The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-03-13


give us anything better than sectional floating dock
and hope the Senate will conhne lie provision 10 the
building OF one OF that kind
Mr. PEARCE. The senator can accomplish his object
by moving to strike out . marine railway or screw
Dock" II the Senate adopt the amendment of the com
mitee.
Mr. GWlN My plan was, if The amendment of the
Committee on Finance not adopted, TO lake the pto
VISION as \ came IRON the House
Mi. PEARCE The provision OF the House ID incon-
SiS,,n' M 1, and nconSrnous
Mi GWlN, We can amend il aud make il sensible
Mr. WALKER: am one OF those who mean upon
every occasion when proper to do to hold this ad
ihslFailon To strict accountability for its appopria.
uons and expenditures But do not want TO be met BY
lhe Objection that we forced upon the department that
whieh not only was not asked for, but which
tually declined Now am guided by the Secretary of
The Navy IN this matter and in looking his answer
the resolution of the senator from Ohio, find that he
says that iioalng dock without railway and basin
w answer all purposes IN view upon the Pacific
hnd that he says further that that be constructed
Tor less than half what demanded Tor one with
a railway and basin Now il is proposed that we decline
to take his propositions and il is conended that shall
force upon the department the necessity OF expendng this
entire sun sun, SI q money
Mr. GWlN Not at all.
Mr. WALKER. am opposed TO IT, | am not speak
ng OF what The bill now is. but hear senators talking
about amending it, Sir, have not seen enough here.
tolore to give us some alarm upon this subjeci Not
whstandDg this the opinion of the Secretary of the
Navy we had report from the senator from Virginia.
recommending, if remember arght, that the contract be
executed as was verbally stipulated for by the Secre.
Ct,
the administration injustice and the country in justice
Now, Tor my own part am not particular about this
matter except as am guided by the, Secretary of the
Navy want the representatives of that section of the
country to know this matter, and not TO force to vote
upon the Secretary more than he says he can do
Mr. MASON The bill as il came from The House, as
understand 1t, provided that the basin and railway
should be dispensed with, and provided further that the
contract for the construction OF this dock should not be
treated contract but that should again be thrown open
Tor bidders Now understand the who reported
this bill Mr. PEARcE] 10 report substitute for this pro-
vision differing IN lis phraseology, but which will
cary the amendment OF the House into effect far
the compact Is concerned dispensing with the basin and
railway, and treating the subject if contract had
been made
Mr. PEARCE. Precisely So
Mr. MASON. Upon resolution OF the Senate the
Naval Committee were instructed 10 inquire whether the
work contemplated upon the Pacific could be done upon
better terms than that which provided in the contract
with the Secretary of the Navy, got all the information
he possessed upon the subject and found that the Secre
tary OF the Navy had made contract if there any
legal meaning to the term contact" rather if the
meaning which we all understand be the legal mean
ing is the meaning OF the word " contrac1"he made
contract with A and Il do not remember their names)
Tor the kind OF dock that the laws require you do
The facts are these This gentleman, these gentle
men-there were more than one, beeve--proposed to
make the dock required by law for given The Sec
retay of the Navy referred it his bureau to see what
dock ought TO cost upon the Pacific The bureau made
an estimate somewhat short of the sum proposed by the
contractors The Secretary of the Navy held il under
osition TO the contractors, say will give you the
work If you will do ii for the naned-lt was some
$4,000 less than the bureau had recommended according
TO my recollection The Secretary OF the Navy made that
proposition TO the contractnrs you may have the
work If you will do il for the sum have proposed The
contractors asked for day TO consider it. That day
was given and at the termination OF the day. OF them
went 10 :he Secretary and told him that be accepted
There was proposition made upon the side by the
Secretary OF the Navy and was consented by the other
party. There was nothing 10 be done but TO reduce the
contract to writing which should be DONE said
soon as the convenience of the parties would admit and
both were to sign II That was the status when the
mtee were instructed to lnqclre The committee there
fore reported that contract made, the faith OF the
government involved, and the fact was reported TO
the Senate That was The unanimous report OF the
mee and they asked to be discharged from the further
consideration OF the matter The Senate ratified the do
ngs OF the committee, and discharged them from the fur
ther consideration of The subject Now, one OF the
representatives upon thus foor OF the representa-
tves OF the States cannot agree when contract has
been made with the government, although not reduced TO
writing, that il shall he treated as contract
Mr. PEARCE. The contract lar contract
that the government could not hold the contractor liable.
That being the case why should the governmen, be LA
BILE am told that the committee in the House insisted
positively upon this provision. They were determined
that the subject should be thrown open 10 competition.
Mr. BADGER. Wba, committee
Mr. PEARCE. do moi know the Naval Committee,
suppose. They thought that there not contract
binding upon the government, and therefore it should be
left open. ..... ...
Mr. HALE remember something abou, the history
OF these docks These different projectors before
the Senate years ago. and fought another until
they found that II would be better working join hands
and come together upon the government than IT would be
10 fight sngIy Well sir, they joined their forces, and
then came 10 operate upon the government, and got
contract for dock al kttery Maine one a, Philade
pba one, think, az Pensacola; and subsequently this
California. Well, sir, after that, other in
dviduals corporations paenlees, seeing that good
lob could be got out oil the government then came in TO
disturb these forces, and the result OF It has been this
legislation in the House OF Representatives.
Now, III too old 10 tOrget schoOIboy
fox who got caught in the brambes, and was covered
over with flies. A swallow came along and offered 10
drive them off Not said the fox these fellows have
got pretty well filled and if you drye them oil more
hungry will take their places, and will not have
drop OF blood left in me Now, think that the state
with these persons, and these outsiders, seeing what was
going on ask break the public faith to repudaie
our contract and throw everything loose, 10 let them
come in and suck what there is left in the public treasury
from these docks Now think there nothing else le III
to the government we shood preserve our good faith
that should resort to the contemplate bterfuge
must be a contemplate subteriuge-of saying that we
will not perform our solemn contracts because they arc
not signed, sealed, and delivered The iuncionaiy to
whom this matter conided tells us that contract TO
all in'en,s pv and and purpose, ps Iva, was made
Mr. HALE II be does not say so in term- he says so
in substance-he admits that he has made contract
would ask il the fact that the funclonary TO whom this
matter coD6ded has not signed this contract is TO rem
der il null il you have any paste or sealing wax IN the
Capitol that i'll make il good No. SIR, not al all It's
unworthy OF the government of the age, OF The character
OF our people, and hope will continue the contracts
whether il be good bad one, whether we make
or lose by it, whether sink or ewim let us stuck TO IT.
and do not let us repndate the contracts that we have
made | therefore in this case shall vote against the