MERIC 4N VOLUNTEER.
A
JOffN B. BRATTON* Editor k Pltoprictor.
CARLISLE, PA., .JANUARY 2, 1862.
“■f-V
6;U R FLA©
“ Forever float that standard'sheet!'
: Where breathes Vie foe but falls before us!
With. Freedom’s soiloeneath our feet, ,
And Freedom’s banner waving o’er us ! ”
DEMOCRATIC STATE EXECU
TIVE-COMMITTEE.
■A meeting of the Democratic State Execu
tive Committee will be held at the Buehler
Housie; Harrisburg, on 'Wednesday, January
15. 1862, at _3 o'clock, P. M:
Democratic-papers in the State will please
copy.
WIEEIAAIII. VVELSHi Chairman.
A- WEEK: OP PBillfEß FOR 1861.
The Committee of the Foreign Evangelical
*>, . ,
' Alliance, composed of distinguished persons
Christendom, have published their annual
circular, recommending the observance of the
J-first week ingJanuary, 18G2, as a season of
prayer for,"tha conversion of .the world. A
similar season was observed at the commence
ment of the past year, in this place, by a
union of sis religious congregations, of dif
ferent denominations, with a remarkable de
gree of unanimity and profit, and it is propo
sed that a like method of proceeding be pur
sued at the opening of the present year. . Ac
cordingly the pastors Of the same congrega
tions have adopted, the plan proposed by the
Committee of the Alliance with respect to
the subjects for each 'day of the week, and
hereby announce.that the following order of
exercises will be observed, viz:
Sunday, January 5, 1862.—Sermons by
each pastor in his own congregation, on the
Holy Spirit; his divinity and personality ;
■his offices and operations. Prayer for the J
-Lord's blessing upon the services of the week.
Monday, 6. — Humiliation arid confession of
sin ; as individuals, as families, us churches,
as a nation; Thanksgiving and praise for,re-
cent religious awakenings. Sermon by Eov.
Jacob Tar, at 10 o’clock, A. M., in thb Sec
ond Presbyterian church, and prayer meeting
with brief.addresses, in the same church, in
the evening lit half-past 6 o’clock.
Tuesday, 7. —Homo objects for prayer; the
conversion, of .the ungodly ; the cessation of
intemperanceand-immorality; and thespread
of vital religion-in ovir families and house
hold, among our rulers, the rich and poor>
oiir soldiers and' sailors, the authors of our
literature, secular and religious. Ser.mon by
Rev. Conway P. Wind, D. D., in the Emory
Church, at 10J o’clock, A. M., and prayer
meeting, in the same pladl, at 6} o’clock, P. M.
Wednesday, B.—Foreign objects for pray-
or; the revival of pure Christianity and the
extension of religious liberty in Europe and
the lands of the East; the overthrow of ev
ery form of anti-ohriatian error ; the conver
sion of the house of Israel; the prevalence of
peace among all nations, especially in Amer-
ica; and a yet more abundant blessing upon
our brethren and sisters engaged in the work
of missions, Christian education and litera-
ture in foreign lands. Sermon by Rev. W,
W. Eells, in the MethodlstEpiscnpal Church,
first charge, at 10} o’clock, A..M:, and prayer
meeting, in the. evening, in the same place,
at 6} o’clock.
Thursday, 9. —The Church of God and
the,Christian ministry; the increased spirit
uality of the church and its more decided
separation from the world; brotherly love,
sympathy and union of labor among the
Cord’s people; a higher standard of piety
and power among Christian ministers and all
iheir fellow-laborers; the outpouring of the
•Spirit upon our universities and colleges, and
on the rising ministry at largo; the conver
sion of the young and a large blessing upon
•Sunday and other schools.. Sermon by the
Rev. Samuel Philips in the First Presbyte
rian Church, at 10.} o’clock, A. M., and pray
er meeting, in.thesatue.-place, at G} o’clock,
in the evening.
Friday, 10.—The word of God ; that it may
be received with increasing.faith, reverence
and love; that its assailants may be enlight
ened and brought into the way of. truth; that
the power of the divine Spirit may attend its
private study, and its circulation throughout
the world. Serman by Rev. Joseph A.JROss,
in the First Lutheran Church, at 10} o’clock,
A. M., and prayer meeting in the evening at
C.J o’clock.
Saturday, 11.—The Lord’s Day; that its
uiv.ino institution may he recognized and its
desecration at home and abroad may cense.
Sorinon by Rev. 11. M., Johnson, D. D., in
the German Reformed Church, at 10} o’clock,
A l ., Jli, and. prayer meeting in the, same
church at 0} o’clock, P-, M.
•Sunday, 12.—Sermons on the signs, dan
gers and'duties of the present times; motives i
to personal holiness and Christian activity. '
fiST'Tho Report of the Secretory of the
Treasury has hoen sent to Congress. Ho
says the public debt of the United States, by
nno St i°. f ' Tuly ' 1863, "''"amountto $900,000,-
«00. 110 proposes to lay a taxpn Tea, Coffee
Tm 000 Mo n Tr e WhißUy rcirculate
?150,0U0,000 Treasury- pp|os through the lo
cal-banks,..instead of their own notes. Unqle
Sam is in a fairway of getting over head and
cat's in dpbt.
