Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-07-07

1peo'eu agreeaO'y TO tue contract; and, under this
contract, he recci?edaud executed various indents. NJ
different lines. In particular, on the 9TH November.
1879, he received an indent for Sc, 500 lbs of broad
Tor the tfigatc Guerrero, then lying at the NAVY
YARD, all of which no had made, and was ready 10
deliver on or about the lith of that month: hut tho
United States not being then ready TO receive
1t, I'm consequence, ] Lclieve, of the shin's he.
ing painting, and thrFe being no convenient place
Tor 1t at the yard) he was requested to keen
1t Tor a few days, until they could take it, which hn
freely conscn.edto do. On the morning of the 10Th
| understand, they would have been rea.
ay to receive 1t, bu. the state Of the weather did not
toen permit him TO send it over: and on that very
n'ght, the bake houses were burnt, and all that bread
then IN them, together with a considerable crnn,i,v
besides, which he had prepared on an inlent for the
Alert, and III anticipation OF other inden,s for ,hr ser.
wee, was consumed along with them by the fire. II
shonia De noticed here, that a little while before this
"cciIent, the commissioners had advertised for pro.
posals to supply the Navy with bread for the ensrino
year 1879, and had received various offer. from diff;.e-
rent persons, and Graham among the rest Just at
ms Juhc'ure. however, news came that there had
1een q great failure in the wheat crop in Gren,
britain IN consequence of which the price of
hour rose rapidly in all our markets. and most
OF Tue contractors (iHcluding our contractor
VIZ, i oeiieve,l taxing the alarm, withdrew their proposals
III hisfta'e OF things. the commissioners verv iudicious,v made
q contract with a single baker in Baltimore. IL flruis, ali rho
bread tina, was 10 be supplied there att nr;ce ,b;ch u".S ~ a. ~
ouaied by The pricc Of -four IN that marke, at the time the bTead
ni'snt be required, according to a scale fixed in the contract.
IIu, nayins done So they authorised me, by their letter of the
AN NOV 1923, to make a similar contract with Graham for
inc supply OF the bread tina, might be required here, 0or i829l
wn,cn i DID. Nov shortly after the loss of his bake houses
~ oisad az already stated, Graham wrote q letter TO the
commissioners, dated the I'd Dec. 1923, in which be ipfnrmed
tne m o Inc accident, and stated the amour, of bread which
nj a st as 88 hhis. weighing 63,oo0 lbs, 1000 lbs. Of
which had been prepared for the Guerrierr. a norton for tho
a ~ ana the rcs' for any demands for the service He adds:
'o.w i'nstanding my serious losses, am now making eve,v
eSer'ion to comply with my contract, and am now baIin, n no
it ir srs " ! = e can, IN a hired bake house, and will, if possible, lave
m consideration Of tho above statement, and the loss which I
com c,a, iss;onsrs y sustain u IN The subsequent rise of -four, ths
maze some allowance, as am now losin, on every barrei of
Eo"r / bake, one dollar and fifty cents, indie pender, of laSonI.
nli:sioners, dated the 9th of December 1928. IN whici, ,hor
l.ste mat they shave received a letter from Mr. Graham IN.
ntu."ls mem OF the loss OF his bake houses, and the ,les,ruction
Oh o2,oooi los. OF bread which had been prepared for The Gnor
rn u.u, n nave decids" 10 allow him for this bread the
s"m. :si"S as stated IN Their letter to me of 14th ul, upon nv
receiving satisfactory evidence that the quantity had been nrc
pa!e' under the requisition, and that 1t was DESTROYED as STA
"M, ant ues"ins me to inform MIR. Graham of this their de.
Accordnsly, l required aud received satisfactory proof
IN oa'o' That all the bread mentioned By Graham in HE
quen,ly destroyed, as he had stated. Graham then wen, y =
70 'inISh the required supplies, and working with redouh.ed and
received from the Board, made out to finish the newh ,aad
winch he had made in lieu of The old, land a little over and
somo days thereafter After this he made out his accounts I far
ms read, charging for it, as the Commissioners had eypressIv
that is at 81 a5 per ow,. His accounts made out in This va
accompanied ny the certificate OF the ~storekesper that the bread
r., o' Ill., II, mao oeen received, were afterwards presented
&c NE commanding officer of the yard, and having been appro
vea by him IN the usual way, were handed to me for pnymsn,
wards at the AUDITORS Office and claiming to he e ailous ai En-
the money which l had ihns paid on them, the accounts and
Vouchers 10 rieT beng all perfectly regafir and formal this time, passed
u vlsiiant eye Tor rather eyesl of our Argus himself, but com.
