The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-02-21
xLIID CONGRESS.-sECOND SESSION,
SENATE.

| SENATE
| WASHINGTON, Feb 2O-The bill authorizing
a bridge across the Mississippi at or near Clin-
ton, Iowa, after several amendments, was pass
| ed.
| The bill authorizing the Postmaster General
| to contract for the transportation of mails to
! the Pacific coast during the snow blockade of
| the railroad-the cost to be deducted from the
| sums paid to the railroads, was taken up.
The bill went over.
| Mr.. Anthony from the Committee on Naval
| Affairs reported, without amendment, bill for
the relief of the officers and crew of the U. s.
| ship Wyoming.
| &Mr. Carpenter, from the Judiciary Commit
| tee, reported, with amendments, the bill for the
! further administration of justice relating to
| the rules of practice in U. S. courts
Mr.. Anthony introduced bill to provide for
| reporting and printing the debates in Congress
| by contracts with the Globe, for two years from
| March 4th, 1871.
THE LAST CONSPIRACY,
The resolution of investigation of the sale of
| arms to France was taken up.
MIR. SchurZ responded to Mr.. Conkllng. MIR.
Schurz said that the weakness of a cause is apt
| to disclose itself by the nature of the argu-
ments used in its support When we hear a
case advocated by insinuations and inundoes
with regard to the motives of those who have
| taken the other side, we are apt to suppose
| there must be something wrong Nobody who
has listened to the speeches of the Senators
from Indiana and New York, Morton and
| Conkling) would deny that the general rules APP
plies to the present matter. The Senator from
New York tried to convince us that the sales OF
arms must necessarily be free from blame be-
cause there is no impression abroad that there
is a military ring in this country and because
there is an impression of Senatorial caDal
bent on destroying the administration, and be-
cause the Democrats are circulating IN New
Hampshire speeches of certain Republican
Senator'S in order to defeat the administration
party there
After some time spent in defamation, Mr..
Schurz said he would proceed to notice the sub
ject before the Senate, which stripped of all
personal matters raised three questions: First
was what was done i'll accordance with the
rules of conduct laid down by the government
for our action. The rule was that no arms
should be sold to either government. Second,
are there in facts, as they stand before Us, any
ground for suspicion for corrupt practices con-
nected with the transactions.
In discussing the first he said it was absurd
to assert that these sales were made under the
ordinary circumstances surrounding previous
sales. 1t was true the government had been
selling arms all along since the end OF the re-
bellion, and nobody found any fault; but when
great war between France and Germany had
broken out and the President had issued
proclamation of neutrality, would anybody say
that no extraordinary precautions were then
might be pardoned for taking refuge behind a
technical ignorance of the destination of arms
but the nation could not afford to do that, be-
cause its honor and character among nations
were at stake.
Mr.. Schurz read a letter written by the chief
of ordnance, describing, he said the operations
of the War Department in making sales of
arms at that period. The letter stated that
bids had been invited by sending out letters to
the principal dealers in arms. If was remark
able, however, that Boxer & Co., the only very
great arms merchants in New York should not
be notified, and only learned by accident, that
the sales were to take place. Upon making
this discovery Boxer came to Washington and
notified the Prussan Minister. The minister
went to the War Department and asked that
the sales be put off for few days, and it was
DONE The Senator from New York, (Conk-
ling) had said that Boxer & Co. bought the
arms, which afterwards got into the hands of
Germany. That was mistake.
He (Schurz) had been in communication with
the house and ascertained the fact that they
did bid upon a quantity of arms for the purpose
of keeping them from the French, expecting
to be recompensed by the German government;
but that government declined to have anything
to do with the arms, and they passed into the
hands of Schuyler, Hartley & Graham, and af
forwards into the hands of the French. There
were new calls for bids, to be opened on the
Goth of October. On the 21st, at p. M. sales
of a large amount of arms to several firms were
completed, and, according to dispatch to the
french consul an these arms haa already Deen
RI az. Pe 0 ~ oy % t'a go. 4i On
ene "a vi ooSuDea, 1uso one uay alSer tre SAFES
ron 'Le nc lL a meie ooipieGeu; Oe,ta
~ sne business was oone PIoMp'1y iaugnteT),
and the question was naturally suggested wheth-
er Mheh oqIares was atSron at as 5encn
AGENT the sales were not postPoheo IN oroer 10
give MN an opportunity 10 maze arrahgemeh!s
Will 1siet pa M 49, u nv ou" saS 'niS
was the IacI Lnen came SAFES W nlcraroson.
When the War Department was not offering to
ialse AIMS ME uTieia, uiI ~ auuioes one u us IeI
Gers 10 MI. In 1T, hicnaruson, counselior at
Alion, ~ l. iho % naSoi Ioln Hem LIN nau
great stress upon wnaI nc assumed 10 pe Iact,
soay az .ne ~ 'liio1 1 ~ 9 oso'la'ns MS
purchases, anu !nat IL c9uiu nave peen zone Dy
neIeiy setuiis ~ ms uiu ny ~ per
oS 5 VI sno aI ieoolu SLOW
Gu, Sav s0 o. oe uone
'aG tha 81 ~ W. ny
w 49, tn t ,,Sor,r;et, " - o;, rt
lnsno aoo9: .nS PiSPiiJSy "a inahihs ele eal1-
rluseS' anu ~ 9aoMeu ars? 'nau an etioi' Was
rantia,o,, Hf PoT;noton1 a. sa,,,a Pa,,;ner
r,r., ~ a. Eel e AZ n ~ Oa4dhs
%n5 h. o disno1orad t ha anaI,t of ta
Esa,,o Ieo s.r,t W Oo o." "son' VI INC
Hienon gy go nnl;Sal ., 5.s
inst oronnds for snsncions and tberefore for ;n
y oSt NJ Snhurn raad tnla axtran a.,
fror, tho +eSt;mony g;van hv Pam;noton in
Franca ON trial Of place REMINGTON beino q
n;tnns. U ID L., 10Th sol 's
sT IA ,,ot ro%ard ,vse1f ob,;ood 70 oa d
,onnos ord tb;S st;I1 los ,roS os ynucb aS h"d
s,-SnIf =" nov Az oo,ornTaent nf a. Tn;tod
$500 fy , e ~ - o. 80 ats, ~
Again, before the investigating committee of
Ine french assembly,, ne sait ny tne fIen aS,n
Sovornment Of tbs InitsJ states The , st
Stoto,,,nnt oIsn shox,od - hro,'xh+ Po,,; s'
s 1i .i; 'nom ~ w =; ~ Les
IL 800 " W 4onsoo4 L;nass non,onta 81