, 1876-02-05
Grave Charges--Gen. Howard.
He ATTACKS the President and Senator
sSaufNPiI.

Boutwell,.
Senate Executive Document No. y, Forty-tourth
Congress, Is = letter from the Secretary OF war
transmitting a report cf Tho Commanding General
Department Of Columbia, Of hls tour III ALASAl
Territory, in June, 1875 General o. o. Howard
report Is dated 4" Portland, Oregon, June So ls'S-
1t ives ar account Of his visit % Alaska and relates
on page 4. that. having been trogbled by numerous
newspaper charges, concerning The present manage
ment OF affairs ~ Sitkz, deemed 1t o1st to give
those who are called citizens consisting oi
Aleu:s. half-br-ea-, American ani foreign traders
now Fesiling in the tONn-the opportunity 20 see me
apart from the officers Of the garrison In seeiihs
with this purpose met theta by appointment at Tie
/ house OF the United States Collector, Mr.. bsFF!
| Mr.. Berry kindly briefeI the complaints, winch l
subsequently carefully considered aud acted upon,
,s vii he seen by tie memoranda attached
| In the "neraoran .,In thus incorporated with
N. report, and which il seems General Howard Lad
carefully considered, occurs tie following curious
story OF tie manner IN which the Alaska eompAh! :
said to have obtained its lease;
The Secretary then proceeded TO open me oi1S' O'
/ which there were fourteen
Ihe lowest b.,i " 4. that of the Alaska Comrercia
Company, amounting 70 s65,Oeo rental sAI' @ AM
the irhest bId that OF LOUIS uo-s 'i4c' ~ . -
binatinn of various san Francisco MS aihouhtiD-
| te yearly rental OF s32s ,5oo-
| The principal rarties III the continuation OF nin'
toy whom G,ld-toue hid made The bids u ore The rrh
of Taylor a Benlel, one O the most Tespectabie aHo
prominent huu. Of san tf'incis,o thdt iL-l Vcei
sngIsel IN The Alaska trade from IFS opening, Ah'
! having the additional adv vantage over the aEshl
I Commercial Company Of prior occupation IN
injuries IuIneiiaJey Instituted 10y the government
i'm Washington, through the sseucy OF Custom Hcus'
Collector Phelps OF san fTaTcscu, as to tier stand
ing, and responsibility, we're OF elarAetSr IN ever!
| way satisfactory
Notwithstanding this and the great discrepancy II
the bids, the Alaska Commercial Company entereJ
| various protests which were TeisTT-d 10y Mr. Bout
! well to the Attorney General, then Mr.. A Aker
man. who heard irgum hts on 10th sldeS. and unjel
date of july % decided IN lavor OF Goldsione ant
| GssOCiates-
After tie delivery of Mr.. Akerman's opinion i
vas everywhere taken Tor granted the lease Wou!d
! be Awarded 10 Colds ore. Nobody had any doubt o
It. Al obstacles had been removed, and all protests
done away with.
lie treasury Off re for the leis but 10 his utter as
( touishment and CONSERVATION he WIS informed thh
/ the lease had been awarded TO the Alaska CONNER
citl Company on the terms Of his own Cioldstone ;
| bid The communication was made by Acting sec
retiry William A. Richardson, whose iaee IN gIylIg
the information erin oned with shame MIR
| Boutwell, had secretly lett Tor Massachusetts.
Thus 1t cane 10 pass that the scheme succeeded
that slavery and bondage, for the ahoisiiment OF
which a few wears before the best blOOi OF America
had been s4crf e was here restored an was openly
SANCTIONED 10y Congress that Tree and liberia! Ainer
lea Ind openly granted monopoly OF Il de and wa'
placed on 4 footing with the most d-spOue OF thC
powers OF Europe Russia, and that Christian com,
munities together with the two ISlans, we're leased
to the Alaska Commercial Company Tor 70 years
Alas Alaska vas then, an appropriate term