ing before The second Comptroller, he observed that this bread
s u oelveted IN 1898 Son ihe last day of the Year, was charged
u! NOV d INT price OF 81 373 per cwt which was The contract
Price Tor that year, b0t at the price of 81 SIS, which was the
price according TO The contract for 1928, and ,hercupon up
TO deduct from the Whole amour, of So, 542 o6 which
detained on the accounts for the bread, the difference between
that sum and the value oflhe bread rated a, 81 81 10 per cwt'
ma IS Sl'al9 90; and our Auditor aPprjzed OF the objection
WHICH the ComFtToi!sr had made. seized upon it with great
NOW, iorm part, IN answer TO this objection, | have ALWAYS
thought that ii is quite sufficient for me to say that I have ne.,
.anse accounts a, they are, and as they were approved, and so
", yn'Iaiy cer''ned 10 me ns correct by the commanding officer of
tMe YARD, according 10 the established usage in such cases
FOR II was not for me at least, | conceive, to inquire into Tie
reason, OF The Commodore's approval in any case, although I
mad indeed good cause 10 know in this that it was altoeeiher
si.liIent For certainly knew, as well as 10 did, that the
commissioners had authorized Graham 10 charge the price
winch he had charged fer this bread, and not Ioub,ins their
power Io DO so, could not doubt, any more. that the Commo.
HoieS approval OF his account for this price was certainly rinb,
our Reporter, however. it seems, tales a very different view
o. 700 case, ana ms ar9'ment upon it is really curious eneush
~ Is substantially this. The Commissioners in au,horizino
Graham TO charge this parcel OF bread delivered; in 1929 ~ the
price Thread TO be delivered in 1929, intended to allow him an
lnoeninny or compensation for his burnt bread, to which he was
not e5iiied IN law or equity; but they have not allowed i, =
hMn IN express terms as for barn. bread, by that name. but COW.
e'iy, ana as addiional price for actual bread really furnished
Tor tho service; and this they have done to get rid of the impos.
sibiiIiy OF obtaining vouchers for the burnt bread. which No,
haVins been delivered the account for it could not have been
oy The storekeeper, nor approved by the commandan,
Their act is therefore, as he says, "bad IN principle, and wore
in :mods" Of course, the accounts ough, not to have hoen ~
proved by The commanding officer, and, although thew were
SO, oush, not TO have been paid by me, and more particular iy.
knew that The Commissioners were doing wb., ,beu ny
no risht to dc, in allowing Graham for his burn, bread, in this
and roundabout way This is his argument, and il
eviaent!y a mere string of Assumptions and absurdities toge,b
er. torhTS, to go no further, does he come at his conclusion.
that the Commissioners in authorizing this additional price for
delivered bread, really intended to allow Graham an indenni
or compensation for his burn, breada Not exactly al a ,ump
perhaps buteertainly by a eight of steps made out of shadows
ana based upon nothing. For first he tries to draw it from nv
letter 10 him OF June so, 1923, in which in answer to his inouf
~ as 10 tne reasons for these overchsrges, / say, 81 inc oe ex.
t,aets OF letters f.oD the NAVY COMMISSIONER allowing Mr.
something ndditonofas the price OF his bread, in con-
sequence OF his losing so much by fire. and in some measu,e
ow ing TO It's NOT being received when ready" But / do not saw.
as he Chooses TO understand me, thai the Commissioners
had allowed Graham any thing for his burn, bread: but some
ldirg additional on the bread made IN lieu of il, in cons,dera-
ton OF the hardship fhis having TO make it over AGAR. in co,
sequence Of his having los; his burnt bread, &c gave This
TOO, merelyas my opinion of the motive which, had led ths
commissioners 10 allow another and a higher price, "sone-
tnng additional" for the new bread which was TO SUNNY the
place OF tie Cid; but | did not pretend to know their yiews
eSacHy. as 1 was not a member of their Board noy
priVy to their counseis. Accordingly enclosed him
the extracts OF their letters to me upon the subject,
TO let them speak for themselves. And do these ex.
tracts establish the fact for which he IS seekinr3 The
hrst extract bears date Dec. 6. 1926, and SAYS: .srbe
commissioners have received a letter feom MIR. Ora
ham, informing them of the loss of his bake bouses