sale of arm
began this examination this morning. Tn,
committee had invited Senator Schurz to b.
present and aid by suggestions. He ap
peared aud read letter, saying that hi
speeches presented the case as he under
stood and believed it, but that he could only
bring out further knowledge which he had
by examining certain witnesses and follow
ing the developments made by their testi
mony. He expressed confidence that if he
could be permitted to examine witnesses he
could name, he would be able to prove the
correctness of allegations he had made, but,
under the circumstances, he preferred not
10 appear as taking part in the proceedings
while he could not exercise any influence
on its action. Senator Carpenter ilnme-
diatcly moved that Mr.. Schurz be invited to
sit with the committee, and, that he have
full power to examine witnesses. This was
a liberal proposition, and agreed to nv ali,
and Mr.. Hamlin further assured MIR. Schurz
that any witnesses he would name should
be summoned, and that the intention was to
have searching investigation, no matter
who it hit. Mr.. Schurz accepted the prOpo-
sition made, and the examination of Secr >
tary Belknap began. The testimony of the
Secretary was positive that he had nothing
to do with any known agents of the French
government, and that time and again he
had g ven orders that no sales. should be
made to such. He had consulted with the
President, and both had agreed in the mat
ter The apparent discrepancies between
the accounts of the ordnance Office and
Treasury Department were thoroughly ex-
planned, and most satisfactorily, and more
at length than heretofore given. The ex-
animation showed that all details of these
sales were managed by General Dyer, and
that the Secretary knew little of them be-
yond giving formal authority for such sales
as the ordnance office desired to make. The
Secretary read before the committee paper
containing the dates at which authority for
each sale was given by the War Depart
ment. After reading the dispatch of Octo
her thirteenth, before presented. which
made known to the ordnance Office that
Remington was agent for France, the fol-
lowing evidence was given:
Question by Mr.. Schurz-You say that
on the thirteenth Of October, 1870. you re-
ceived information which convinced you
that Remington was a French agent:
Answer-Yes. sir.
Question-1n your statement find l4,157
Remington carbines. 1913 Spencer car
bines, and l7,5l7 ,SS2 Spencer cartridges
sold to E. Remington & Sons, and on the
report you have furnished the authority
for the sale of those three lots is given as
October II and Is?
AnSWer-1ce, SIT, before gave tnab Or
der.
BY Dir. Carpenter:
QUESTIONABLE before YOU saw that tele
gram:
Answer-Befcre l saw that telegram. =.
BY Mr.. Schurz:
Yuestion-May ask you when the Ia, 10
Remington carbines, l9,434 Spencer ear
bires and II ,5l7 ,Ssc Spencer cartridges were
deliveredl
Answer can't say; only have the
memoranda when the $4,000 Springfield
rifles were delivered-October 3, 1870.
QuestiOn-It would take some time to de-
liver them, suppose.
Answer-It might. These dates could
furnish
Questionable sale of those Remington
carbines, Spencer carbines and Spencer
cartridges having been authorized on the
thirteenth of October in part they must
have been delivered afterward, if at all
Answer-No doubt about that. That is
my conclusion.
Question-Then, after RemiD gtOn g. Sons
had been discovered TO be French agents, |
these lots of arms-in all about "a, 600 car
bines, Remington and Spencer. and II Geo.
coo cartridges-were delivered to them
Answer will furnish the dates