. | — 1
!£/? As.a proofthatgirls are useful articles,
■.md^tbat—tha'worldoouldn't'very'wcllgct
along without them, it has been stated, by a
late writer, as a fact, that if all tho girls were
to be driven out of the world, in One genera
tion, tiio boys would all go after them. Well,
they would.
wmeii MASTER 7
Many of the small pdp-guu Republican
journals yelp like kicked puppies when they
rcud.urticlus in ifio Democratic press condem
natory of any act of the AdmiuUthrtion, To.
fiud fault with the speculators, whoso patriot
,iam consists ia< piling up princely fortunes at
Ihc expense of the people, is ahrrost “ trea
-Bua" 5u the. eyes of these very virtuous jour
nalists. And yet these are tiro very papers
that have lived upon slander for years. No
Democratic President—-nomatter what policy
ho pursued—escaped ths poisoned airmys of
these unprincipled sud reckless cdit6np'|s?ho
greater the prosperity of the people and the
country, the louder would bo thoir denunoitt
, tions. During the terms of Presidents Jack
son', Polk, Pierce and Buchanan, they dis
coursed flippantly about the “ freedom of the
press,” and at the same time hurled thoir ly
ing anathemas at the administration and
against tlio Constitution itself, often terming
this sacred instrument “ a covenant with
death and an agreement with hell,” and" ex
pressing the wish that it might “ sli(le. , ’}~
By every means they could bring td-thoir
power—by writing, speaking and falsifying—
they have for years labored to- bring the ad-‘
ministration and the country into disrepute.
These political desperadoes aredhemon who
now set up a sickly howl'when-a> Democratic
editor dares to utter a word against the pres
ent administration, or that nest of hissing
vipers who compose' a majority in the two.
Houses .of Congress. And yet at this very
f hour they arc themselves almost in. open op
position to the President of their choice be
cause ho refuses to perjure himself (by over
riding the provisions of the Constitution) in
the effort now making to put down-rebellion.
These are the creatures, wo repeat, who, fool
ing comfr
power ai
thc.ir basi
probed by an independent
If wo did iSfi|jknow that the country Ims suf
fered and by their peculations
and false'professions, we- might pity their dis
tress; but we can feel no pity for those whoso
patriotism is measured by. the amount of mo
ney they can' filch from our bleeding country.
11 nt, when Republican editors complain
about “ attacks upon the administration," we
desire that they be a little more' specific, and
inform us what •part of the administration
they have reference to. Do. they mean the
1 Cameron wing, or the Lincoln wing of the
administration 7 It is well known that the
! President, Seward, B_tes -and Blair have
no sympathy whatever with the views of
Hamlin, Cameron Chase and Wells,, The
President struck out; a column or'more
of Cameron’s Eeport (written by Creely,)
and yet the Republican papers were mean
enough to publish and fully endorse this very
part that the President had drawn his pen
over. When Cameron sent out and had pub
lished the rejected portion of his Report, “ old
Abe ” should have put his “ foot down," and
removed Cameron from office at oncot This
is what “ old Hiekory.”’would have done un
der similar circumstances. Gen. Jackson .■
required his Cabinet officers either to’agree i
with.him in'Bcntiment,.or leave, which they i
pleased..
But, the Republican press continue tolaud’
Cameron for having.published the rejected
portion of his report. In doing this are they
not attacking. the President in a most cow
ardly and clandestine manner 7 Are they
not condemning his views andapproving of
Cameron’s? Certainly they, are. They,
therefore, must consider Cameron the,admin
istration and Lincoln nobody.
We feel no desire to bo constantly finding
-fault, but yet wC intend to hold this adminis
tration responsible for the calamities thafaro
now upon us.. Wo must get- out of this
scrape by crushing rebellion, and punishing
Union-breakers, both North and South. If
the President continues to resist the importu
nities of one-lial£ his^Cabinet and a large ma
jority of his partizans in Congress, then the
people will sustain him. If be falters, it
would bo bettor for him bud be never been
born.
DARE.NOT GIVE THEM UP !.
This government dare not give up Ma
son and Slidell. The people of this section wore
inexpressibly pained'at rending a letter in
lastTucsday’s Philadelphia Pl-ess from ‘ • Occa
sional,” looking to such a possible contingen
cy as the release of these two arch conspira
tors. It brough back the gloomy and soul
dispiriting days when there was a talk of
meanly yielding up Fort Sumpter without a
blow. The very thoughtof such a crushing
humiliation is horrible to contemplate. These
men,'who arb'now secure in Fort Warren,
would at onco c sail fur England, and their
landing on,her shores would bo the occasion
of a grand reception of them by all tho band
ed enemies of this country who now infest
that imperious and impudent jsland of the
sea. They would hail them with shouts of
applause, and reward us with sneers and ex
pressions of scorn sucti as no nation over felt.
In tho trainof this national humiliation would
come every possible indignity that our an
cient foe could heap upon us. Not n fort
night would elapse before she would insult
us to our tooth, and wo should then either
have to fight, or die, nationally, in a sea of
disgrace. Wo have captured Mason and
Slidell on the high sons, by virtue of a law
of nations fully recognized by England, and
by every American statesman whose opinion
is'worth roferlng to. Our Government has
virtually approved of the act of Com. Wilkes,
and to back out of it now would call down the
anathemas of twenty millions of freemen.
Wo must hoid'them whcther.it betide us good
or ill —West Chester Republican.
We take tho above article from John Hick
nan’s organ, the West Chester Republican ,-
one of the most vindictive and unscrupulous
Black Republican papers in tho State. The
Republican’s advice has not boon hooded- by
the administration—“ old Abe ” became
weak in tho knees when he heard-.tho British
lion roar, and ho did daro to do tho very
thing Republican leaders said he could not
do without “ national humiliation.” By sur
rendering thoso arch traitors, Mason' and
Slidell, tho President has disgraced him
self, as well as tho Government.
Goon Kature. —One cannot imagine any
quality of tho human mind: whence greater
advantages can arise to society than good na
ture, seeing that man is a social being, not
made for solitude, but conversation. Good
°!"y lessons the sorrows of life,
turns. It is, indeed, the origin of all society.
Where it not for good nature, men oouid not
exist together) uor hold intercourse with ouo
another.
in Astoniahlns- Exposure of Fraud and Mal
•feasance.
