Year: 1872

arms, wanted them for one or the
other of the belligerents. A man who
applied for fifty thousand muskets
and ten batteries Of artillery, the pre-
sumption was that he did not want
them to scare blsekbirds or kill geese
in pond. Laughter. When Rem
ingtOn applied for fifty thousand mus
kets and seventeen million cartridges,
it was at least certain that a great
change had taken place in the market
for arms, and il was the duty of the
government TO become more than or
dinarily circumspect in the disposal
of its ordnance stores. He would not
say that the secretary Of war knew at
first that Remington was the agent OF
the French government, but he soon
afterwards disclosed himself as such.
The reports made to the French gov
eminent showed that all the lots of
arms sold here went to France.


Senator Conkling denied this, and
said that Senator SchuTz knew very
well that France and Prussia did not
constitute the only or chief market
for arms in christendOm at that time.


Senator SchuIz said that an investi-
CATION would show that al least an
overwhelming majority of arms went
to France.


Senator Conkling-There is differ
ence between all and an OverWhelm-
ing majority.


senator Schurz read from Reming-
toms letter of December 13, 1870, his
statement that he had bought fifty
batteries, etc., and said that this
showed Remington to have been ne-
gOtiating w..n the government after
he had declared himself to be French
agent, because after the endorsement
of Remington as a gentleman of high
character yesterday by the gentleman
from New York, [Conklingl it would
not do to explain away his statement
in this letter by saying that he was
trying to magnify his Importance
in the eyes Of the French govern
ment.


Senator Conkling said he had not
yet indOrsed Remington as a gentle
man of high character, but he would
not deny that ne might do so if it be-
came necessary.


Senator Schurz thought that under
the circumstances to Whiehhe was call
ing attention it seemed to be neces-
sary.


Senator Oonkling asked whether
Senator Schurz meant to say or imply
that Remington's letter necessarily
meant that he had made the purchases
in person? The language Of the letter
would be just as true and appropriate
ifhe had done business through agents,
and we had the word OF the secretary
of state that no arms were sold to
Remington after about the middle of
october, 1870.


Senator SchuTZ was willing to let
the letter go before the country with
out further comment. He then dis
cussed the sales to Richardson, the al
legged attorney of Remington q
lawyer of Lion, New York. He Or
dered fifty thousand muskets. What
a beilicOse lawyer? Laughter.
What did a little country lawyer
want with fifty thousand muskets?
Here surely was exceedingly strong
ground for suspicion on the part OF the
war department. which shows plainly
there had been blindness, compared
with which the blindness of the mole
would be clairvoyance laughter, or
else there had been transparent Jug
glery, and in either case investigation
was necessary. Remington himself
had since gone to France carrying
with him a certificate of character
from the secretary of war, endorsed as
he lSehuTZl was informed by the
senator from New York Conklingl.


Senator ConkliDg denied that he
had endorsed any letter written by
any body else for Remington, and
stated that no had written himself,
saying that SO far as he had ever
known the character OF Remington
Bros, commercially and personally,
that they were good and that their
standing was enviabiy high in the
county in which they had always
lived. That he had written letter,
at the request of Remington, VINO told
him that mis- character had been
questioned. Remington also stated
tnat instead Of having special facili-
ties given him by the government Of
the United States he had been ques-
toned, impeded, and bsffled in his
transactions in arms in manner and
to an extent far beyond anything 70
which he had ever known q citizen of
any other country to be subjected,
and that when his character was
questioned abroad and he applied to
the officials of the war department ior
letter certifying tG tT iacts which ap-
pesreeGG on their record they declined
to give it on the ground that they did
not want TO be dragged into matters
of that kind, and would not consent to
certify; that he had large transactions
in arms with the department, and
had been found trustworthy.


Senator SchuTz thought it very odd
that gentlemen, who wanted GER
tificate OF good character to enable
him to get into good society abroad,
should apply for it to the war depart
ment. Laughter.


Senator Conkling-Did the senator
understand me to say that Reming-
ton wanted the certificate to introduce
him into ''goOd society abroad?"


Senator Schurz-NO, sir; so far from
suppOsing that he wanted that certiff-
cate to get him into good society, l
believe he wanted it to help him in
settling his accounts with the French
government. Further, it was an act
Of very questionable prOpriety for the
chief of ordnance or secretary of war
to give a certificate of character to
man who had been virtually turned
out of the department, as u French
agent, some time before.


Senator Conkling said the certificate
was given this winter, long after the
end of the war.


Without reaching vote, the senate
went into executive session, and soon
after adjourned.