Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1845-03-28
REPORT OK rHE zAsaisxrE CONTRACT.

Iron hs Committee Expenditures Of the Navy Depart
mont. ssbnisssd The follo~ins Report,
The Commitiee the Expenditures Of the Navy De-
pernssni which. BY resolution of the House. directed
70 inquire into The matter relating
~b,eh he had had any par, in nesos,ns with tn. M.
vpeRHmsni. VI the bseaus connected herewith,
discs sreh 9Th. lsti and also to inquire whether any
oesr ot the the United States has he'd
psrcipsroaia the profit ofssd eontrae, contracts and
ala naxrs ordess and ssetioes have been given
BY Beersur Of the Navy fot being. or other
ceen u IL Uniscd States respecting such
consso. and report the facts the House, with
u such proceedings the Of the
rAssshe have not been abe find satisfae-
soof that james C. Zabfkir has entered into had
sny ssrtm negotiating moro than with the
NsU Department. az VI Its bureaus, since March 9TH,
On DE 2ador 23a dsy OF Msreh. is4l. Mr. Zabri.kie
81 ~ D4ss and for the benefit Of Borden NJ voorhe~
chief CLERK of the Burcsu OF Construction and Repairs
Asas. ssagss chief Of the Bureau. applied Pre-
sdsssS ths unsed sta'cs Tor furnish pro
misssess live osk timber. Tho timber needed
the time for The 81 the Navy. and
proposals. bad been published in ct the act o I'd
Msreo, te<S. Mr. Zsbrkie active parzan OF the
Prsssdsat and well known him had been
usciOf; and tbs procuring of timber employnen,
wholly fosstGn his habits and pursuits lie Informed
Prs14sof % 10 time that he wanted the for
JreIS No inquiry made the OF the friend
nottt Mr. xsbrskle volunteer give the info,maion.-
The rresiden directed him call Commodor. w ar.
rna. acting Sscre,sy Of the Navy. inquire whether
The SpPr wss vented, He called accordingly and the
Coyodse undsstood from him that nc wished furnish
wss-ssssds tnerc suffciency on hand lie call
ed sscuud une. and explained that live oak timber
he Desired 70 fdrash and seemed anxious obtain the
qusecence o. Commodore Warrington in his getting
tract He WAS still unsuccessful The Commodore in
torrsed him that thore large quantity OF poncuos
live oh on hand; ard thu; could be made
with him, er cse, WITHOUT complying with the law
relating for articles requed by tue navy
On ~ ssreueth OF this information Mr. Zabiiskie
ed to the Presdenl, and told him that the timber
wanting - and latter without further enquiry made an
order for for $4,000 OF proniscuous live
oak assr An iavos Of Mr.. Zabuie OF which the follow
ing 10 . copy
To tie Bsresa of Construction aud Ecuipmsni.
Les c. Zabriskie have contract Tor goo feet OF
promscuous live oak, be delivered Norfolk New
chase -. .ss JOHN TYLER.
March %. 1874"
With this ORDER Mr. Zabr-kic proceeded the Bureau
OF Construction Repairs OF which his TREND Voorhees,
in Of the catastrophe board the Princeton
was then acting chief and his assigned the or
der to w. G. N. Swift TIL. assignment is as follows:
hereby transfer the above contract to W. C. n Swift
A. JAMES {. ZABRiSkiE.
March o. 1874"
Mr.. Swift present at the time this assignment
use, and arrangement existed ON the subject be-
tween and Zabriske. The order and assignment
left with Voorhees, and the whole submitted there
after his direction He sold the Mr. Swift
Mr.. Zsbrske esiies that he understood from both Swift
and Voorhees, that 81 200 the price TO be paid Tor
by the former. If the contract consummated The
committee have received information duly auhen;ica-
ted testimony. which induces them believe that the
price agreed upon, in the should be
mated, about 81 00c; and that the actually real
lied by Voorhees, about 81 600. formal
between Swift and the bureau prepared by Voorhees,
and transmitted Swift who duly executed and returned
IT, together with bond with for the performance
thereof. dated tho 4;h Of ApF. Commodore Morris be-
came cnie OF the bureau the 10th OF April and the
next day Voorhees, LAID the papers before him. be
ted on the part Of the bureau.