“It the people of tho United States have
heretofore- b|eK astonished at tbo develop
ments peculation, plunderand
have from time to tinier
boon newspaper press during
tho progress\Srtlio wariigainst tno rebellion,
they will experience a still more intense emo
tion when they como to read tho exposures
made by tho Van Wyck Commiltoo'of Inves
tigation, nn abstract of which, with such de
tails ns we could find space for, wo publish
to-d|iy. In reading it, words of burning in
dignhtioii spring instinctively to tho lips, but
wojJOrbcttr to use them until the record of
thfiae infamous transactions is spread more
fully before the country. In the meantime,
let, no citizen fail to read the report and tho
testimony."
Thq above is. the language of the Philadel
phia Inquirer, a Republican Journal, on pub
lishing tho portion of tho Report of tho Con
gressional Investigating Committee given in
another part of the Volunteer , and all honest
men who purOsethis astounding development
nf official and semi-official robbery oftho.Gov
ibfhmont, will unhesitatingly admit that tho
language is not stronger or more severe than
the character of the rascally transactions de
mands.
The West Chester Jeffersonian says that
this Report makes it evident that tho fraud
and choiitery, under Fremont and his pot
friends, in the West, has been fully equalled,
by the . Cnmoronians and Wellsites iri tho
Easti Cummings —Alexander Cummings—
is well known in this State as one of Cameron’s
most intelligent; active, and unscrupulous
schemers and operators; and when he was
appointed to make purohasdfr, &c., for the
Government, there was not a Pennsylvanian
who knew him and Simon, who did not feel
■assured that just such doings ns are .„now.
—oulr —petrated. . ,
Black Repub
lican Governor of New York.—E. D. Morgan.
True, the Governor did nut act, directly and
personally, but assigned his part of the-work
to another Morgan—a brother of the Gov
ernor and brother-in-law of Mr. IFeltcs, Secre- 1
■tar;/ .of the Navy ! The extent of the-plunder
secured through the Governor’s relative was
certainly no trifle, for in the one matter of
purchasing and hiring vessels for the Gov
ernment, the Report shows it, in all probabili
ty, : has exceeded NINETY-FIVE. THOU
SAND DOLLARS U
: The Report states ows fact which, of itself,
must be'conclusive with every honest and un
prejudiced reader, that the appointment of
Morgan & Cummings was’ intended - for
plundering- purposes,.and that fact is, that]
there was no necessity for theia appointment,
iho Government having, at,the time, honesl
men—regular commissioned ’ officers—under
pay and-bonds, who could and would have at
tended to all this purchasing and hiring; with-
out a dollar’s best 1
WORSE AND IMRE OF IT,
Since the foregoing "was put in typo, wo
have seen more extensive portions of the Re
port than are continued in our paper; and
-the developments made by the Committee, are
most damaging anddamning to the Fromqnt
prs, Camcronians, and Wellsites, arid exhibit
an awful nnd astounding system of swindling,
the Qovernraent, in purchases, &n.,. fur the
army and navy. All the robbing arid plun
dering of the Government, from Washing
ton's administration to the present, if concen
trated into one grand, operation, would fail to
equal, in culpable recklessness and bold ras
cality, the'dishonesty and fraud brought to
light by this Report.
0-/’ Two articles appear in the “ American
Volunteer” of this week, which we presume
will be attended to and-answered by the Edi
tor On his return home. His sub has no desire or
intention to indulge in personalities unless
forced upori him. —Carlisle Herald of Frida//.
Had the editor been at his post two weeks
ago, wo fool satisfied tho ill-natured, unkind
and uncallbd-ior fling at bur paper would Hot
have appeared iu tho Herald. Wo certainly
have as great aversion to personal controver
sies as the “ sub ” of the Herald, and it lias
always been our desire to maintain a friendly
demeanor toward our cotemporaries. Editors,
’like other men,, have their feelings, and those
feelings should ho respected. We permitted
the Herald for weeks to throw dirty squibs
at us, without reply, for w.e know tlte'editor
of that paper was not in tho sanctum ; but
.when our neighbor, like the frog in the fable,
attempted to swell himself anj to speak of
his own sheet as being highly “ respectable,”
and ours as “ infamous,” wo- thought it our
duty to respond. However, it will not be our
fault if unpleasant controversies ensue.
The Pennsylvania Sixth in the Draines
ville Affair.— At tho recent battle and vic
tory at Drainesville, tho Sixth Pennsylvania
Regiment took an active part, as will be seen
by the following account. Our townsman-,
Lieut. Col. Wji. M. Pun-rose, bad command,
of the regiment, (owing to the illness of Col.
Ricketts,) and acquitted himself nobly. We
take tho following from tho report of tho bat
tler
Tho part taken in the Drainesville affair
by the Sixth Pennsylvania Reserve Volunteer
corps has been almost overlooked in tho vari
ous accounts which have been written. Col.
Ricketts, of tho Regiment, is exceedingly ill,
from disease contracted in tho service, and
tho command devolved on Lieut; Colonel Pen
rose. Tho Sixth marched down the Lees
burg road, near to the town of Drninosvillej
where it halted just before tho enemy’s bat
tery opened lire before the road. A portion
ot tho Regiment, led by Lieut. Col. Penrose
and Captain Painter, of General Oi-d’s staff,
both mounted, was moved up under the full
fire of the enemy’s battery to tlm support of
-four of Easton’s guns, placed some distance
in advance of tho road. The shot and shell
of tho rebels flow around in all directions
Had tlioir guns been managed by experienced
artillerists, the slaughter in our ranks would
have been terrific, as tho position held by this
division of the Sixth was immediately in front
of tho rebel battery. Tho other division of
the Regiment, led by Captain Entand Lieut.
McKean, made a- detour into.tho woods, where
thoy made several brilliant charges upon tho
enemy, in conjunction with. Colonel Kane’s
Bucktail rifles. The rebels wore completely
driven out of tho woods. Tho Sixth lost three
men killed, and bad fourteen wounded. The
entire Regiment behaved gallantly through
out. Colonel Ricketts, in consequence of tho
precarious state of his health, it is feared,
will be compelled to resign his commission.
