Year: 1872

Z =
| ty in the details of the execution of un-
| doubted power and in the result there
was no sacrifice of any interest of the
| government, The sales of arms and
military stores during the fiscal year
ending June S0th, 1871, were not made
under such circumstances as to violate
the obligations of our government as a
neutral power and this for these reasons.


First. That the Rommgtons were not
in fact the agents of France during the
time when the sales were made to them.


Second. That if they were such
agents, such a fact was neither known
nor suspected by our Government at the
time the sales were made.


Third. That if they had been such
AGENTS and if that fact had been known
to our Govern cnt. or if instead of send
ing agents Louis Napoleon or Frederick
William had personally applied at the
War Department TO purchase arms, it
would have been lawful for us TO sell to
them in pursuance Of the national pol
icy adopted by the United States prior
to the commencement of hostilities.


There IS "ot the slightest foundation
for even a suspicion of any offence Of
the War Department, or that any de-
partment of the Government derived
any advantages from these sales. The
name Of Gen. Rufus INGALLS, having been
mentione! in this connection and he
having bcen subjected to criticism, the
ccHmittee feel bound as a mere act of
justice 10 state that he is fully exoncr-
ated. His only connection with this
tran>al i5r vas the execution of friend
" offices in delivering a message to, and
ma.iug enquiry # tne French Minister
at Nasuin-i0u. II WI n he never re
ccivcd. nor expected to receive, the
sligh+ Isl consideration or advantage, and
the committee believe the Secretary of
War and his subordinates in these trans
actions entirely blameless, and that they
resulted in good advantage to the Gov
ernment.


Tnasnluch as the Remingtons have
also been mentioned in this connection,
Justice requires, at the hands of the
hands Of the committee, the report that
this investigation has not resulted in i'm
praching the high character which they
have so long sustained for enterprise and
business insegrity.


The committee ia conclusion say that
an examination of the testimony cannot
fail to produce an impression that Mar
quis De Chambrun is the source of all
the suspicion which has been thrown
upon our government and the suspicious
which have been cast upon its officials
His connection with the legation of
France, from which he some times
emerges and under which at other times
he shelters himself, leaves in doubt
what was his real purpose in all this
matter. At times he seems to have been
intriguing in the interest of the French
government to establish claims or causes
Of complaint against American citizens,
been acting as an agent or friend of his
relative, the former Consul General of
New York, Mr. Place. 1t is impossible
to determine from the testimony, pre-
ciselY where his official character ended
and his personal efforts commenced.
What was the purpose for which he de-
sired this Investigation is not known but
il is certain he labored constantly and
fo;tbf,,IJ,v NTH ouccacc +o accpYnplich IL
Having failed to procure an investiga-
ton by our government, by which he
hoped to obtain proof to affect the trial
of his friend and relative, by applying to
Senator Paterson and Secretary Belk-
nap, both friends of the administration
of our government, the Marquis next
applied to Senators SchurZ and Sumner.
He furnished to Senator Sumner the
copy of the letter from Remington to
Lecesne, although in subsequent con-
versation with Secretary Boutwell, he
denied that he had done so and charged
upon Senator Patterson that he, Cham
brun, had given the letter to him to be
shown to the President and that Senator
Patterson had just given it or a copy Of
il to Senator Sumner.


This letter was one of the principal
inducements of the introduction by Sem
ator Sumner, of the resolution for an in
yestigation. Another inducement was
the surprising discrepancy between the
accounts of the War and Treasury De
partmepts. in regard to these sales which
turn out not to have been so, and yet
another was a pretended resolution of
the French Assembly or some commit
tee thereof which it appears never was
passed. Had Senators Sumner and
Schurz applied to the Treasury or War
Departments for information on this
subject, with its slight Inconvenience of
five minutes walk, they would have
learned all the material facts, which it
has cost the Government thousands of