Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-01-30
FORT BROWN.
The Resolution Reported FsT0rsbIy
to the House by the Military
Affairs Committee.
Mr.. GRAINS Remarks on the Occasion In
Favor of the Purchase, Oriticisirg
the Opponents OF the Measure.
Correspondence Of the Gazette.

Correspondence Of the Gazette.
| WASHINGTON, Jan. 25.-The question
Of purchasing the military reservation q
Fort Brown, Tex, occupied considerable
time in the House 10 day, the principa
speakers being Mr.. ToWnshend, Chairman
Of the committee on military affairs; Mr.
Scott Of Pennsylvania, and Mr.. Grain o
Texas. The following resolution wss re
ported fsvorably By the military affairs
committee, and after considerable discus
sion was adopted by the House:
Whereas, II appears by an act passed
March, 1885, the sum of $4,000 wss ap-
propriated 10 enable the Secretary Of
War to acquire good and valid title fol
The United States to the Fort Brown
reservation, Texas, and to pay and extln,
guish all claims for the use and occupa-
ton of said reservation, provided that nc
part of this sum should be paid until s
complete title be vested in the United
States;
Whereas, it is alleged that disputes
| have arisen between the claimants as to
their respective shares Of this appropris-
ton, and that the Secretary of War has
not paid any part Of said am unit;
Whereas, ny an act of Congress passed
in 1875 tho sum OF S25, 200 was appropri-
ated for the purchase of The grounds and
payment Of the said Fort Brown and in
the report of General Sherman as to the
sufficiency of the said sum it is alleged
that the payment of $3.50 0CG therefor
would be fraud on the COVE nment;
Whereas, it is alleged that 1t will ap-
pear from the documentary evidence in
the War Department, the QuErtermsster-
Generals Cffi;e, also the evidence Of
officials now IN Washington who have
served at said pos, likewise the testl-
mony OF other citizens which can be OBJ
tanned, that the sum of $50. 0O0 would be
& large price to pay for said reservation,
Including rent for the use and occupation
of the same: therefore,
Resolved, that the committee on mill
tarY affairs be instructed to investigate
The subject matter herein named, with
authority to send for persons and papers;
also to inquire into and report as to what
necessity exists, il any, for military post
at said point and the cost to the United
States of said post since 1865.
Resolved, that the Secretary Of War be
directed to withhold the payment Of any
part OF said sum OF 100000 for the
grounds and rents of the said Fort Brown
reservation.
On this subject Mr.. Grain SAIL: "Mr.
Speaker: It seems to me that the ques-
tlon Of an investigation Of the amount
to be paid for TIE site of Fort Brown
comes up at very late day. 1t strikes
me as very singular that the Cerebus of
the Treasury and the chairman of the !
committee on military affairs, both of
whom we're members of the committee on
appropriations which made this appropri- |
sti0r in the FortV-eighth CONGRESS, should |
not then nave discovered the reasons why |
the government of the United States |
by the act which they |
recommended, and which that Congress |
passed | excuse the gentleman from |
it is a familiar principle of law that |
ignorantia legis neminem excusst, |
he is not familiar with the facts in this |
has made himself siphon between out |
eide individuals and the gentleman from
Nebraska
Why is it that the gentleman from Indl- |
ans, Mr.. Holman, when he was member of
mended the appropriation for the expend- |
iture of this sum OF money, did not raise |
his voice in the committee in opposition |
to the amount, if, as he alleges, it was
too large? Why is 1t that he did not, in |
with that reputation which lie
has made for himself throughout the |
country as the watchdog Of the Treas
ury, oppose the passage of the appropri- |
alton act which provided that the owners
of the site of Fort Brown should receive !
the sum which WAS recommended by the |
committee? Why was il, l ask further, |
that the gentleman who has the distin- |
guished honor of adCrDing and animaring
The Craftsmanship of the committee on mil
itary affairs did not when q mem
Der of the committee on ap-
propriations which Recommended this item |
and asked the House to adopt it, oppose |
tae measure instead OF sitting silently by
and permitting the House OF Represents |
tiVes of the Forty-eighth Congress to
pass without comment the item sppro-
pristing this amount for the purchase OF
the fort2
Mr.. Townsheud-Does the gentleman
desire an answer?
Mr.. Crain--Certainly.
MT. IOWlSQent w 01le sIn unuSG OO- !
legation to the gentleman for the compli-
ment which ne has paid to the chSirmsn |
of the committee on military affairs -
Mr.. Crain-Do not take up too mucn OF
my time.
Mr.. ToWnshend-I wish to say distinct |
~ that my recollection is clear that as q
member Of the committee on -sppropria-
tiors 1 opposed the appropriation Of the
enormous sum which was proposed to be
employed in this purchase.
stood then where l stand to-day, In
the belief that It Was an exorbitant sum,
sndI have great doubt in my mind Wheth-
Er there is any need whatever for a foTt
at thst point.
Mr. Crsin-The gentleman from Illinois
does not stand to-day where he stood
then. He may have opposed it in COM
mIttee, but to-day he opposes iG on the
floor Of the House, and he did not oppose |
il on the floor Of the House then.
Mr.. Townshend-I old not occupy then
the position I do now on the committee |
on militsry affairs.
Mr. Crsin--I suppose If the gentleman |
did not occupy that position now be
would not take the stand he does to-day. |
Nearly four year after the passage OF
an act, which was either recommended
ny the committee on appropriations or
tacitly acquiesced in, We have two mem