The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1872-02-22
The Enquiry into Sale Of Arms.

The preambes introduced into the Sen
ate of the United States by Mr.. Sumner,
and upon which a running debate of sew
eral days duration has taken place, arev very
| long, and would occupy a half column Of
this paper They reci;c in substance that
#. 600 stands Of arms were sold to known
agents of the French government, with
200 rounds per gun OF fixed ammunition,
which latter was made to order in the
United States manufactures; that the re-
ceipts for the same. in the books OF the
Department, show deficiency of 81, 700,
OO0; that while the transfer Of the arms
was in doubt, in consequence Of its viola
ton Of neutrality, one of the agents wrote
to France: We have the strongest in
tluences working for us, which will use
All their efforts to succeed" After these
preambles, comes the resolution, as fol
lows
Resolved. That select committee of seven
be appointed 10 investigate ali sales Of ordi-
nance stores made by the government of the
United States during the war between France
and Germany TO ascertain the person to whom
such sales Were made, the circumstances under
which they were made, and the real parties in
interest, and the sums respectively paid and re-
! ceived by the real parties; and that the commit
tee have power 10 send for persons and papers
ana that the investigation be conducted in pub
lic.
The clue which led to the disclosures
and gave Mr. Sumner this vantage ground
was furnished by the trial and conviction
Of Victor Place, French Consul at New
York, for peculation in this very matter.
In an elaborate speech, Mr.. Sumner laid
open the whole business and making the
administration side vince tearflly. One
Of his most telling points was that some
Of the very arms borne in our civil war
by German soldiers, have been sold t.
the French to be used against their father
land. Morton and Harlan replied as wen
rs the case admitted. Carl Schnrz, rs
the chief Of the German element i'll this
country, then took the floor A cores
pendent SAYS of his remarks
His speech was extempore, and delivered
with ,llrectne>s and force that was perfectly
crushing. and were it not that dislike to use
a >tereulypei phrase, ! wOuld say that 1t 'rut
a. clean ~ A Damascus blade" Cpnkling, e.
pecially. felt its force, wrhea and attempted 10
explain aWav his endorsement OF Remington AZ
a citizen Of the 'nted States to be used in his
transactions with the French Government, but
thu senator OF Missouri mercirs>lv referred To
INV ante Of C0nkIing's endorsements showing that
Ii WAS in December last. long after it became no
tOrou~ that Il mlngton had been acting As agent
for France in the purchase Of arms, and thIt
Remington needed this and the endorsement of
The Secretary ot War and the Chief Of Ordnance
I'd escape threatened damage and loss Of bis
claim against the French Government. Turn
my upon the Administration senators. Mr..
~churz told them that thu conviction forced it,
-ett nStncuycy upon hI- mind that there was
Z job a. the bottom of THIS transaction, and cX-
claimed with emphasis - SAY il boldly and
uneguiyocaliy that there j, military ring
somewhere hcreAhOuts whose members are the
bcnenclarieS ln thl~ Job" YIN. ~churz closed
Id q brilliant peroration that carried ALI before
Id and the popular verdict il, in judicial par
lance, that the Administration party $50 hence
aud axe nothing, and n the Judge would SAY TO
the condemned criminal, May God have mercy
IN your soul" Mortified AT tn result and
iretdmg 4 possible continuance ~ line Of an
gumcnI III which the We're oreadly wor>ted,
thc Administration Senators took refuge in an
Executive session.
The resolution has not vet been dispos-
81 Of. and is an ugly matter for the adj
ministrAtion. It does not dare to institute
the inquiry with its probable revelations,
ana cannot afford to suppress it and thus
acknowledge all that is charged.
Beck Congressman from Kentucky,
placed ald BrownIow Of Tennessee, in