Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-02-15
EVENING STAR.
CONGRESSIONAL.
DEBATE on THE SALE OF ARMS TO THE FRENCH


ututiOn of inquiry into the sale OF arms and ord
nance stores to the French. saving that the fac,s
in the case had been brought TO the attention OF
the President and Secretary of War, and he had
auNCu>ly awaited action In the matter from the
Executive and the Secretary. But thew had
taken 10 action in the matter. The Secret4ry
had maGe report to the House OF Representa-
tigeS OF the sales Of ordnance during the wears
H." and Isl and before he got through h would
slow that this report WAS open to suspicious
equally aS grave a. those which surrounded the
transactions to which he now about To al
lUde- There were two persons connected with
q C~e tTausaC tiOns-P ace, "A FTCnChmIn, and
Remington, an American. Place was once tried
AID acquitted ON charges OF fraud in the
PURCHASE OF ARMS
T. this country. He was tried a second time
and convicted on the testimony OF Remington,
the American. Remington came TO Washing
ten. and procured letters here frOm high OF
ffIalS. which authenticated him. a IL were, to
ffc French gov -TrsW-Ht- Mr.. =. then spoke of
IL. Vur,ha~.. by Ee miUgtCn and others OF gov
,rrIg,rt ordnance stores for the Use OF the
French armt and the suspicious ciccum-
stances which he claimed surrounded the Sams-
circumstances IS hlgh had attTlste the attention
az IL. French government. and been made the
sal ice. of cf'.Jitl invest CATION and OF official
r.t,rt~.r.t4-s1u by 81 10 TINS Cuvernmr Ht-gTave
-tl-Ilci.u- which pointed 10 certain American
Nh Sherman sail that every one knew that
Ter, was us Obi cJnU to 7Ur proper inquiry OF
ais or ary other matter rI' the majority o. the
Senate e., -ht no. 20 permit thl>
IrrrET lprE TT NJ DEBATE
.. advance upon a.l,-a facts Hot yet IuvtSti-
Mr., linton reminded Mr.. Sherman of the
storm which .-,.. Zee. he hackers OF those who
utrc.eI the r.sJiut .cu Ter the inquiry at New
York, ard asserted thar the real motive for OPP
Jt~iug this II SO.utiru was not because II hal
preamble. bur because 1t proposed bold,
jrrrcuEh money invest CATION.
Mr. Wilson favored AZ immr!iitr and fuil in
vCstig-ticu OF this subject. nihad no fear that il
would H. are the administration. Mistakes
N yLt have been committed, but the people
we're generous and charitable, and ALWAYS ready
49, u 800 hR4f a
the result OF this investigation, either for the
administration OF The republican party.
Mr.. Morton Was ready to vote upon this reSO-
latiOn without debate. hut he had no power to
arrest dtbate. and n Ee hai he would not 10 it,
Here Wa aresolUtIon involving the most enor-
nous suspicious against officers OF this govern
msut. and reaching even to a member of the
Cabinet, If not higher. He bell sVed there was
nothing III il. that IL mere blank ca-t-idlre
tut he knew very wei. that if the Senate sLoaii
refuse TO consider u now. no matter for what
EotdTeaSCn, the refusal would be made tn basis
Tor
THE MOST INFAMOUS CALUMNIES
The Senate had. therefore. better let the car
fridge DE exploded a. once. lie was determine
however. that the Senator from Massachusetts,
>.1t.n L3t De allowed 10 lay one side OF this
question before the country. Un3ccUmpanied bv
the other. and therefore ii it Vas proceeded yitI
ttsre must be the fullest discussion.
Biz. 1Tumbull confessed that hc was ignorant
also Ci what Mr.. Sherman meant bv political
&c tate. lie could not Sc where there was any
question o: politics in the resolution.