Ifo ia o graduate of WestPoiut, an aocoin
plisliedfandTifavo soldier, and niucliTjerovod
by the men command.
BSy-Don’t lotyoui children learn good and
bad things indiscriminately, To bo sure, the
bad might bo eradicated in after years, but it
is easier to sow clean seed than to cleanse
dirty wheat.
TIIE WAY GOVERNMENT
FLirtfJpBRED.
- BY THE
FKEMONTEB& AND CAMERONIANS'
MORE MSTOUMDIKO DISCLOSURES.
Report of Congressional lnv,estiga
♦ ting Cbniniillee.
SlSipN’s FRIEND CUMMINGS’S OPERATION
lo illustrate the '.importance of system in
j tho purchase of these supplies, ns well ns the
prudence of only employing the reasonable,
agents of Government in the execution of pub
lic trusts, instead of irresponsible temporary
agents, through whom a, system of favoritism
could be consumated. the Committee call the
especial attention of the House to the pur
chase of supplies by Alexander Cummings,
m the city of New York, under the direction
of the Secretary' of War. The purchase of
these supplies, without advertising for com
petition, was clearly justifiable. But the fail*
uro to employ in this business an experienced
public officer, furnishes a just ground of pub
lic complaint. .
Iheso purchases were ijiado on' the spur of
a pressing necessity, commencing about tho
of April; but at that time thoio were in
the city of Now York, at the head of Quarter
master and Commisary Departments,
men familiar ..with evry want of tho army fa
miliar with tho Now York markets, and pos
sessing every other advantage which years of
experience could confer. Major Eaton, tho
Assistant Commissary-Goneral at New York
and Coh Tompkins, the Assistant Quarter
mastor General, at the same city, where fully
entitled to the confidence of the Government
on the score of capacity. experience, integrity
andpatriotiarn. The legitimate duties ofcach
ot those gentlemen have, to some extent, been
performed by persons entirely irresponsible
to the Government, and of, at least, limited
experience, and, so for as the committee is
informed, , vuthbut any public necessity, for
the, heads of those departments at .New‘York'
“I? ° n o?„l ly .- a I blo m° lln f emergency.'
who tor twelve years was the editor of the
fiominaßulleiinjA Pennsylvania, and for the
past eighteen months fhe publisher of anews
paper call World, in Now York oity,
received two letters from the Hon. Simeon
Cameron, Secretary of War; the one appar
ently a private letter; the other more official,
alter stating that the War Department need
ed an' experienced and energetic
man to assist in. pushing forward troops, aiid
supphes, and .calling his attention to the fact
of his know.lodge-OT.thc internal arrangements
and connections of the railroads in Pennsyl
vania,, says;—“with this view, I will thank
you, in consultation with the offico’rs of the
army and the navy, to assist in getting vessels,
,or arranging with the railroad.companies-for
the accommodation of. the troops as fast as
they are ready to-march to their destination,
and also to assist them in making purchases
or other,arrangements, and to communicate
at the earliest moment any information of ser
vice to tliis Department."*
No person but the Secretary of War, seems
to have been aware of Mr. Cumihing’s pecu
liar fitness for so important a duty as tlio pur
chase of supplies) when great-business expe
rience and familiarity with the New York
market, and army -supplies in general, were
indispensiblo, but on the 23d of April, two
days after Cumin legs was instruct ed to co-op
erate with the officers of.tho Government,' the
Secretary of AVar issued tiio following order;—
Deimn-riiENj-oi- AYar,- April 23,1861, .
. In considerationof the extraordinary emer
gencies which derfttnd immediate and decis
ive measures for fife preservation of. the na,-,
tional capital, andalie defence of the Nation
al Government, I Jiiji'ebl i untliome Edwin I).
Morgan, Govenordf the Stale,of New York,
and Alexander Ouaynings, now in. the city of
Now York, pooeseary arrango
ments.fur the" tmwAportatUm "of'.troops and
munitions of war uVaid and assistance of the
officers of the army/of-the United States, un
til communication by mails and telegraph is
completely reestablished between the cities
of AYashington and New York,- Either of
them, in case of inability to consult with the
other, may exorcise the. authority hereby giv
en.
Simon Camfron, •
1 . ■ ■ Sseorctary- of ’War/*
And on fclio 4th of May, Gov. Morgan is
sue! the following order.r—•
' , _ . ■ “Ai.banv, May 4, I§6l.
Duties at the capital preventing a personal
: exercise ot the powers within conferred upon
me, I delegate my portion thereof to George
: D -' Morgan, on April .26, .1861, being then,
firsthy telegraph, apprised of thi-appointment;
E. D. Morgan.”
George D. Morgan was relative and busi
ness partner of Govenor; Morgan, residing in
Now York city. Govenor Morgan seems to
have regarded this extraordinary appoint
ment,as a franchise, subject to be transferred
.'at pleasure, ,
In connection with the appointment of Mor
gan and Cummings’ to make those purchases,
the Secretaries of War and of'the Treasury,
as is stated by Mr. Cummings in his testimo
ny, placed in the hands of General Dix, Mr
Opdykeahd Mr. Blatehford, of New York
000,000, Tins large sum of money was
subject to the order’s of Messrs. Morgan and
Cummings, or either of them. (See page 391. )
Messrs. and Blatehford were dis
tinguished citizens of New York, and promi
nent members of the Union Defence Commit
tee- singular-enough, while these §2,-
060,000 are apparently placed under the safe
guard of those well-known -citizen's of Now
York, it was in effect placed at the entire dis
posal of Messrs. Morgan and Cumminn-s, or
of either of them, ht) the Secretary of War.
