New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-11-21
LETTERS AGAINST SANFORD.
LETTERS AUAINSI SANTVhU'
WHAT MR.. SMITH HAS TO ALLEGE AGAINST HE
PRoPRIErY OF THE APPOINTMENT TO BELGIUM.

L
WHAT MR. SMITH HAS TO ALLEGE AGAINST THE
| PRoPRIETY OF THE APPOINTMENT TO BELGIUM
lBY TELEGRAPH TO TnE TRTBUsEI
| WAsuINGToS, Nov 20.-The following letter and
ACCOMPANYING documents in regard to Mr.. Saniords
nomination to the Belgian Mission were, to-day
! submitted to the Senate Committee on Foreign he
atons in accordance with the request of the chair
| man. by Mr.. George Z. Smith of Philadelphia, VINO
was employed by General Meigs and President LIN
coin to make large purchases of army supplies
abroad in 1861; ... ~. 90 1917
The Hon HANNIBAL HAMLIS, Chairman, etc., ETC.:
SIR: by your PERMISSION concude to address your
COMMITTEES n short statement in regard TO Mr.. H. = san
ford For myself and the business winch brought me III
acquaintance with that gentleman, beg 10 teier 10
Quartermls General Megs. Mr. Sanford sought me
ins induce me TO transfer my business oo 0d
purchasing army cloths o ao4 9 cEIa essr R9riDg.
| 10 HIN, to remain IN London and Keep IN the DacA,
ground put failing Ia ms pc g f %np' MEN an lion
c for By the agent OF lie Confederate
Government which. much cost and trouble to himself
he had secured 10 Offer me. TINS purchase without my
seeing goods, he urged me to make but faiug also
in that ne left Paris leaving MS address there,
hoping would reconsider ana ACCEPT the contract.
had then been through the LONDON warehouse, anu
found nothing buy, ana wrote Mr.. Sanford AT Pas,
nqurng whether he could or would ald me to Try anu
GET supplies OF army cOlhcs IN he mEdzlnes vi io
French Government was entirely ready ana anAlVus
10 avail myself OF assistance from auy one to get what
urgently wanted al nome. mr., s'hioru , tned
wrote me- of George Peabody Coan lie enclosed
urgug again the Rebel cloths, ana tiat come
immediately TO BRUSSELS stopped there on my way 70
Pans with difficulty tosee samples Oi the goods when
proved to be the tnn Belgian cloths Of the brightest
Confederate grey color ana for winch the price was
named at eleven francs metre from three to
four francs learned more Than tney could tneh
be bought for ~ any quantity On refusing again. DIT
SANFORD threatened ue Win reports heH0ud scni home
etc etc but 1 had reason believe he soon chang d
such intentions. and seat samples and descriptions tue
cloths be presented for sale 90 the QnaItermsters
DEPARTMENTS al nome But / had written private let
ter General M~igs, informing nm Of the whole trans
action, and learned from MIN, on my return, that tne
] .laI war
ford's Secretary Of Legation, and although strongly
pressed were refused by the department. On applIca
lion for copy the letter, addressed the General
REGARD 10 this matter recc we'd tn following reply III
Inn. last conclude 10 enclose the original herewith
| I'm regard whole matter, II beg respectfully 20
saw that hdd Thought al The time OF ever having
care OF Mr. sanforls letters, or those OF gentleman
with him in Brusselsa purchaser o arms in regard to
WHAT was lea 20 40 III protesting 90 me IfrHueh'
in MAJ against Mr. sdniOrds apo nment To Brussels,
was from a sincere WISH as RcpuDlclh, 10 save MN
lhe comments "hich thc unfortunate Nomination
! Uas provoked from the wnOle country. Very
Sp''''"'''' GEORGE PLUMER SMITH.
The original Of the following accompanies the
above:
GY DEAR have your letter Of the 9th. The person
wished Paris VINO could contract the purchase
Won wish make, is unfortunately out OF town. | Will
wait Till Monday 10 see in OUT what hoped you
would willing do If it could be accomplished 10
purchase rebel The color is Objectionable
(uiue gray could not the cloth be dyedl Here
ana large blankets. l shall to Brus-
sells AT latest, on Monday, p. m. Yours tTaiy,
The following reached Mr.. Smith from the house
of Geo. Peabody d Co., after Mr. Smith had left
Brussels;
Hessrs GEO PEABODY & Co.
DEAR SIR: / ielcgraphed you yesterday about Mr.
Smith | enclose letter for him which wsh il he Is
in London, to nave III his hands IN time TO repy TO me
by telegraph tomorrow "Wednesday. Will you please
have Linn run down for me- aud obligc, =, ,
Yours truly, III. S. SANFORD.
Tho ohova contair cd a 1efter Mr. Smith
planned in his verbal statement TO Mr. Hamlin, last
week. plainly proposing to this large sale of
cloths and share the proceeds. This letter was sub
sequently sent by Mr. Smith to ex-senator Cowan,
of PENNSYLVANIA. who used it ef1ectually III the Sen
ate to defeat Sanford's promotion in 1867. Senator
Cowan has made careful search for it for present
use. and has written a letter expressing his belief
that il was retained at the time among the papers
of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
Many of the old papers of this committee have, how
ever disappeared, and no trace oft can be found.
As to the accuracy of Mr. Smiths statement,
ouartermaster-General Meigs bore- the following
testimony when the question of Sanfords connec-
ton with this attempt to sell worthless goods to the
Government was revived in May last:
" AR DErr oUARTERMA sTER-GE GENERALS OFFICE, !
WAsmsGToS; d. G., June 4, ls77i1
GEO. p SMITH,, ESQ., 23l South Sifi"sf' fh"ddefph'a'
MY DEAR SIR: return the copy draft Of your let,
any trace OF the receipt OF this letter or that OF Odd OF
January 1862. must have used them II received, rs
confidential with Secretary Stanton or President dnc0n
and parted with DESTROYED them with The records.
do doubt that your recollection OF the ailar Is accu
rate and hope remonstrancc Will De effective
nave entire confidence IN your accuracy III ths matter
Yours faithfully, ,MElGs',
ouartcrnasIer-C onela Brevet MsorGencral, u 8. A
WHERE TRADE CAN BE PUSHED.
CONSULAR REPORTS FROM MANITOBA, sAXoNY AND
COLOGNE.
WAsn1NGrnN Nov. 2O.-The United States