The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1845-07-30
ADVERTISING FOR CONTRACTS.
10 The Hon. Secretary IF The Nary,

To he Hon. Secretary IF the yNaru,
.4nd all Interested
This is subject which we have frequently
brought TO the notice of the public and one which
is yet most shamefuIly neglected as it is so WELD
ed as TO defeat the very object which it was in
tended 10 accomplish TO induce the most extend
ed competition. The excuse given by those who
have the distribution of that patronage for with
holding information from the public. is. that il
costs too n.dch Why, the pittance expended on
the press is saved 10 the country and the people
in thousand ways. If the Government has any
thing to sell, it brings more purchasers to the
market; if it wishes to purchase, it puts more
articles at the choice of the Government and
gives it every facility. We will have more to
say on this subject hereafter; we will show how
a whig minority ,rcked democratic majority of
the last Congress, into throwing this patronage
of the Government into the whiu press Now
the WING presses of the cities, which generally
have the largest circulation. are made the pub
fishers of the advertisements and consequently.
the democracy who are in the majority are Obliged
TO 90 to whig journals for information, which they
ought to obtain in their own papers But our
present object is to introduce the following able
extract from CORES pendent Of the Charleston
Mercury 10 the notice of the Government. We
ask, does not the fact seem to be to defeat the oh
ject of advertising for contracts and to throw the
job advertised for into some favnrte's hands q
Our mechanics in this section are completely de-
barred from bidding.
The National LttelEgencer of this mornino
nd fran tba e
Yards and Docks. calling for proposals for fur
nishng materials. eycavating, grading. making
emhankment, pllng, &c. Sc, for the Mem his
Navy Yard. Among The materials are quantities
of stone for walls. 500. 900 bricks. 100000 feet
lumber, SC. The advertisement is dated to dav
the 2lst july and the time allowed for the bids
to he received at the Navy Department is M to
) o'clock on the 10Th August next-iust hirfy
days 1t is ordered to he published in papers
in this city; in New York in Boston: in
Richmond in Nashville; and in Memphis
1T is not to be published in any other paper in
Tennessee but the two last hamed-nnt at all in
Missouri, Kentucky, Ohio or any other of the
Western States. The contractors are required to
give evidence of their ability tn complete the
work, to furnish good security, 10 have that secu-
rity certified as responsible by the u. S. District
Attorney or by persons well known to the Go
vernment. The work is very extensive and will
require the outlay of large sum of money
And what is the time allowed by this advertise
ment 10 bring out fair competition for the bid
dings ?-,just thirty days. And of that thirty
days, t,centy at least will be consumed in ooinp
TO and returning from Memphis to this place If
a contractor in New York or Boston desire to 90
and see the nature Of the work. and whether he
can undertake it. he will have TO wait three or
four days before the advertisement is published in
New York, and then with the time required 10
90 TO Memphis and hack he would have perhaps
fire days to examine the ground, the plans and
specifications, 10 make his estimates, find his Sc
cnrltles, have their responsibility certified. obtain
evidence of his ability to complete the work. pre-
pare his bids and calculations and get them TO the
Department. If man in Nashville desire to
see whether he can contract or not, believe the
advertisement does not allow him time to 90 10
Memphis at all. The same with one from ST
Louis and other places. What then. is the
meaning of this? Is it fact that some person
or persons hare been Informed of the nature Of
The 'cor6 and materials yequired? and have had
hint of the time which would be specified in
the advertisement Can it be that this short
time was specified for the cypress purpose of
shutting ont cOmpetiiOn2 Who are the favor
ed individuals who are to have the privilege OF
having this job at the public expense? Is that to
be the way In which contracts are to be given
out? To publish an advertisement osensbly tn
invite public competition but in reality to shut out
all competition, and TO enable the government to
give out fat contract to iavurite or other
is this to be the rule? so, let it De known and
understood that in future these contracts for pub-
lie work are jobs for the Executive patronage,
ana not open to public competition | think
however, the position of the President and the
Post Master General as TennesseanS. will require
OF them that this barefaced mockery of the whole
some law requiring public competition, should not
he permitted to obtain. The work is to he per
formed in their own State, and the Que as head OF
the Government and tho other one Of the Chief
Magistrates official advisers, will be held to q
strict account with the public. if this ne indeed
permitted TO degenerate into job! Givino ont
contracts TO reward political services, or for anv
other purposes to make job of them. has become
too odlous to he undertaken with impunilv by any
department of the Executive part of the Govern
ment.
JUSTICE TO JOHN TYLER.