Within a few days alter Cummings was in
vested with this authority, ho drew from- the
Committee, through) the Sub-Trcfisu-vor, Mr,
Cisco, at New York, §250,000, $90,000 of
which, as Mr. Cummings insists; wore ap
plied to pay for tho. purchases made by the
Committee itself, bi by Mr. Blatehford, a
member of it. and the residue, §160,000, he
placed to his own credit in the Parle Bank in-
New York city, and he states, in his evidence,
that ho made purchases for tl;o Government
to tho amount of §1(|0, 000.
Mr. CUmmings employed a clerk, Mr.
James Humphrey, imd exhibited in that, as
in most other transactions, a confiding dispo- ■
sition. hardly consistent with a thorough bus
iness man; engaged in public duty.
Mr. Cummings appears to have known noth
ing whatever (thout'this Humphrey, except
th oo . h , Llrl ,°' v Woed' said lie was “reliable;”
■ihisclork was authorized to make purchases
Mr Cummings acted in this extraordinary
character for about fifteen days. The §9O -
000 was paid to Mr. Blatci.ford, or to tho
Committee with *hieh ho was acting, by Mr.
Cummings, without any examining into tho ;
character of tho expenditures, either by him
solt or anybody olsn. • J
THE WAY SIMON S FRIEND BUYS CLOTHING.
mn mi r gS iTT- t 0 lmvo expended
the §160,000 placed ,to ins own credit in the
1 ark Bank according to his own fancy • Ho
says lie expended about §25,000 in clothing
and on that point says: *”
Question. Of whom did you purchase elo- i
thing r
Answer, I oannot recall the names now
They wore nearly pll strangers to mo. I
will produce the vouchors.
Q. Did you purchase tho clothing in the
market? -
A.. Yes, sir. I called to ray assistance a
”olefk7thi-oVfgh whom I purchased wliatX could.
Q. What wore the clothes,, full suits ? .
A. No,' sir. There were two items which
covered the larger part of the purchase—pan
taloons and hats.
Q. On what requisition did you purchase
iats and pantaloons 1
A. No requisition.
'Q; How came you to purchase hats ami
pantaloons rath or than anything olso?
A. Because I thought they ■would bo need
ed,, as hot weather was coming on. I had
seen tho soldiers ptiss through hero with,
■warm winter clothing, which I believed they
could hot endure when warm weather should
come on.
Q. Then yon were guided by your own
information and judgement ns to what would
bo needed at AVushingtou ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Had,you any other guide?
A. No, sir. ,
Q. Had you any limits imposed upon your
actions except such as were imposed by ypur
own discretion ’ • . .
No, sir.
Q. You purchased such kind, quality, and
amount as was dictated by Vour own judge
ment solely?
A. Yes, sir.
I'/ie clothing teas linen pantaloons and straw
hats to the amount of over. §24,000. Again,
on this subject, Mr. Cummings says
Q— Did you consult with any authority as
to tho propriety of introducing linen panta-,'
loons into the army ?'
A. Not until after it was done. After it
was done I talked with Major Sibley, and ho
said that was not in accordance with the ar
my regulation ; but then I had ceased to pur
chase.
TUB WAY SlMO.n’b FRIEND BUYS PRO VISIONS AND
GROCERIES OF AUIANY HARDWARE MERCHANTS.
Mr. Cummings purchased provisions , and
: groceries. On this subject he says :
Q. Can you give mo tho name of any linn
of whom you purchased any of those grocer
ies or provisions ?
A. I think some supplies wore purchased
of Corning & Co., of Albany.
Q. Do you know what they were ?
A. I think they wore provisions.
Q. Did you go to Albany to see tho firm?
A. . No, sir;
Q. With whom did you do the business ?
A. AVith Mr; Davison, a mcmberofthetirinV
Q. Whore did yon see-him? •
A. At tho Aster House. ”
if AVhat. was the nathre of the- supplies
vou..nurr.liacn.l./.F-.i.1)»r..a.,,..-9 ...
A. They wove provisions*.
Q. Did you ascertain from him before
hand as to his familiarity with that branch
of business?
A.. I suppose bed know nil'about it,
Q. The provisions, wore'of the kind in
which he dealt?
■ A. I suppose so.;
Q. Did you seek him. out?
A, I met him- nt the Astor House.
Q. Did you seek him out for this purpose?
A. No, sir ; he.enme to-me.
,Q. Then'Davidson ctnne to you and pro
posed‘to.sell yon something which you now
think was some kind of provisions ?
. A. Yes, sir. w
Q. What was'tho amount of that bill?
A. Ido not remember. Tho vouches will
show. .
Q. Was it large or small ?■ ;
A. It amounted to several thousands of
dollars. -
Q. Would it exceed or fall shqrfcbfslo,ooo?
. A. I cannot say. Tho bill will show for
itself. . , .
, Q. Did you see 'the articles t
■. A... No, sir.
Q. How were they furnished ?
A. By Mm ; and put on buurd of the vessel.
Q. What knowledge' hud you of the qual
ity of the articles furnished?
A. X could not have much knowledge of
it. That,was out of question.
Q. Did you employ any gentleman to see
the articles ?
A. Only my clerk, Mr, Humphrey's,
Q. Wore those articles brought from Al
bany bore and shipped ? . •
/V. I suppose so. . ..
'Q. Wore they in Albany when you made
purchase ? -
A. I suppose so. J
V'Q- Had you/uny alißolulS|thowieigo up
on that point? ’r
A. No, sir. ■
Q. Wlmt was Davidson’s stateincnt to yeti
in roferenee to that thing? '
A. That he was familiar with that kind of
business—that ho know the value of tlio arti
cles of which the Govoriiimjnt wore in need.
Q. AVbat , business did he say he was fa
miliar with'? ,
A. I think the purchasing of supplies and
provisions. , . '
1 Q. With what branch of the supplies you
were then purchasing did ho say ho was fa
miliar?
