The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-07-11

nothing whatever intended TO be personal
to the Secretary Of War, but merely ex.
amples made OF what believed an odlouS
law. l had no reason for being inimical
to the Secretary and / state but the exact
truth in saying that only the highest re-
gard and kindeSt feeling towards him
always actuated me with the exception
referred 10 further on. My letters TO
Garfield were 10 have been confidential
50 far as concerned their authorship, as
my motives only referred to action on
the law, which believed necessary to the
army. 1 desired expressly
NOT TO APPBAR RIN,ANrAGoSlsM B,
TO the Secretary Of War, as l then saw 1t
would be, to put such construction on
my action. Ny letters fell into the hands
Of one Smalley, Secretary Of the House
Military Committee, who was also n
New York Tribune correspondent. He
not only published the purport Of my
letter, adding as much as he saw Ct, while
enlarging on other points SO as 70 make a
very different matter Of it as published,
but, althoughnot mentioning my name, SO
described his authority as to put the au-
thorship on me. Soon after when CO..
burn was Chairman Of the Committee !
was summoned 10 give evidence upon the
staff organization Of the French. and
German armies. after furnishing the
information on these subjects l was ques.
toned on subject Of post traders. | at
first demonstrated on the ground that /
had not reported matters to you because /
believed the Commissary would defeat
any action in that objection, and that
my testimony might be considered dis.
loyalty to Secretary Coburn. They re-
piled that whatever l might say on the
subject would be confidential with the
committee. / then gave facts, as | had
before done to General Garfield. Ny les.
timony was, however, openly published.
About this time, feeling that after long
and successful fight, in which was gained
a substantial good, my efforts were about
being defeated by the simple fact that
the paltry sel6shness Of that branch Of
the army whose duty 1t was to carry out
the law which did not benefit them, but
merely added slightly to their duties, and
receiving much censure for my action in
this matter, IN mygPeat irritation | did
WRITE AN ISrEMPERATE LETTER
to either Garfield or Coburn, in which
used many Of the phrases found In Small |
ley's statement Twas in Q manner put
on trial and the leiter.was (so to speak,
extorted from me, and / have always re-
GREETED it. Whether it came to your no.
tice or not, l ask pardon for ever writing
it, for in everything else in the whole
matter / have been guided conscientious-
ly by desire to effect what l believe
great advantage 10 the army, the saving |
to it Of 100000 annually. More even
than its late increase Of pay, besides rid
ding,it g.
y or 4 coRRuPrlSG IsFLuEScE,s 4
the present system having many Of the
features Of bribery and extortion, as the
goods are usually sold to officers at cost,
and to others at very high profit, while
the system OF farming Is not unusual,
and adds an additional cost, which must
be paid by the troops. have tried be-
fore TO sci this matter before you, but il
met the usual barrier in the office OF the
Commissary-General. inclose case
Of ita 'gThc law referred TO in that
letter vas mandatory one OF perfectly
plain construction-one in which the
troops in the West are interested to the
extent OF about two million dollars an
nually, and the construction referred 10
in that letter is not understood, either in
fact or in justice, only that it has been
opposed from the first by the Department
whose duty it was 10 carry it out, The
ojection made by these officers, that il is
not in keeping with their other duties,
or that it is
uSBEcoMING TO THEIR POSITION,
us they already keep for the benefit Of
both officers and soldiers large list Of
articles, without detriment or complaint,
Of a not dissimilar nature. 4
THE GOVERNMENT COULD FURNISH a
CIGAR
for cents that the trader charges 20 for,
that the English Government furnishes
for penny, and the German Govern
ment for half penny. Other necessary
articles, indispensable in part, such as
towels, brushes, stationery, ETC., are on
The same footing, but less exaggerated,
When inSWsbinrtoni three wears ago
I was more rratified than can tell by
The Kind reception YOU rave me. Later
there was a change the cause of which | |
never knew. | know also that some Of
INV oyer.zealous friends have troubled
YOU and the President to ask fayors for
me, but they did SO against my expressed
wish and consent. Your subsequent
order respecting officers coming TO
Washington, etc., led me 10 believe that
you thought had busted myself in mat
ters Of general legislation on army mat
ters, and officers OF the staff have said
r1Ar1wAsrHE AUTHOR
~ ,bo Coburr b;u which thew had seen
= mv nv vhsnJwr;t;ng So entirely untrue
+ ,L;s hat fasliS. certS;n many would
cbnr1o me me viii ,f;s nm account Of NV
tooL I Nv wos % ssn.n;oIIy cs"tio", and
oSvs, S conv.rsag with any mem.
i,sr ~ CorS,sss al any time unon
Orr INV ~ 'n,ttsrS ~ n ,srsr,i notnr" T have
49, % ~" Ie,,ss irom; dan Cohnrn
.,a,;na ,Ls, e '''e' '' ~
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y 3 INEVERHAW TILE BILL