The daily union., 1852-05-13
SPEECH OF HON. r. +. STOCKTON,
on NEW Jersey,

uctpefcd va VIC otudte " Wc OHued oldteS OH NohuuY
May 10, 1852,
The Senate having resumed as in committee OF the
whole the consideration OF the joint resolution author
lzng the completion oil steamer ior haIbor de-
MIR STOCKTON said Mr. President when the chair
man OF the Naval Committee announced 10 the Senate
his intention 10 call up The resolution under consd
eraon, he stated that the senator from New Jersey
mysefelt great interest in the subject II quite true
do feel great very great interest nhe success OF this
resolution, and have no doubt that the result will show
that am not the only senator who feels deeply interested
in the prosperity and safety OF New York city am in
terested, principally. because | Of opinion that the
deences OF that city require the immediate attention OF
Congress- aud partly because one OF my constituents
gentleman OF reputation and useuness-has been, in my
opinion unfairly, ungenerous unIusty treated by the
government do not mean by the present adminslra-
ton OF the navy because understand that this whole
matter by his remarkable predecessor. placed beyond
his control
There was report made by the Naval Committee at
the time this resolution first presented TO the Senate
ask that it may be read 1t will probably relieve
from the dsagreeabe duty of saying anything further
as TO the conduct OF the late administration:
The Committee Naval Affairs, whom referred
much of the Presidont's message and accompanying
deaton that pan Of The repor, Of The Secretary Of
Navy which refers TO the construction OF warseamer
That January Is. 1912, the board of commissioners OF
the navy recommended Mr. Stevens's plan for eamer,
re,ary Of the Navy Shory afterwards MI Stevens sub
ned 10 Congress printed copy Of his plan The Cham
1872 recommended to Congress the plan OF Mr. Stevens
joint board oil officers Of the army and navy 10 wit;
Commodores Stewart and Perry, Captain StTingham and
Lieutenant Newman appointed for that purpose conyen'
in New York the 9Th Of July s to witness snperiatend
and report upon Mr. Sievens's experiments with bomb
and ball proof target suited 70 the sides OF vessel The
experiments were made in their presence and report OF
the board submitted TO the department in favor OF Mr..
On the lid Of April lsis Congress passed an act author
zng The Secretary OF the Navy o contract win MT Stevens
ap and & sssas
cost more Than the average Of the steamers Missouri and
oa s ioh Fsbpay iss AR ssyes. into
contract Mr. Uphur, Secretary of the Navy, build
lery now in on board vessels-of war"
Ia order launch vessel OF the size and description Of
excavate, and at his and EXPENSE
dydock OF capacity sufficient build her in and float
her This OF course, involved the necessity OF delay in
her construction; though while engaged in making the
dydoc he was also assidnousy engaged in procuring The
mnay details for an undertaking OF such magnitude and
i In December, Isfs. MIR. Hensbaw, who succeeded Mr.
upshur as Secretary Of the Navy declined making the ne
second Contract very full minute, and particuisr Was
made with Mr. seyeTn which & was followed BY supple
Der, 1914, and which provided for the payments ac-
Of the contract Mr Stevens then prosecuted with
the 9th of December lsi5, again arrested in the
ecuon Of his contract, by order from Mr. Bancroft, stop
insing further payment, until the plan for
y YET e. az this Is very H ms The sn was IN
original first made, and further Of
his plan furnished in November is Thus second time
impaired. he was ordered TO Europe by his physician
In January 1877, Mr. Stevens applied TO Mr.. Mason then
Secretary, extension of time in which complete
the steamer and satisfactorily accounted for the OF
whatever delay had been suffered Alter more than egh-
months additional contract made, reciting the
former and extending the me OF completion four years
most minute details OF the work given, and the com.
pete security for the execution Of the project aud every
safes
Hardly year. however. permitted elapse. when,
IN August 1919, r Secretary Preston refused 10 make any
further payments Mr. Stevens account and the work
again stopped Mr. Stevens then In Europe,
gagged In obtaining better materials for portions OF the
steamer than could be obnined in this country Contracts
were made by him in Europe ior such materials Alter
which he Immediately returned home, and urged the Sec
reary permit him proceed according to contract Mr.
Preston however declined taking any other step than 10
Whatever delay took place in the performances Of this
execution The necessity for these delays not, 1t is
believed, properly appreciated by the Navy Department
teras and The details the plan, involved
the consumption OF much time The experiments neces-
ler which finally adopted, also required much uine
Even from this delay the government derived the advan
the Princeon which was thus proved 10 be superior
any other then in indeed, since adopted Work
built lor those experiments. Also large drydock was
constructed with steat engine, punching and drilling
machines TOOLS &c. and large pumps, which have kept
the dock free ever since It's completion,
very great expense, One third Of the drydsck within
which the government ion steamer was have been but
excavated from solid rock All this consumed and
required unremng personal ereron and supervision,
and large expenditures Of money, for which no remunera
ZION hs been made. But all delay satisfactorily ex-
planned before the several renewals of the contracts at each
period of such renewal #aaN #.~n.#"
When the contractor first arrested by Mr. Secretary
Bancroft, he in advance, and liable for materials
principally for heavy plates Of iron from Pennsyvans,
about $4,000, which subsequently, paid him He
in advance about S3o00o also for heavy plates and
tubes for the boiler, &c England Yet the govern
mon proposes sell his property TO reimburse eli
Tor previous payments bis contract for nonperormance
OF the same performance OF which been prevented by
the action OF the government Itself ...+
On the 2s January 1851 Commodore Skinner addressed
Mr. Stevens and Informed him that the Navy Department,
considering the void, designed 10 cell shortly the
materials collected by him for the purpose OF executing
according 10 hts several agreements.
To mp the whole subject u appears that Congress,
by the Iih OF April lsi2 directed Secretary OF the
Navy make win Robert l. Stevens for
steamer, aud appropriated specific amount of money
cuted Mr. Stevens in good faith proceeded to perform all
his obligations The contract afterwards made more
specific, It's mDutss details enumerated and the Time or
It's completion extended by succeeding Secretary The
appest security for It's faithful execution was required and
given. Officers of the United States appointed to
supernend tho receipt of materials provided, and pay.
men for such materials made by the government IRON
time 10 time subsequent Secretary OF the Navy, with.
out previous notice to the contractor suddenly suspend
ed contract and refused the paynepts
stipulated therein be made, leaving the contractor bound
TO large the materials for which he had
acted In the prosecution of his work Another Secretary
renewed the contract and extended the time for its
ton The again vigorously and actively applied
himself the execution of his While thus in.
dusousy mpoyed another Secretary again arrested his
and finally suspended all payments and referred the
subject Congress The present Secretary considers him.
self bound by the Of his predecessor, and the
on he subject has given notice to Mr. Stevensunder
power 20 el contained the mortgages executed by the