A. Mainly beef and pork, I think.
Q. Did ho tell; you ho was of the firm of
■E. Corning & Co. ? .
A. I assumed that.
, ■ Q. Had you knowledge then of the partic
ular business in which E. Corning & Co
'word engaged?
A. No, sir; except as dealers in produce.
Q. Then you relied entirely on Ins'own
statement ?
,A. Yon, sir.
Q. And whether the firm was engaged in
the provision business you did not know? ’
A. That was my impression.
The firm of E. Corning & Co. wore a firm,
not in the grocery and produce, hut in the
hardware business, in Albany, Now York,
tub way simon’s ykiend boys iiakd bread.
Q. What was the next considerable item,
of your purchase ?
A. Hard bread.
Q. What amount of that did yon purchase?
A. Ido not now remember the- precise
amount.
Qy Did you 1 purchase it personally ? ■
A. My clerk purchased it.
Q. From-whom ?
A. From a house in Boston, I think. '
Q. Did you have any personal knowledge
of that transaction
Ai No, sir.
Q. Did you furnish tho clerk with tho
funds, or did you draw in favor of the seller ?
A. It was paid for alter it arrived hero.
Q. Paid to whom ?
A. Directly to the party selling, I suppose.
Q. By you?
A. By my clerk, I suppose.
Q. What was your own personal connec
tion with tho transaction ?
A. Nothing further than that I ordered
the purchase to bo made and tho article to bo
shipped. I was spoken to about the subject
first, and it was thought to be wise to make
tho purchase.
tub way bimon’s i-riend charters vessels,
Mr. Cummings also chartered vessels; lie
testifies, with reference to tho charter of the
Coatzacoaloos:
Q. With whom did yon make tho contract«
A. With Mr. Roberts, tho owner.
Q. Did you make a personal examination ?
A. I had previously been upon her.
Q. Did you invoke tho aid of anybody else
in making this contract with Mr. Roberts ?
A. I think not, specially.
Q, Did you examine her boilers ?
A, No sir.
Q, What was her tonage ?
A, Ido not know.
Q. For how long a time did you charter
her?
A. lam not suro there was any time spo-'
cified,
Q. Before the contract was concluded with
him what other inquiries did you make for
shins to charter?
A. What ships were here and what could
be had was subject of inquiry at that time,
and I heai'd of a number, Several came to
sco.mo. about .ships. ,
Q. What other ships did you examine ?
A. I did nut examine any ships. I took
it for granted that they were what they were rep
resented to he. ■
Q, State the terms of the charter party ?
A. I can not. Q. How much did you pay ?
A. Either $lOOO or $1250 a day. The price
was considered very high, but nut more than
was being paid at tbo time, and in tho-pros
uro'wo thought it wise to take her.
t sijion’s TKIEXD'BUrq shoes.
Mr. Cummings interested himself in other
purchases for tho Government.. ,
Q. Sinoe the termination fif your duties
under that commission, havo you had any
other transactions with tho Government of
any kihd.
A. Not in tlio way of contracts. Iliad
one transaction! which, perhaps, niight come
under tho scope of your question. When at
Washington after that, I hoard a groat olani
or on nccoun: of tho want of shoos. Among
Others, I had hoard Gen. McDowell say that
there.were regiments that could not march on
account ofrtho want of shoes, and I stated
this fact to the Secretary of War. Ho gave
mo a letter to tho Assistant-Quartermaster at
Philadelphia, Col. Thomas, telling, him that
if ho had not a sufficient supply fur a force of
not less than 200,000 men was obtained, ta
king care that no greater sum should be paid
therefore than tho Government had before
paid. I .took the letter to Col, Thomas, and
ho authorized mo to proc are shoes and for
ward them to him, if I could find anybody to
make them. lie ordered 75,000 pair.
Q. What did you do ?
A., I caiuo to Benedict & Hall, of this city,
a largo firm in Broadway, very well known,
and told them that Col. Thoinaa had told me
that it coat the Government, to make their
own shoes, about §2,20 a pair, which was the
amount ho had limited mo to paj'. They
said they would undertake to make them at
that price, although the Government stan
dard really made the shoo worth more than
that. They took the order. Q When was
this? A. It was in May or Juno.
.The committee have no occasion to call in
question the integrity of Mr. Cummings.
Mr. Hall, in his testimon} 1- , says that he did
not pay Sir. Cummings anything for his ser
vice, but Sir. Cummings simply requited, in
this way, the kindness of an occasional tem
porary loan of 5500,: or §lOO0 —(See page
509.) “From §1.90t0 §2per pair would have
been a fair price fdr the shoes,' (sowed.) If i
pegged. §1.35." j
Q. How long is it since your au tliority was
superseded? A. It was some time in Slay;
but nil the transactions wore not .closed In
Slay. There was some purchases' of coal. I
waited to have that shipped, mid then I wait
ed for Mr. Blatchford to return to the city,
in order that I might get the two sets of vouch
ors and forward them all.
Q. Was the coal purchase an extensive pur
chase ? A. About 2000 tons.
Q. From whom didyou-make that, purchase ?
A. Of the panties who arc furnishing the Na
vy Department with coal.
Q. And at the saute- price ? A. Yes, air.
Q. When didyou make the .purchase? A.
it was ordered about the time their lirst pur
chases wore made, but it was notalf shipped.'
Q. Was there any difficulty in their furnish
ing articles of that kind? A - . Not that I know
of.
■ Q. Through whom was tho.coalpurchased.?
A, I asked Sir. John Tucker to purchase it,
mid the reason was that he was in Pliilndob
phih, and was familiar with . thd whole coiil
business.
Q. M as there not a quartermaster in Phila
delphia ? A. Yes, sir.
Q. Would not that supply naturally be far
ms bed by the quartermaster ? A. Yes, sir,if
ordered by him.