Mr. SrmneT.-I have not said word about
MI. sherman said the yerIsnry OF Mr. Trum-
iulI was somewhat surprising after his long ser
Siye ~ tbs chamber. pid hr not know that the
whole object OF this preamble and rtsO "a ion
Wa Z" get uP "a political debate?
hir. Summer ssit ne diI not propose to 90 into
any political debate. lie would leave that 20
Those v HON the Senator styled the aIyersIrics.
iIaUgh'eT.I
Nh. Carpenter said the whole country knew
the object Of this movement lust a. wei a. tie
SENATE tt-t. We about eTssriuE N a
cal campaign. II j. well understood that the
Present Executive ! - hr ren0miHated. There
s.ft S,NtTaI Senators Mere who are popularity sup
posed 10 lie
HOSTILE To PRESIDENT GRANT.
hut. az cCur>e- he NT. g. d.d not believe that
htsc Senators had been loading and Tamming
their gun. which was 70 be fired OFT IN the nick
ct time and vas IL blow General Grant and his
friends all TO pieces. The Senator from NaSsa-
Chu~ettS had the fuse III his hand now. and il
he was stopped his hand M Eht be burned lie
tNT- c. wanted this resolution to be proceeded
Win II II was Ia destroy the administration
anu every one connected With 1T, they mi ght
well meet their doom now. II.aUghterI Ii
everything was 70 20 IL pieces IN a few weeks IL
va 40 u~e OF taking trouble 30 pas apProPria-
SsSD bills il.auSGtcT-l
Nj. Scott >aj! II va but a short time since the
whole country was startled by the exposur. OF
the fearful frauds auG corruptiOu> of the Tam
many ring III New York. and he charged Ia t
these efforts 10 iuve~tiStte. and these charges
which wc-r being gotten Up against the federal
administrator. were Nth view 10 lessen the
erect OF these exposures, lie was surprise thlt
any M mbrr OF the republican parry should
Coquettc with these people. However. h.
wanted every Investigation made which WAS
asked tor
The motion TO proceed with the pending reso-
luton a. tEeT. CarIied-ayeS. ~: noes L.
MI Sumner fheu proceeded with his speech
and quoted from ;he dispatch OF Remin gton TO
the President. OF the armament commission at
TOurs-..tht strongest Influences are AZ work in
our favor" What does this mean? 1t could
not have meant mere attorneys; il could scarcely
have alluded tO members OF Congress; il must
have meant some one prominently and closely
connected with the E0yoTnTent. with the bus
hess Remington Is now in France with letters
from the Secretary OF War. He then quoted
further from Remlngton's dispatches as TO his
purchase OF arms, in which he constantly alludes
to 1.-The government" a. the parties with whom
he il dealing. Mr.. ). commented at length on
these expressions, and repeated that Remington
was now IN France fortified by
LETI EES From THE SECRETARY OF WAR.
Mr. Morton asked Mr. Sumner If he meant 10
charge that the nlted States government sold
the arms to Remington. knowing him to be the
agent of the French government?
Mr.. Sumner said he male no charges. III ? vas
only stating facts and reading documents. He
then said that France had paid for the arms
sold to her s6,J92.o15 OF which amount our gov
eminent received only Sj.12i 95s.
Mr.. Harlan asked how Mr.. Sumner obtained
the latter figures?
Dlr. Sumner said the report of the Secretary
Of War had been examined BY a book keeper
an expert; but in answer to the inquiry Of Mr.
Harlan, he said he was unable to give the name
Of the bOOk-keeper-
producing the proof of his statement, and said
that the government OF the United States hal
never sold any arms to France, nor TO Reming-
ton, after IT was ascertaiued that he was an
agent OF the French government.
Mr.. Sumner resumed, and said the French
government had paid in all for arms purch lSei
IN the I nited States Sll ,0GO mo. What hal he
come of the immense proportion OF this amount
which had not been paid into the treasury?
Mr. Morton said the Senator, by his own con-
tesSion, shows that he is ON mere suspicion ma
king an elaborate speech replete with
RESERVATIONS AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT
MIR. Sumner did not intend, he repeated, To be
driven into allegations. He was IN the perform
aDcc OF his duty. He did not intend that the
name OF the United States should be hy-biOwn
all over Europe. There was another serious as
pect OF this question. IL was whether We had
rot committed breach of neutrality.
MI, Wilson deemed il his duty to make an ex-
,ianatiOn in behalf OF the War Department, to-
ward which he had occupied an intimate rela-
ton by reason of his position chairman of
fhe Comui,.Se on Military Affairs. At the end
of the war we ha.s vast amounts OF useless ma
ferial on hand, which i-om time to time has
been sold. From April 1. 1s65, " june 30, 1870,
the War Department received from the SAFE Of