Finding the order had been Illegally made there havir.
been no advertisement Tor proposals, required by law,
CON- Morris refused the Contract and brought
to the notice Of the Secretary Of the Navy This reus,
occasioned letter from Mr.. Zsbrskie to Commodore
Morris, marked private" of which the following
W: -a
80 (Prira,e)
"TKESros. N j., June IL, 1874.
"Dear Sir: About three months since, President OF
the United States directed the bureau which
preside furnish with contract for 25 900 feet OF
proniscnous live OAK" tho lime authorizing
assign the Mr.. Swift, thought proper do
accordingly lin presence Of the head Of the bureau
With his sanctonl assigned the contract 10 Swift The de-
then the contract TO Swift, directing him
file the usual bonds for the security OF the government
Mr. Swift Immediately proceeded Florida peiurHl hi.
contract the being legally bound
fnslyahe papcs, as TIC bonds properly approved
fled.
When last the President, which about month
since, no staied in the explicit iems ihst the
contract shond be Immediately executed By the bureau
have recently learned that has been signed. VIII
permit ~ inquire what the cacse 81 desy' The
authority eriiten order, sighcd by hs President
himself. directing 10 be done. The made
upon that authority, copy Of which order have
possession, and the individual with whom the contract
made has incurred very considerable eypense in dis
charging his part OF the obligation The peculiar relations
that subss bctweenihe President and myself pc
sion, with tho above exceedingly
unpleasant and the unpeasanins greatly increased by
the consideration that in The Of further delay the
part ofrhe bureau 10 oonsumms,e TIE contact
is obligation Placed there by the President will be
obliged 10 testify ia the premises. knor that it is the
Presdents desire and intention have the
tract fulfilled the part Of the government know fur.
ther that the gentleman who holds the will
linqush IT, Under these Circumstances respectfully ask
hafx
for delay.
VIII grea, egutc, your Obedien, servant.
JAMES e. ZABRlSkIE
Commodore MoRRH,
Chief ef Tie. BarsGu Of Construction SC Washington
city ID. C.
"P. s-I would have requested personal interview:
but my duties member oi the State convention to
form the constitution compeis my presence here"
The Secretary Of the Navy consulted with the President
who verbally directed tho execution of the to be
suspended for the present. In consequence Of the
gency 81 Mr.. Swift 10 have the question disposed or the
Secretary, the 18th January, le45, addressed the
President official communication detailing the proceed
ings. and pointing what he deemed illegal; and
contract Of the Presidents making submit
ling the whole matter TO his decision.
The President responded the eth January. lie de-
edes that The bssDces ofaPpopraion made aniocedeni
TO the Sd OF March, lsi3 subsequently supply def.
eiencies those balances, sucen; the con.
tract there difficulty in the way Of its execution,
the appropriations had been lar exhausted TO
enable tc 20 meet entire contract PAYMENT
liver WREN delivered and inspected and the
the residue be abrogafed; and If Mr.. Swift was
content with this result. he apply Congress
As the President well knew, when he made the decision
that the balance Of appropriations not sufficient
the contract the decision in effect abogate
the contract except TO the timber hand ready for de-
livery. t..
This Q condensed view OF the facts Of ihs case and
they certainly exhibit extraordinary circumstances
Ia 10 clear beyond all dispute that Mr. Voorhees, while
officer OF the government acting under the solemn obgs.
lions OF oath. winly and couupdy betrayed his trust
violated his duty aud the law by the sale Of for
his own omoumen He hos passed beyond iho reach Of
any earthly tribunal TO the retribuonS Of another world
and therefore, action, 10 him. can bs Of nvnil
Mr. Zsbriskie appeared before the committee. and was
examined 40 witness. lie duly advised Of his priy
ege decline answering any question which might tend
70 crminste himself, but made objection that ground
He knew that Voorhees, officer Of the Bureau of
Construction, md Incapable, therefore, Of taking int
In contract with that departments md with this
knowledge Mr. Zabrskie lent himself and the Of hi.
nsme and pfostuted the inuence his intimacy and par
txan services gave him with the President, obtain
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