Q. The quartermaster ivas a competent per
son, was ho not ? A. Yes, sir; . , . .
Q- Why did you not do it through the
proper officer of the Government? A. Be
cause I did not think it necessary. I sup
posed my authority covered the whole ground.
Mr. Cummings, in expending this money,
docs not seem to. have regarded it important
to act in concert with the regular Government
officers.
Q. Did you consult with Gen. Wool ns to
the,character of the purchases yon-made ?
A.'No,-sir.. ' v " , “ ' ‘ *w
Q. Did you hnve any conference With offi
cers of the Government who under other cir
cumstances, would have had control of flic
deparlm)nt of business in which yen m-e en
gaged ? A. I Wont to. Major Katmi", .Assistant
Commissary here, and I talked with Col,
.Toinpkin.tr.
Q. Did you make any purchases under
their supervision or, direction? A. No, sir.
Q. Did you do any one of the acts which
you did do under this authority, in concert
with either of those officers? A 1 can hardly
say that I did. . "
THE OPERATIONS OP ' SIMON," AND ms" FRIEND
CE.VSUABD -UV THE COMMITTEE,
Mr. Cummings expressly stated tlmt'he had
drawn out of" the hands of Messrs. Dix, Op
dyke ,& Blatchford §25,000 of the §2,000,000
irinced ib their hands', and had paid to them
•990,000 to cover tho supplies they had pur
chased, and had expended himself 9100,000'
and that tho re ilne-, 91,750,(100, by order o
the Secretary of , the Treasury, was re-depos
‘itodWith Mr, Cisco, tho snlntroasur;r. 'Still,
wo are informed hy this nots that Mr. Cuiu
inhigs.Jias retained §140,000 of tho money,
and above that stated in his testimony,
(J240,00J,)' “ which- is accounted for by his
vouchers.'’ This item seems to have been
overlooked by, him in his testimony. One
hundred and forty thousand dollars in his
hands, over and above tho 9160,000 for which
be has filed vouchers in the War Department,
and over and above the 990,000: for which tho
.vouchors are retained by Mr. Blatchford;
and he deems it sufficient to state in general
terras that it is “accounted for hy the vouch
ers.” AVhat vouchers; and who has got
.them? Can tho Secretary- of War pretend
that the national poril aml the necessity for
immediate notion justified these irresponsible
expenditures of tho public money, with no
settlement for four months afterwards, oven
if there" had been no responsible and experi
enced public officers in New York to perform
the duties? , "
Among tho arm;/ supplies purchased by Mr,
Cummings, are tho following;—
280 dozen pints of ale and porter, $1,87 $525 00
25 quintals .codfish,, 360- boxes herring, 21-t 37
200 bxs cheese, 20 pays butter, cartage, 1,511. 70
0 barrels tongues ’ 127 60
1,670 straw bats .4,145 08
19,680. pairs-of linen pants, 17,220 00
23 barrels of pickles
25 casks of.Scotcb ale, price not stated,
10 casks of London porter, price, not
stated
700 Hall’s carbines (rejected arm) $l5,
each ; 25 cases, $35, 11,890 00
Itis not necessary to say that these are not
understood to bo 11 army supplies,” ns the
term is used, except the 700 Hall's carbines,
which is the same arms sold by the War De
partment in the following Juno for §3 50,
each. (See page .)
Some of the above articles wore shipped by
the Calaline, which was probably loaded on
private account, and not being able to obtain
a clearance, the cargo was in some way,
through Mr. Cummings, transferred over 10
tho Government. Scotch ale, London porter,
selected herriny, and all.—(See page for tho
cargo of the Cataline.
The Committee call attention to tho ac
counts turnished them by Mr. Cummings.—
He says in his testimony (page 397,) that
Messrs. Dix, Opdyko and Blatohford pur
ohnsed supplies, and chartered vessels, &e.,
to the amount of 590,000, for which he drew
in their favor on tho funds deposited in their
hands; yet in furnishing tho account for
their expenditures ho makes it 5164,917 38,
and swells his own account to a sum largely
exceeding the amount mentioned in his ovi
.de(U!o....:lt..vrould.Beom,.im possible..that, these,
accounts should over be intelligently settled,
from tho miscellaneous manner in which the
business has been conducted.
Tho report is signed by Messrs. Van Wyck,
(N. Y.,) Washburno. (f 11.,- Holman, (Ind.,)
Fenton, (N. Y.,) Dawes, (Mass.,) and Steele,
(N. J.,) The other member, Mr. Jackson, is
absent in Kentucky,
Tlie Trent Diffiwilly—Huson ami
be Given up. :•
WASHINGTON, Duo. 28
. The National Intelligencer of this mwni’iw
lias tho offioial announcement of tho ad
menfc of tho, Trent difficulty, and tho C orr«
pondonoo between Lord.Lyous and tho Sc '
rotary of State is published in full. eo '
[second dispatch.]
« Washington, Doc. 28.—Tho decision n f
tho President, in .tho Trent affair, as an
nounood and explained-in tho dispatch of
Secretary Seward, has the approval of over*
member of the Cabinet. J
(The National Intelligencer, in an article anna
rently semi-official, says : “ Whatever nil'
bo the disappointment of any at the result to
which tho Administration' has conic in the
settlement of a question which constitution
ally devolves upon the Executive branch of
the Government, we are sure that all will an
■plaud tho_ firmness and sincerity with which
the Administration, resisting a natural ten
deney impressed by, the concerted drift 0 f
public opinion in our own country has »
solved to do what it believed, to bo right in
tho premises, and it surely should give a
pause to all who may be disposed to challentro
the propriety of the resolution to which the
Administration lifts come, when they note
that a contrary decision would leave us in on
position, not only to the views of Great Bri
tain, but also to those which the Government
ofFranoo announces respecting tho principle
of public law involved in tho transaction "
The Intelligencer says, i n conclusion-
Whatever therefore may bo said by any in
the way of exception to the extrema terms
of the demand made by tho British Govern
ment in the case of the Trent, it is at least
just to admit that the case has been so adjust
ed by our government ns to oubserve, wo
would hope, the great cause or neutral rights
against the assumptions heretofore assorted
by-England, butnow repudiated by that power
in common with Prance and thoUnitod States.
