New-York tribune., 1872-03-29
Tur FRENCH ARMS SALES.


.,,,,, MARQUIS EE CHAMBRUN ON TIE STAND
HISTORY or A CURIOUS WAR OFFICE COW
PIICATION -- AMERICAN lNfLuENCEs TO
BREAK NJ. rLACE.
IFl TEIBGRArU 10 TEE lRnCNEI
WASHINGTON. March 2S.-AnOther animated
se,p, occurred in the senate French Arms Committee
room tins morning at the examination OF the MARQUIS
de Chambrln. Before the witness was called To the
stand CARPENTER withdrew his motion made Yesterday
10 return Mr Summers protests TO hn ms actiOh mas
been mach commented on during the day
.s one Of the most sensible things the Wisconsin
Senator mas done for q long time Mter iemarRnS
,hat he came TO the United states IN January 1862 the
Marquis said that hc would prefer to 70 on and ten All
he knew aboui the matter. Receiving permission from
Mr. Hamin, The Marquis went on 10 say that one day
after the fan French Empire. letter was read al
4be French Legation in this city from Jules Favre au-
ihorizng the appointment " the MARQUIS as lesa do
wiser Of the legation al that time the Charge Anae'
was IN bad health and greatly in need oi Ies" aSsh,
ance. since that time the Marquis has been consulted
whenever any questions has arisen IN the legation
on which legal advise has been desired Fhe Marquis
that tbe conpensaon he receives from the French
Government more Than one-slXth or oheseVeh'h
~ his income and that be has never been secret agent
of France a. was accused Of beng III some oil the
speecb.s made in the senate. Nj HamliD here asked
when nc first discovered anything which led him to sus
pect that American officials had received proportion OF
tbe money paid for arms and ordnance stores. The
MARQUIS continued bls narrative Bs relations Win the
family Of Place. the late Consui-Generdl at New-fork
date Place had "a distinguished brother VINO
Secretary 10 the Marquss faibeTln-iaW WDen ne
WAS French ambassador al Rome The Marquis did not
,oeet Place however, than three times from 1855
ntn 1870 In September, Of that year, Place having
heen aIpunted Consul General and having sent 70 the
Marquis polite note the spring before did call upon
bn: then .sil only J1endy one and nothing |
was sdd about the arms business; soon after |
Place became very dIstssteiul to secretary Fish |
nn account OF some matters which the Marquis
pr. (erred moi 70 mention Place wrote note Oh this
,niect 10 The Marqns, Bearet the French Charge
81 eares i2.e eia I. sss f.es q e n any way he could
while u NewNoIk On Inns business, inc M%'eI ol pu'
enssur arms was mentioned and the Marquis. with
much emphasis. a9y:e4 4..s .9, !? 9@y .-.-S y -.
consulate probably. account Of that advice pace
,u,,oved lroker to purchase for him from that time
untI January, 1871, the Marquis Saw fiace hOI /
Inoie han eight ume-; al one OF these interviews |
Place showed the Marquis Telegram which he had |
,...yed fom L1>cesuc al Tours and his answer; III
rsdipe them. The Marquis thought that ne ioTt'a"
, ni Place; FROM January 20 MrrcD, 1871 the Mar
did not 20 10 NcW York and received only one note
,r, Place OF the 18th Of January, Place wrote 10 him
,rt Iaus, BY appearing man, named Absterdam had
tod hirn ina he acquainted with the condition OF
MANY aud ordnance stores III tDe "Iseh"N
tha, some of nyOccd 10 France had heen very
inferior and that had boxes Of ordnance
ssne time Information Of similar character came from
France the Charg. Aianes put the matter into the
Margns's hands; he Mr. Patterson abOut the same
time and told HIN that be had heard that Government
oniclss not Of high position, were connected
with the sales after order came
from France ior the removal Of Place.
and the transfer Of the Consul at Charleston to New
York; the Marquis was sent TO New York to establish
the officer in his position but. personal reasons
did not meet Place personally; when Mr. BeTOnet came
America he had special instructions from the French
Government 10 investigate the purchases Of arms
made ny the COnsul-General; when lie came
to Washington no brought with him the draft
of report which the Marquis thinks
represented the exact facts in the his opinion
that several invoices made bv the Consul-Genera
in his name and or iem he had retained two per
cent commission this VI BelOnet considered ground for
q civil suit, but for a criminal prosecutions Place
himself willing TO return his Government the two
pr cent had retained Mr. BelOne aso stated in his
report that the French Government had lost fifteen |
hundred million francs in tae purchase OF arms
AT about the same time report peared in The Nc,c
York sun prepared by MT Dana setting forth thar the
purchase OF arms for the French Government had been
managed by Ring, Of which, Place and Chauyiteau
were members aud that officers of tie Government
in the transactions Boonet asked the
Marquis if Place ought not to The for libel but
the Marquis thought not Boon after called upon Mr.
Dana, and told him that he must tc instokcn in the
the name of HOsy. The Marquis knows nothing about
Hoey except what Mr.. Dana told Llm.
Soon after Place left New York he was summoned be-
fore the Committee Of tho FTaueh Assemcy to
Tor his acts and was acquitted The tcsti0ny agdinet
la amounting to nothing. The family " Pace dcs red
Marquis to act his attorney and sent him reancr
After his acquittal, Place wIote 10 the Marquis. |
aud sent him copy OF Rcmin;OL's letter TO
Les Cesne. The Marquis aha not have time
10 study that letter with Jntl December last.
About that time, an attorney Of Pennington called at tho
french legation with n number OF letters OF recon-
%h en- had been gwen & Remington 10y high
ner, Secretary Besnap, secre, ary TobesOn ana Jay
Cooke The Marquis at once skcd II. Bcjonet II those
papers had passed through the State u partinent, |
and was told that they Lad not; In one OF these I
letters, Gen Spinner asked Mr. Weshrne 10 do every
thing in his power 10 help Reu ngton aud 10 dispcl
suspicious which had arisen in France against him
Thng while the officers With tbe yrncb legs
tiOn at Washington were willing to Il. Places case
stand its merits aud while is friend the MARQUIS
shcd Remington with letters 10 be used against him
Tie MARQUIS then spoke 30 Senator Patterson about
matter about the 18Th OF BeCcmhcr ana MI. Iater
tOus account OF that interview 20 responds exactly
the Marqus's recollection Oi IT, On tn 2t JHnu-
aIy, the Marquis called upon The Sc'Ttafy OF War,
leOndt having given him pOwtr OF Attorney 10 ASK
The Secretary for permission 70 cxdune HAt or The
sales made by the War Department This e1AmiI~
ltlOn was 10 bc confidential secretary BolMap
,d that hC Marquis gt every thing, openly. that
ythng confidential IN his Office alter maters had
been arranged the Secretary began 20 speak about Rem
nstOn's letter, which Patterson mad given him copy
Nhoie matter was the certificate which h. had given
and explained 10 him tHo that
s"s 10 he mace Of II, for the Marquis said
n"t he knew Of his positive Knowledge
cared NAT bis friend would not have fair play Then
;tfeiaTy Beknsp said. " If had that letter Of
e'Ie'' aAd would have spoken in manner that he