New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-02-25

ACCEPTED bic. Lowest th
A. this stage Of the proceedings, before the Secre-
tsry had paced upon any Of the ta., the folosing
letter VAS set By Co. W. G. Paterson orPhiadel-
pha 70 the President:
DEAF SlK: vsuture = you tns uPoracos Of
swndIg toe ooDrsots for the nsonne q tie sop nov
D1iesg a. zoe hay tsI' - III o. &c Csa o. aoe
Theirs j. its only estsbshusn:.p 1e h Distract which
poys srse number 81 mechanic a. ;s the, Ss) wnen In
Th usrssirr partners MT N sen. b-ng sb,en IN bai
io'o, esrrs hi. eegrs.oa, su6, fs Know opy
Od WIGS Of suy iBaeeaes II thar District who are II fayor Of
uow from flrneI eIpersScs the yaiae Of that Iaaoeaos
feel PeIusdee that IT TIE Interest sf Toe Democratic parry
"Tbe Ia 0tret r boP., be carried IN sry even. bit
election, .hs Iesy would hiat, Plsoea beyoue al oot
Win u,ucb Iespect ". T. PAEtEkSON
The PERsIDEsT.'
This letter wss cent 10 the Secretary Of the Navy by
lac President, with thIs Endorsement:
1.-THE inclo.e5 letter from Col Pser,ou Of rrisdlgs
satnea TIE s;eIon Of the Seer, srJ q the Navy ib
The uodersgr Cd reg ard this serious offense. IL
IL the duty Of Tie Secretary 10 determine which OF the
bod,rs was the "owest responsible bidder ana to
award 70 him the contract. II il Judicial act The
rights Of paftte under the law and the nights OF the
Government, were involved IN the award. Any sug-
gestoLs Of fact or motive except those which would
enable the Secretary TO adjaoge when OF the compel
irg bidders was the lowest responsiblc one, was o.
proper. The Secretary ives the slbordluAte of t1e
President, holding Off ce at bis pleasure, naturally
controlled by his will; and by Law he is frequently re-
quired TO award and adjutgo without regard to the
President. decatur vs. Psulcing, II Pet, SIS; o
How, l0I-2J Under these circumstance the Pfesi-
DEBT suggested 10 the Secretary, and in writing called
biz attention 10 the impOrta' ce Of Awarding one OF
the contracts foI machioery to Mernck d Sons, IN
order 10 secue the potent political influence Of that
frn in favor Of tire reelection o. Col. Florence, and
thus place the result of the election IN his district
beyond doubt, ard generally TO Increase the utusnce
Of that firm, that il might be exercised 10 favor oil
the Democratic party.
IL the President had Fuggested b Judge Of the
United States Courts that be render q judgment IN
favor Of of the parties ugaDt 10 cause pending
before him, becaufe that judgment would aid 10 tue
election Of party fasorte or would contribute 10 the
sucoos OF the Democratic party, The general voice Of
the people would demand bis uDpeacnment Is II
less serious OfleDse when this suggestion Is msde by
the President to the Secretary OF the Navy The
iu5ce s beyond tho power OF the President; the Scre-
tary il within bis power. Each required 10 perform
iodica for ctoIs The suggestion By the President OF
corrupt motives TO either Il equally dangerous, AID 10
ely ~ succeed with an officer whose tenure OF
efiCe Is the will Of the President.
The terms Of the note Of the President could not BE-
Misunderstood by ssubordinate. No one can read the
letter ana note without conviction that the induce nsnt
IN the letter WAS By the Prc6delt as proper
orc be submitted, ana 70 require the aeuon OF the
Secretary. THUS itdOreed, the corrupt motives sgg
gestod would 0ecice tie award without regard 10 cost,
uIess the Secretary eviuced higher sense OF public
duty than hs superior.
Should il DO ssd that the letter Gid not iuhGence the
AVA d. the reply is, that the OTsuse is IN submitting
corrupt motive 70 the consideration OF TIE SecietIy
But the award was made to Mernck q Sons. How
fer II influenced the award only DO cturred iron
The subsequent proceedings.