“The law of nations, ns traditionally inter
preted by our Govern moo t, has received a
new sanction, though at tlnvcost, it may
disproportionate activity by the temporary exa
corbations of civil heads. The latter, lot us
remember, are but for a day—the law of na
tions is for all time."
Tho Intelligencer has five columns of-cor
respondence. The editors say, that Russell
ller_Bntannic Majesty’s Secretary of State
tor Foreign Affaire, after reciting fhe circura
stances under which he understood tho cap
ture of those parties to have been in ade, precedes
to characterize, it as an outrage on the; Bri
tish flag, aud after expressing tho hope and :
belief that it, had not been authorized by our
Government, aides, as reparation appropriate
to such an aggression, that the four gentle
men designated should be released, and that
an apology should bo given for what tho'
Governinentof Great Britain deems an affront
to her flag.
In responding' to this demand Mr. Seward,
after reviewing the circumstances under
which the arrest was'.affected, according to 1
the report of our naval officers, and thus de
veloping the inaccuracies and omission of the
British statements, proceeds to analyze the
facts and principles of public law involved in
the case, and arrives at the'conclusion-.that
,thp_ neglect of 6'apt. Wilkes-, partly voluntary .
ns it was on. his part;, to bring,the'; Trent in
for trial as a lawful prize; may bo justly held
to operate as a forfeiture of Ihe belligerent
right of capture, according to the law of na
tions, and that the Government of tho United l
States,, as weW from tiffs'Consideration; as im
consistency with its own traditional policy re
specting the maritime rights of neutrals,
would bo in its own wrong if if should refuse
a compliance with the British demand,-so far
es relates to ,tho disposition that shall be
made of the-, persons fallen into, custody by :
Gapt. Wilkes, under circumstanci s believed
to he justly, open to’exce.p l ion on both grounds
thus . indicated, : .So fur. ns , regards the*
apology asked by the lii-itisk Oiiycrvjmbnt, '
none is tendered, because a-simple- statement
ot facts as. they are, suffices to show that no
offence could have been intended on tho part
(yfour Government an It hail given no instruc
lions whatever in' the premises ; while the
proceeding of Capt. Wilkes, in so far as it '
■finis to onuro to the benefit ofhis Govei-nmout
and to conform, to the rules-of public law
was- dictated by considerations of kiudness’
and forbearance. 1 ' . '
[ 41 Tho decision of the President in thisaffair,
as announced and explained in tbe lucid dis- .
patch of Mr. Seward," says the National In
telligencer, 44 has the approval of every mem
ber of the Cabinet. "
Secretary Seward, in conclusion,'says, 44 If
1 decide this case in. favor of my own Gov
ernment, I must disavow Its most cherished
■principles, and adhere to-that policy; I must
surrender the case itself-. It will bo seen,
therefore, that this Government could not de
ny the justice of the claim presented to us
in this respect, upon its merits. Wo. are
asked, fo do to the British nation'just what
we have always insisted nil nations ought to,
do to us.; The claim of tho British govern- .
mont is not made in a discourteous manner.'
This government, since its organization, has
never used more guarded language in a simi
lar case-.*,
44 In coming-to my conclusion, I have not
forgotten that-if the safety of this Union re- ’
q.uired thedetention of the captured persons, it
would be the right and tho duly of this Gov
ernment to detain them ; but tho effectual
check and waning proportions of tho existing
rebellion, ns well as tho comparative unim
portance of the captured persons themselves
when dispassionately weighed, happily, for
bid mo from resotring to that defence. , Nor
am I unware that American citizens are not
in any case to he unnecessarily surrendered
for any purpose into the keeping of a foreign
State. Only the captured'persons, however, ■
Dr others who are interested in them, could
justly raise tho question on the ground. Nor
have I been tempted at all by suggestions
that oases might be found in history where
Great Britain refused to yield' to other na
tions, and oven to ourselves, claims like that
which is now before us,. Those.casos occurr
ed when Great Britain, as well as the United
States, was tho homo of generations which,
with all their peculiar interests and passions
have passed away. She could in no other
way so effectually disavow any such injury
ns we think she does by!assuming now as heir
own tho ground upon which we then stood.
It would toll little for our own claims to tho
character of a just and magnanimous people
if we should so far consent to bo guided by
the law of retaliation ns to lift up buried in
juries from their graves to oppose agoinst
what national consistency and national con
science compel us to regard ns a claim in-,
ternntionally right.
44 Pu tting behind me all suggestions of this
kind I prefer to express my satisfaction that
by the adjustment of the present ease upon
principles oonfe-sedly American, and yet, ns I
trust, mutually satisfactorily to both the na
tions concerned, a question is finally and
rightfully settled between them which, here
tofore, exhausted not only all forms of peace
ful discussion, hut the arbitrament of war
itself for more than half a century, alienated
the two countries from each ocher, and per
plexed with fears and apprehensions all oth
er nations.
“ Tho four persons in question are now
held in military custody at Fort Warren, in
tho State of Massachusetts. They will be
cheerfully liberated. Your Lordship will
please indicate a time and place fur receiving
them.
I avail-mysolf-of this, occasion to offer to—
your Lordship a renewed assurance of my
very high consideration. .
(Signed) “ Wm. 11. Sewabd.’ .
Hero ns follows a letter from Mr Thouvea--
el, tho French Minister of State, and the re
ply of Mr. Seward. The French Ministers
letter sets forth the facts of the arrest, and
points out the danger it involves, and urges