north america-2-第45章
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ve special orders that a contract should be made with a man named Beard； a Californian； who had followed him from California to St。 Louis。 This contract is dated the 25th of September。 But nevertheless the work specified in that contract was done previous to that date； and most of the money paid was paid previous to that date。 The contract did not specify any lump sum； but agreed that the work should be paid for by the yard and by the square foot。 No less a sum was paid to Beard for this workthe cormorant Beard； as the report calls himthan 24；200l。； the last payment only； amounting to 4000l。； having been made subsequent to the date of the contract。 Twenty thousand two hundred pounds was paid to Beard before the date of the contract！ The amounts were paid at five times； and the last four payments were made on the personal order of General Fremont。 This Beard was under no bond； and none of the officers of the government knew anything of the terms under which he was working。 On the 14th of October General Fremont was ordered to discontinue these works； and to abstain from making any further payments on their account。 But； disobeying this order； he directed his quartermaster to pay a further sum of 4000l。 to Beard out of the first sums he should receive from Washington； he then being out of money。 This； however； was not paid。 〃It must be understood；〃 says the report； 〃that every dollar ordered to be paid by General Fremont on account of these works was diverted from a fund specially appropriated for another purpose。〃 And then again： 〃The money appropriated by Congress to subsist and clothe and transport our armies was then； in utter contempt of all law and of the army regulations； as well as in defiance of superior authority； ordered to be diverted from its lawful purpose and turned over to the cormorant Beard。 While he had received l70；000 dollars （24；200l。） from the government； it will be seen from the testimony of Major Kappner that there had only been paid to the honest German laborers； who did the work on the first five forts built under his directions； the sum of 15；500 dollars； （3100l。；） leaving from 40；000 to 50；000 dollars （8000l。 to 10；000l。） still due； and while these laborers； whose families were clamoring for bread； were besieging the quartermaster's department for their pay； this infamous contractor Beard is found following up the army and in the confidence of the major…general； who gives him orders for large purchases； which could only have been legally made through the quartermaster's department。〃 After that； who will believe that all the money went into Beard's pocket？ Why should General Fremont have committed every conceivable breach of order against his government； merely with the view of favoring such a man as Beard？ The collusion of the Quartermaster M'Instry with fraudulent knaves in the purchase of horses is then proved。 M'Instry was at this time Fremont's quartermaster at St。 Louis。 I cannot go through all these。 A man of the name of Jim Neil comes out in beautiful pre… eminence。 No dealer in horses could get to the quartermaster except through Jim Neil； or some such go…between。 The quartermaster contracted with Neil and Neil with the owners of horses； Neil at the time being also military inspector of horses for the quartermaster。 He bought horses as cavalry horses for 24l。 or less； and passed them himself as artillery horses for 30l。 In other cases the military inspectors were paid by the sellers to pass horses。 All this was done under Quartermaster M'Instry； who would himself deal with none but such as Neil。 In one instance； one Elliard got a contract from M'instry； the profit of which was 8000l。 But there was a man named Brady。 Now Brady was a friend of M'Instry； who； scenting the carrion afar off； had come from Detroit； in Michigan； to St。 Louis。 M'instry himself had also come from Detroit。 In this case Elliard was simply directed by M'Instry to share his profits with Brady； and consequently paid to Brady 4000l。； although Brady gave to the business neither capital nor labor。 He simply took the 4000l。 as the quartermaster's friend。 This Elliard； it seems； also gave a carriage and horses to Mrs。 Fremont。 Indeed； Elliard seems to have been a civil and generous fellow。 Then there is a man named Thompson； whose case is very amusing。 Of him the committee thus speaks： 〃It must be said that Thompson was not forgetful of the obligations of gratitude； for； after he got through with the contract； he presented the son of Major M'instry with a riding pony。 That was the only mark of respect；〃 to use his own words； 〃that he showed to the family of Major M'instry。〃 General Fremont himself desired that a contract should be made with one Augustus Sacchi for a thousand Canadian horses。 It turned out that Sacchi was 〃nobody： a man of straw living in a garret in New York； whom nobody knew； a man who was brought out there〃to St。 Louis〃as a good person through whom to work。〃 〃It will hardly be believed；〃 says the report； 〃that the name of this same man Sacchi appears in the newspapers as being on the staff of General Fremont； at Springfield； with the rank of captain。〃 I do not know that any good would result from my pursuing further the details of this wonderful report。 The remaining portion of it refers solely to the command held by General Fremont in Missouri； and adds proof upon proof of the gross robberies inflicted upon the government of the States by the very persons set in high authority to protect the government。 We learn how all utensils for the camp； kettles； blankets； shoes； mess pans； etc。； were supplied by one firm； without a contract； at an enormous price； and of a quality so bad as to be almost useless； because the quartermaster was under obligations to the partners。 We learn that one partner in that firm gave 40l。 toward a service of plate for the quartermaster； and 60l。 toward a carriage for Mrs。 Fremont。 We learn how futile were the efforts of any honest tradesman to supply good shoes to soldiers who were shoeless； and the history of one special pair of shoes which was thrust under the nose of the quartermaster is very amusing。 We learn that a certain paymaster properly refused to settle an account for matters with which he had no concern； and that General Fremont at once sent down soldiers to arrest him unless he made the illegal payment。 In October 1000l。 was expended in ice； all which ice was wasted。 Regiments were sent hither and thither with no military purpose； merely because certain officers； calling themselves generals； desired to make up brigades for themselves。 Indeed； every description of fraud was perpetrated； and this was done not through the negligence of those in high command； but by their connivance and often with their express authority。 It will be said that the conduct of General Fremont during the days of his command in Missouri is not a matter of much moment to us in England； that it has been properly handled by the committee of Representatives appointed by the American Congress to inquire into the matter； and that after the publication of such a report by them； it is ungenerous in a writer from another nation to speak upon the subject。 This would be so if the inquiries made by that committee and their report had resulted in any general condemnation of the men whose misdeeds and peculations have been exposed。 This； however； is by no means the case。 Those who were heretofore opposed to General Fremont on political principles are opposed to him still； but those who heretofore supported him are ready to support him again。 He has not been placed beyond the pale of public favor by the record which has been made of his public misdeeds。 He is decried by the Democrats because he is a Republican； and by the anti…abolitionists because he is an Abolitionist； but he is not decried because he has shown himself to be dishonest in the service of his government。 He was dismissed from his command in the West； but men on his side of the question declare that he was so dismissed because his political opponents had prevailed。 Now； at the moment that I am writing this； men are saying that the President must give him another command。 He is still a major…general in the a
