Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-04-14
Frauds upon the Government No. o.

o'clock.
Frauds upon the Government No. Q.
Before entering into the main subject Of the
present number, We wish to call attention to a
piece Of rascality to which a pop-shop politician
in Philadelphia by the name of Florence was the
principal party. and the Navy Department was
merely subordinate--though equally guilty. The
election in Philadelphia, let it be remembered,
took place in October. In Augusta few weeks
before the clectiOn-Florcnce, who was n candi-
date for Congress- made application to the Super
intendent to have eighty men employed for the
purpose of picking oakum-an article used in the
Nav for some purpose, we know not what. Tho
officer, who had charge Of that department of the
Yard, refused to appoint these eighty additional
men, because he already had enough men there
for that purpose. lie refused to appoint them be-
cause he odd not consider greater force neces-
sary." He therefore refused the request.
What dues Mr. Florence do thenf lie go.s to
Washington City, has an interview with the Sec
Rotary Of the Navy, and requests the Secretary to
order these eighty additional men to be appointed
Tho Secretary referred him to Commodore Smith,
who, knowing that these were not needed
declined to appoint them. short time alter
wards, however he received a note from the Chief
Clerk q the Secretary Of the Navy, ordering The
mes 10 be appointed And, accordingly they ~e".
Now, here was an instance ia which not only
the ofhcer in charge said these additional men
were not wanted-but the same thing was said by
Commodore Smith, Of the bureau OF Yarls and
Docks, who knew all about it. And yet they
were appointed for all that! Appointed for no
other reason than TO help Florence to be elected
in October! Thus we see the money of the poo
pie openly and shamcfully employed to elect a
party favorite to the House Of Representatives
But, the truth was, Florence did not need those
eighty men to secure his election for the force in
the Navy Yard Ind aaready been increased about
one Thousand men, for thds ery> pmpose' proba-
bly, he Thought to make as~asince doubly sure. ="
His nominal majority for Congress WINS some three
or four hundred only -and as about eleven hundred
men had been fraudulenty packed into the Navy
Yard for the purpose of voting for him, it will be
seen that he was. honestly, and in fact, DEFEATED
by seven or eight hundred. Yet, we have no
doubt this foreign-born, pop-shop politician will
take his seat boldly in the next Congress, and be
Is red-mouthed democrat" as any Of them
We come now to the frauds practised in the
award Of the contracts for constructing tho ma
chinery for the new sloops Of war. authorized to
be built by the act Of Congress Of June 1885,
There were six Of these sloops authorized to be
built-and tho Secretary Of the Navy invited pro-
posals from the different iron-works for the ma
chinery for each sloop. There were from six to
seven bidders for each vessel Now we ask a,ten-
ton to the following facts:
l. For the sloop to be built ut Portsmouth, New
Hampshire, the lowest bid was that of the Novel
ty Iron Works-one Of the most extensive and re-
liable establishments in the Union-at 1893, 800
The Board Of Commissioners, however. reported
in favor of giving the contract to Woodruff 4
Beach of Hartford, at $l25. 900! A loss on this
single contract, to the Government, Of $26, 500
But then Beach, one of the firm, is connected by
marriage ~iM Me::Secretary Of the Nary!
q For the sloop at Boston, the lowest bid was
$4,000. The contract was given to, another firm
at 100000 Seven thousand dollars more, "gone
glimmering"
8. For the sloop at New York the lowest bid
was S97 600. The contract was awarded to James
Murphy Co. Qrish!) for sl30,00Ol Thirty
three thousand dollars, on this contract alone
''gone glimmering" from Uncle Sam and his heirs
forever
4. For the sloop at Philadelphia the lowest bid
was $4,000. The contract was given to Merrick
Sons (of which more hereaft.r) at $l02, OOO-
Four thousand more gone.
s. For the Norfolk sloop the lowest bid was
$4,000. The contract was awarded to Murray &
Haxlehurst of Baltimore for sl3l 600! Thirty
seven thousand dollars more gone
6. For the sloop at Pensacola the lowest bic
was 500, 900. The contract was given to tn,
Morgan iron works in New York city for $l20, 900
Twenty thousand morel
By these six awards the Government loses in tn
aggregate, shout one hundred thousand dollars
But, then, what care thsss precious patriots fo
that ~. long ~ they reward party favorties, ant
rsimburse them the money they had "contribu
ted" TO carrying the election of Mr.. Buchanan
Now. let rs enquire into some of the motiue,
which dictated these extraordinary awards. L
appears that one Of the Commissioners was o mar
BY the naas Of Martin. This man Martin had
invested whstw was called horizontal tubula,
bdlsr. which vs. considered an improvement
upon ~ Old ,aAch6nsry. Whenever anv Of til,
biddWssseihsd "AaRtia,s boiler" in their pro
isb ~ stssgysd thst Martin was in fsvo
49, d,nelrdIsss Al The anoant proposed +