that “they have from three to four thousand transformed
Springfields,” which he “may think best to take _after
examination_,”--
showing again his intimate dealings with the Government.
Such is the testimony of Mr. Remington, the acknowledged agent of
France. It is impossible to read these repeated allusions to “the
Government” and “the Chief of Ordnance” without feeling that the
witness was dealing directly in this quarter. If there was any
middleman, he was of straw only; but a man-of-straw is nobody. If Mr.
Remington’s character were not vouched so completely, if he did not
appear on authentic testimony so entirely above any misrepresentation,
if he were not elevated to be the model arms-dealer, this letter, with
its numerous averments of relations with the Government, would be of
less significance. But how can these be denied or explained without
impeaching this witness?
But Mr. Remington is not without important support in his allegations.
His French correspondent, M. Le Cesne, Chairman of the Armament
Committee, has testified in open court that the French dealt directly
with the Government. He may have been mistaken; but his testimony shows
what he understood to be the case. The Senator from Missouri [Mr.
SCHURZ] has already called attention to this testimony, which he cited
from a journal enjoying great circulation on the European continent,
“L’Indépendance Belge.” The Senator from Vermont, [Mr. EDMUNDS,] not
recognizing the character of this important journal, distrusted the
report. But this testimony does not depend upon that journal alone. I
have it in another journal, “Le Courrier des États-Unis,” of October
27, 1871, evidently copied from a Parisian journal, probably one of the
law journals, where it is given according to the formal report of a
trial, with question and answer:--
“THE PRESIDING JUDGE. Did not this indemnity of twenty-five cents
represent certain material expenses, certain disbursements,
incidental expenses?
“M. LE CESNE. We could not admit these expenses; _for we had an
agreement with the American Federal Government, which had engaged
to deliver free on board all the arms on account of France_.”
Now I make no comment on this testimony except to remark that it is in
entire harmony with the letter of Mr. Remington, and that beyond all
doubt it was given in open court under oath, and duly reported in the
trial, so as to become known generally in Europe. The position of M. Le
Cesne gave it authority; for, beside his recent experience as Chairman
of the Arms Committee, he is known as a former representative in the
Assembly from the large town of Havre, and also a resident for twenty
years in the United States. In confirmation of the value attached to
this testimony, I mention that my attention was first directed to it by
Hon. Gustavus Koerner, of Illinois, Minister of the United States at
Madrid, under President Lincoln.
To this cumulative testimony I add that already supplied by our
Minister at Berlin, under date of January 7, 1871, and published by
the Department of State, where it is distinctly said that “recently
rifled cannon and ammunition have been furnished to the French in
enormous quantities, not only by private American traders, _but by
the War Department at Washington_.” This I have already adduced under
another head.[21] It is mentioned now to show how the public knowledge
of Europe was in harmony with the other evidence.
There is another piece of testimony, which serves to quicken suspicion.
It is already admitted by the Secretary of War, that, after refusing
Mr. Remington because he was an agent of France, bids were accepted
from Thomas Richardson, who was in point of fact an attorney-at-law
at Ilion, and agent and attorney of Mr. Remington. But the course of
Mr. Remington, and his relations with this country attorney, are not
without official illustration. Since this debate began I have received
a copy of a law journal of Paris, “Le Droit, Journal des Tribunaux,”
of January 18, 1872, containing the most recent judicial proceedings
against the French Consul-General at New York. Here I find an official
report from the acting French Consul there, addressed to the French
Minister of Foreign Affairs, under date of August 25, 1871, where a
fact is described which was authenticated at the Consulate, being an
affidavit or deposition before a notary by a clerk of Mr. Remington, on
which the report remarks:--
“This declaration establishing that this manufacturer caused the
books of his house to be recopied three times, and in doing so
altered the original form.”