On the 10Th OF September 1853, the Secretary sp-
pointed IN advisory Board of Engineers to examine toe
propo e. and each mem Der OF the Boafo was required
TO report which proposal In bis opinion should be ac
copied The Board was composed OF Samuel Arcl-
bold Fpciueer-n-C hef Of the United States Navy; W.
w. W Wood, Henry Hunt, and ID .nie ID; Martin
Chef-EI piueers. Martin the pstentee OF MARTIN
vertical tubular boiler, and previous TO the proposals
lad MADE aIrHngemonts with some OF the bidders thAt
he was to receive a specific sum, varying 10 anoant
from coo for the privilege Of usiog ms oOi er
here wBe nOhpg IN the spech ,atlons advising DID
dcrs tina. the adoption Of Msrns boilers was reqn-
sic 10 success. 1t not generally adopted except
III Government vessels. The horizontal tubular boiler
wac generally used IN marine ergitcs The drawings
exhibited the details Of the machoery and the Board
Of Etcneers would uece ssarily know whether Martin
boer was included Ill the bid. Merrck a Sons speci-
fed Martins patent in their proposals. athoogh they
did not use IL in other msrne VeSsels. Ohe oi tue
firm 70 titled that motive foI including that boiler
was they had supposed that they would, perhaps, Do
more likely to succeed in their proposals, If they
adopted that form of boiler. They, therefore, pre-
viou-ly agreed up stipulated prle with MaitIo Tor
the use Of his boiler and embodied II IN their plans
The specifications required that
1.-THE offers must be for specific sum for putting
the whole in successful operation; mast lncude ell
patent fees; and the department will require release
from the propdetors Of any patented article Or arrange
meIts used 10 or about the machinery" &c.
This would necessarily involve previous agree
mert of Martin with those parties VINO ipelnded ms
boilers In their plans and would make him directly in-
teres,ed to the extent Of bic patent right o accepting
the bids Of those VINO would psy hun for lts USE and
rejecting those who pre- ferTed another boiler. -.
II is cesr this was known 70 the Secretary. II nad
been the subject Of complaint previously. Martin had
placed the record release TO the GoVernnent tCr
The right 10 use hts boiler on Government vesse1s
while he remsiIed Eugineer-ln' Cbe' o. the United
States but be was removed 10 1897 because OF ms
interest in patents. Martin eshes 81 81 he tod tie
Secret ~ Of his interest aud on that groBot asked -
be relieved from service Advisory Boards. The
interest Of Martin also discussed between the Sec
Rotary ard Dickerson.
In deciding upon the proposals, no awsrd wss made
except To thoee whose drawings ehowed the Martin
boiler The lowest bid for the Norfolk slooP Ess ~
&. ReeCer of Baltimore, and was iof s3iIeVV Two
Of the Board, Messrs. Archbod and hnnt were 10
favor Of accepting iris bid. All agreed that the en-
gipes were good but Messrs. Marin and WOOD did
not ike the boilers. In bis answer Martin thus siaIes
hrs OblsCiion
"M Reeders 6, rooa s7a bis price Hscioy
but his # boiler came. tecoC1enc tosy ERE LAS
sa,,sctoIy wouS AiG foI the Nor:s ahiP"
If the boiler had been " satisfactory TO NJ. Mar-
tin, it would have secured majority ci me board 10
favor Of this bid. A., however, the BoAd was Ill
yiied rev advertisement was issued new oids were
received and the contract for the rfok snip was
fosly awarded 10 Messr.. Murray d Hsziehars' OF
Baltimore for Si3i 600, or go COO mere taao Reeoer
first bid Il appears from the testimony OF Martin
that he prepares plsrs toT bddes That De receives
nav for suoh plane, in case IS high as SoVi ana
thst his fees consulting enSl eer Tor oilS a'e
parties AMOUNT 10 more than III salary as chl7i en-
tireer in the Navy. lie ADDITION lie ps,ent Ices oI
tie boilers ard waves used 10 the y VI tuo
i've f)ooos awarded partly upon his opinion, s over
a anO He has row q claim pencirg before Corgrees
r $4,000 for tire Of nus patent oOAsI u Tie 'es
seis tf tie United States. u..
II is impossible for your Courteee or 'oe >,