The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-03-08
WASHINGTON.

Select Committee on Side Arms, com
menced their examination to-day. The
first witness was Secretary Belknap, who
said he did not know OF any sale made Ii
violation Of the law on the 18th of Octo,
Der 1870. Having received telegram
which gave him reason 10 believe thai
Remington was an agent for tho French
government, he Immediately gave orders
that no more arms should be sold him; he
had never spoken to Remington, nor aid
not know till afterwards that Richardson
was his agent In reply 10 the question
that any prccaution could have prevented
the French from receiving arms, he re-
piled, not alter they were sold. lie
presumed the purchasers sold 10
whom they thought proper. Official
orders were given TO the Ordinance
Bureau not 10 sell TO the agents of
the French or Prussian governments,
He knew from tho newspapers and
general rumors that the arms sent 10
France; whether. they had previously
been purchased from this Government, OF
were manufactured by private persons
he had no means Of knowing. He was
asked II Baron Geralt had made com.
plant that arms had been sold 10 the
French Government, and TO this question
replied that on the 18th Of October, 1870,
Baron Geralt called TO request that the
sale Of arms be postponed ill next week.
Witness informed him that our Govern.
ment would sell no arms either to the
agents OF the French or Prussian Govern
ments. The sale, however, was not
postponed till next week. lie was In.
terrogated on the other points heretofore
not read in the report Of his testimony
before the House Committee on the ex.
penditures in the War Department.
Mr.. Bennett testified that the term un-
suitable arms Is understood by the de-
partment as not necessarily unsuitable;
there arc 100000 in use; some of these
arms were sold during the years 1870 and
1871. During these years there were sold
8 1860, 600 cartridges; don't know how
many were manufactured for that pur-
pose; l think no cartridges were manu-
tactured in that year and sold during the
same year; l don't know Of any
other case than this in which cartridges
were manufactured to effect sales of arms;
bids have been contingent upon being
supplied with cartridges and they have
been furnished out of the store. He re-
membered that Baron Geralt came to the
office and spoke in regard to having the
sale postponed for two or three DAYS, in
order to allow some German houses to
bid; that is all the connection with the
foreign government witness knew Of. The
sale Of $4,000 Springfield arms TO Rem.
ington & Co., were made by him
self at five dollars each; q few
days previously, about 10000 Of the same
class were offered at the Springfield armo.
ry, and the arms were Withdrawn because
but 81 so each were offered; no officer Of
the Ordnance or War Departments Of the
United States Government, was interested
directly or indirectly in the way of com.
missioners or otherwise in the sales OF
arms, TO his knowledge; nor had lie reason
for believing that such was the case; he
knew nothing about the parties to whom
the arms were sold, having any connec.
ton with foreign governments Mr. DYER
wrote witness letter from New York, stat.
ing that arms oi the model OF 1868 should
be issued and those Of 1866 Withdrawn, and
directing him TO consult the Secretary OF
War as TO the propriety Of selling the lat.
ter and manufacturing cartridges for them
Il necessary: The Secretary approved ol
the plan and the sale was ordered and
made In New York. The correspondence
docs not mention Richardson's name,
They were sold at $9l go cents, within a
few cents of the original cost to the Uni.
ted States, although they had been in use.
Schurz was present by invitation of Senate
special committee, and put numerous
questions 10 Secretary Belknap regarding
the sale of arms. The Secretary said
that the arms sold or awarded to Rem.
ington before he Qhe Secretary was
placed in possession of the telegram to
Squires, which was the first intimation he
had that Remington was an agent Of the
French Government, were delivered sub.
sequent TO tho date OF the telegram,
He could not now certainly tell what
name was signed to the telegram, al
though according 10 his recollection il
was that Of Remington. ~ & y
Senator Schurz closely interroga
Secretary Belknap about the dates Of the
sales, but he stated he could not furnish
all the desired information at present, but
said that thu data was being prepared.
To morrow the committee will examine
Gen. Dyer, Chief Of Ordnance, at his
house, he being unwell.
Tho House Committee on Commerce
are prepared to recommend an apDropri.
alton of fifty thousand dollars for the i'm.
provement Of Michigan City harbor. The
Indiana delegation, however, are strongly
insisting on the original amount asked
for, namely, q hundred thousand dollars,
with some prospects Of success.
The President LETT Washington today
to attend the wedding Of Miss Drexel al
Philadelphia. He win return on Mon.
day.
The Attorney General has received
official information Of the conviction ol
fifteen persons at Huntsville, Alabama,
charged with being connected with the
Ku-Klux. Three of thom were sentenced
10 twenty years imprisonment in the
Albany Penitentiary.
The House Committee on Foreign AZ
fairs have agreed to report the bill author.
izing tho President to take steps to
continue the old commissioner in office
and also TO appoint a new one 10 adjust
and settle the Venezuela claims, cxciud.
ing such as have been partially settled.
GreeIey,s Note Declining to Sign the