New-York tribune., 1872-03-04
WASHINGTON.
THE FRENCH ARMS SCANDAL.
sPECUlATIONs CONCERNING THE COMMITTEE OF
INyFsTIG GATION-sUGGE TO IT'S MEMBERS.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO The TRIBUNE

lBY TELEGRAPH To The TRIBUNE
WASHINGTON, March 8, 1872
The resolution to appoint the Senate Com
mttee TO investigate the circumstances attendant on the
sale of arms 10 France with Mr. Trumbus amendment,
substituting the name Of Mr.. SchurZ for that OF MT
Sherman, is expected TO come up during the morning
hour tomorrow The indications tonight are that tue
TrumbulI amendment will be agreed to and the resou
ton passed. with the possible substitution OF frehhe
huysen Chairman in the place Of Hamin. washington
been full OF during the past day or two In
regard to the exposures which likely to be made by
the Committee when it gets TO work. Gentlemen who
supposed TO know something Of the workings OF ne
War Department and Ordnance Bureau assert that
the Secretary Of War Is wholly ignorant OF any
improper conduct In the sale Of tine arms,
though some improper influences may, without
his knowledge, have been brought to bear upon
him to procure certain orders. They hint however, thSt
If the Remngtons arc made to produce their original
books and to testify the OF the shareholders
their company will be found that certain officers OF
the army and perhaps some OF those whose duty IL was
sales of ordnance stores hold now or dd
ia the FAN of 1870 large quantities OF the STOCK Tor whch
they paid but nominal sum. II is also hnted that u
be proved that many of the muskets and cartridges
sold TO French agents offered at public sale
days notice, the law requires and that notices
Of the october sales after the suspension caused by the
discovery that Remington an agent Of France were
only TO such firms known TO be the agents
OF the Remington Company. A carefm readlnR OF the
law shows that 10 requires that the arms and ordnance
stores be first offered at public SALE 30 days notice hav
ing been given II satisfactory prices are not thus OBJ
taned the Secretary Of War then sell them at either
public private SALE in such and at such times
and places as he may deem most advantageous TO the
public interest 1t will be for the Committee TO ascer-
whether the 10000 breechloadng Springfield rifles,
Of the pattern Of 1866 and the cartridges made for the
sold to Thomas Richardson, offered at public
sale after 30 days notice. and who was invited 10 scnu IN
bids at each sale made during the French war.
II appears from autograph note from Secretary Bel
knap Schurz dated JAM a. 1871 that the sales OF arms
that suspended and yet there appears to
have been considerable material sold after that date
which It can be shown went TO France. Secretary Bel
KNAPP should be questioned 10 the cause OF this ss
pension whether the sales afterward resumed, If
at whose instance request and what conversations
he had the subject with officers Of the Ordnance Bu
reau, or with any other person whatsoever, I'm re-
gard TO allowing further sales TO be made.
The ordnance officers should be required TO show the
conditions under which the and stores were sold,
where each lot was delivered by the Government and
whether at the time they pretended to be ignorant OF
the destination of the arms and even afcr Remington
discovered himself as q French agent, the sales
made Oh the condition the guns, &C. be delivered
by the Government board the French steamer free Of
cost Perhaps last questions should be answered
I'm the affirmative Gen. Dyer will then testify that he
had no reasonable ground suspect that he was selling
TO the agents Of France These few OF the matters
suggested by current rumOrs.