New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-03-08
THE ARMS INVESTIGATION.


WASHINGTON, March 7.-Every friend of re
TORN will be rejoiced az the action Of the senate CON
ttee To investigate the sale Of scandal THIS mora
ing in cordially and unanimously inviting MT Schih I"
,e present at its meetings, suggest the names OF w"
,esses whom he desires 20 have examined, ana pun ."
crv witness who appears any questions he may iesre
This vote and tho manner In which the privilege was
accorded Mr. schurz. IN the examination TINS oIu
me- encouraged every present to entertain 'ne "o
hat A. far the taking OF testimony Is cohoerhe''
nothing to lie hidden, but that with the aid OF Mt
schurz she Committee will sift the matter 10 the very
bottom.
When the Committee called 20 order, Mt schurA'
sho was present read the following letter. in reply TO
,ne which had been addressed TO him by Mr. hamnn'
the Chairman OF the Committee:
SIR. | have received vour letter. requesting me 10
furnish she Committee over winch you preside aux Si9
AL evidence IN my possession, or krowtdEe Nmch VII
NV that IN the speeches delivered in the senate ON the
subject question: stated series OF facts ana cIIcun
ances, nstifyng the belief, AT least me su-pc'
great wrong had been done IN connection MIN NJ
sale Of arms. These statements printed IN re Ho'
and before the Committee, and can only aud thdt
to-day believe every ale cation made IN my ~
r d"nce 70 form the basis OF ~ inquiry
aud 70 guide a committee desiring 20 make thorough
syestgatlon Aside from this Information. more mas
onc ~ me ron various quarters in more or less m
definite shape. partly under the seal or PERSONA
This information cannot present a. tiT ~
because 10 can only become sCCh by the eNanh ~;
the witness The witnesses 70 be examiner ~ a Ti
Da-e VIII almost all De unWLIDg Nlt"SSS5r,H a..
lgeT testmo9H WA m5crd "a o, E their examination.
where point VIII suggest anotlei1 cH,mine nv
,aetnr r,u.A properly I've permitted 10 eAllii nc ~
If sucn witnesses could name III .iv ia ,nle ~
,,,..ti-,tion then am confident sDouu De 'uio 10
,roye the correctness OF al Jhe PM
49,! -,,nst ali parliamentary uSages those VINO ho-
,ocated Investigation and may pS pro9uS1 ~
attention TO the case nave veth 'NvuOI
ZINC mari a the prOceedin OF the Committee while
u fn reality exercise any influence upon lts ac,o
M. -,- gauuibal Hauin, Chairman Committee OF Ia
a. c,rpcnter Immediately moved that Schm1 De
tod IN attend the meetings OF the COMMITTEE Win
IN. prvilegcs already mentioned, andH was Nh'H
noasly agreed 20.
s.eretary Belknap then sworn, aud ID an'"el q"
sessions by Mr. Hsmiu. description OF the arms
m pos.e,on Of the Government az the close OF the "I
a. then put in evidence the communication when De
ant to e House jan a. showing the date Of every SAFE
alarms and ordnance since 1866, with the name u
che par baser the price paid for the stores %e IA ~
caused 10 d., added the statement new column snow
m The date when the Secretary authorized the Chief OF
Ordnance 20 sell each lot. He also promised 10 supply
lie exact date OF each sale which is now only stated IN
months and said that the the tables had been
Dt 20 Congress I'm 30 incomplete form was h' desire
m - he facts il contained before tn country at the
earliest possible moment
secretary Belknap then made statement OF me NUN
r Of arms hand at the commencement o1 the French
Ar July 1870 promised furnish IL more Ia detan
before the invest cation closed Ia answer 10 question
D., Nj Hamin he said that the price Of arms advanced
greatly after the breaking cut Of the war before that
leaned and repaired Springfield rihed muskets -od Tor
l. each afterwarG much A. = ~ apiece was obtained
the same arms.
rne examination then turned 10 the authority under
shich the sales were made and the manner IN which
ne statute of ls6s directs them 10 De- made The first
aus. f che resolution Of July lSJs, read ~ io
IoVs; ~ -, .u, hi.
Do -NOt dIlcf 0Icf ~ pun"
Ir sak on 30 days notice, such manner, and ~ such
zines and places 81 pubic private sale. a. he may
I'm mos, geous o. the public interest. a..
secretary Belkuap did not understand that thi- IA"
retd each particular sold to be first offered AT pub
lie sale though is evident that 10 must mean that
means anything. The examination proceeded
BY Mr. schurz-Were these arms referring TO those
soId during the French war; offered at pub, sale A
specifically don't know nut nav no 90 o' 'i7' my
By Mr. steVensOT-How long after tue anibOrhF
"a gwen before the sale was madet \ The s-jo,W0
aie va. authorized september -, ana uir arms were
delivered oct B. 1870.
The point established by this testimony T. that this
sale and the Is true Of many others was not made
after OTTER az public sale days notice., FOR count
w both the day Of the and the day o. sale
only ak DAYS interviewed between the authorization and
e completion Of the sale OF course the Chief OF ord
nance coud not advertise any lot OF arms for sat or
ar them at auction before he authorized % DO 20
~ the secretary OF War anu the obvious CONCLUSION Is
that ne did not offer them az public sale at all
just ~ tins point BIT Of history is very apropos The
-csouton under which these sales we're made was IT.
rorted from the House Committee Military Affairs 10y
Mr. Garfield June p, 1893 at the same time he pre-
aented letter from ChiefOf-Ordnance Dyer to secre-
tary-of-war stanton suggesting that he be allowed I"
eli damaged arms and other ordnance stores al private
ALE a. several attempts TO sell and other ord
nance by public auction at the arsenals have been IN
,nccessful."
The following debate then ensued in the House 1t that
-.mr.
Ar Van wyck-Will the gentleman consent 10 ameui
he JOINT resolution so ~ u require the secretary O WI
hrst der these Arucles al public sale on ~ day,
lOticel
Mr. Garhed-v,ry well; will assent to thar amend
Mr. van wyck-Then I move 10 amend a. have indi
ited
The amendment then agreed 70.
20 # Will be- seen that there could be question shat
he law required these be first offered at public
,aio on % days notice and had there been any ambleu
~ ~ thu language Of the statute. debate at the time
Is passed would clear II up.
On the question whether any arms or ordnance stores
,0id 10 o known agent % France, Secretary Bel
KNAPP gave very important testimony. He related
circumstances under which he trst heard that Rem
nlton ~ An agent OF France. He coming out OF
the Poo. Office Department. about o'clock IN the
afternoon VI oct H. 1870. when the Chief Clerk OF the
bureau placed the dispatch. often referred to
'.f0rr ~ lis hands He Immediately returned 20 the
War Department and had interview with Dyer, and
ordered him 10 sell no arms 10 Remington. The
-NAnilnaton was then continued
u X, Sir -churz-You SLY that 90 the 18Th - October
100 received tniorma Won "hch COM ired you 'h@t
K-uangton WAC q French AZ -utf A. Yes, sir
u tu your statement ma li7j7 Remington earDlfs
g4 Srsrcer carbies III Spencer cartridges
~nd ~ Remington sons; aud on the report You nave
furnished the authority Of -ale for these three ols ls
gwen "a october Y ami - A. Yes sr before gave
nat order.
Mr. Clrpcnter-Q And before you saw that telegram
lir. ,curl~Q. May ask where the 1879 Remington