The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1873-05-02
..siUca ADO ABOUT NOTHING. y


.saiUcH ADO ABOUT NOTHING,
The BstLietin publishes statement
as to the want Of supplies in the vol.
unteer service last winter in the expe-
dition started at Jacksonville for the
relief of settlers in klamath Lake
Basin, signed by several of the volun.
teers. That expedition was gotten
up of sudden, and was necessarily
sent out with incomplete supplies, no
doubt. They went to save the ball
ance of the settlers and to bury the
dead. The regular troops could not
moye as rapidly, and the work of the
volunteers was to give immediate re-
lief Had they stopped to be as fully
supplied aud equipped as regulars,
their services would not at that time
have been needed. The charges in
this paper, published by the B,.iieti'.,
are all leveled against Assistant
Quar,ermaster General Q. A. Brooks,
whom the editor of the Bulletia pro-
nounces very incompetent man,
But The editor of that paper must be
informed that at The fitting ont of the
Jacksonville company, Major Brooks,
was not in office; he was, however,
US clerk, and did what he could to
help others, As We learn. What are
the charges: They are that the
horses did not have water; that the
men did not have tents and canteens ;
that they did not have sufficient vege-
tables and others provisions; that they
went into the lava beds without ra-
tions and water; that the horses had
no large amount of oats; that the
men had not blankets enough.
Now, it looks to US that there is
something loose in parading this pa
per before the public at this time, and
something loose in the complaints here
made. Major Brooks may not be the
best man in the world, but what had
he to do with most OF these COM
plants? Could he lead the horses to
water-he being at Jacksonville, a
hundred miles away? Could he buy
commissary stores-he being Quar-
termaster's clerk ? Could he order
the men not to go into the fight with
out rations9
Let US look at this matter little
The Jacksonville company was mus
tered on a sudden emergency, to save
the lives of their neighbors. They
could not in the nature of things have
everything needed; they went for
thirty days only, but were detained
sixty days, because the regulars want
ed their help to fight the battle Of the
17th of January. And right here lei
us say, that battle was tceN fought, a:
far as it was possible to go at thai
time, and has not been equalled under
equal circumstances since. The vol
unteers being 4 hundred miles from
their base Of supplies, and remaining
sixty days, on a sudden and INSULT
cient outfit intended only for thirt,
days is sufficient answer 70 most O.
these complaints. But be it said Il
the honor of these brave men, that il
the winter, and scant of supplies of al
kind, they remained thirty days be
yond the time of their enlistment, out
side of their own State, upon MeiI
oacn cote! With all these privations
they voted to stay, when their tim'
was out, and when there was an or
der from the Governor, as we learn
for their return home, as soon as th,
regulars took the field.
Whatever suffering there was from
insufficient outfit is to be regretted
and placed to the credit and honor O.
the volunteers who went through thi
severe trial. The emergency wa
wholly unexpected and took every
body by surprise. But our voluntee
services heretofore have not been con
Quoted with the same outfit as regu
lars have. The men generally in thi
expedition had plenty OF bread ant
fresh beef and the horses plenty o
hay. We understand there was on
stove furnished for a tent for the sick
We do not believe that the volunteer
who signed this paper intended it t.
be understood by their mention o
this stove that an outfit for hnrrie,
expedition like this should be loade,
down and hampered With parlo
stoves
If there are any inequalities in an,
accounts, of course they will be here
after adjusted.
A SPIRITUAL SPEcULAT1oN.-Fal
mers are generally very material an