Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-03-05
Abuses I'm the Navy Departments
More Disclosures.

More Disclosures.
AS an exceedingly appropriate preface to a
further notice we propose to take of the abuses
brought TO light by the Investigating Com
mittee, we here insert the following extract
of letter addressed some time last fall, by
President BUCHANAN to the Committee on the
Fort Duquesne Centenary Celebration
shall assume the privilege of advancing
years in reference to another growing ard
dangerous evil. In the last age, although
our fathers, like ourselves, were divided INTO
political parties which often had severe con-
iicts with each other yet we never heard
until within recent period of the employ
ment of money to carry elections. Should
this practice increase until the voters and
their representatives in the State and Nation
al Legislatures shall become infected, the
fountain Of free government will then be
poisoned at its source, and we must end,
history proves, in a military despOtism.
Democratic Republic. all agree cannot long
survive unless sustained by public virtue.
When this is corrupted and the people become
venal, there is canker at the root of tho
tree Of liberty which will cause it to wither
and to die.
The pure, the immaculate Old Patriot
How his heart bled on hearing of the employ
ment of "money" to "caTry on electiOnsw
How his soul sunk within him at the thought
that, if this practice should increase, it would
poison the fountain of free government at its
very source! Having inwardly wept with
Mr.. BUCHANAN over the degenCacy of the
present generation, as exhibited in 1.-THE grow
Ing and dangerous evil of using money to
carry elections'-an evil that is, as he truly
says, "a canker at the root of the tree of lib
erty, which will cause it to wither and die"
let US turn for brief space to portion of
tie evidence taken before the Committee of
Investigation.
1t appears that GEORGE Pitt. of Philadel-
phia, an active and intimate friend of Mr..
BUCHANAN, had, in 1854, entered into con-
tract with w. G. N. SWIFT, of New Bedford. |
Massachusetts,, by which Pitt agreed to aid
SWIFT all he could in obtaining contracts for |
live oak forthesupply ofthe Navy Department, |
for which SWIFT was to pay Pitt ten per |
cent. on the gross amount of the contracts
made. The aid contemplated was that PUTT
should place SWIFT upon familiar relations
with the Departments
Pending the Presidential election of 1856,
Pitt introduced SWIFT to Mr. BUCHANAN.
and sought to place him in the best position
he possibly could with Mr.. BUCHANAN. Pitt at
the time was treasurer ofthe Democratic State
Central Committee of Pennsylvania, and, as
such, received from SWIFT the sum of 10000,
OF which SWIFT contributed 10000 and
received the balance from his immediate
friends, 10 be used IN tie pending election.
Mr.. BUCHANAN was informed before the
election that SWIFT was an old line Wing
who had come over to his party, and was
taking an active part 10 the election and he ,
Mr.. BUCHANAN, acas subsequently informed Of
the amount contributed by Suif. Well that
fact within his knowledge Mr. BUCHANAN {
was guilty of the inexpressible hypocrisy of t
inditing the lamentation contained in his a
Fort Duquesne letter over the degeneracy of {
the present generation, as manifested in
what he termed the growing and dangerous a
eviP' of employing money ito carry cleo II
tions!"
Gan 1t be for moment a matter of doubt 4
with any intelligent mind. that at the time n
he wrote that letter. Mr.. BUCHANAN kae,o not u
only of this sum of $4,000, which had been Q
employed to carry has election, but of tens of a
thesame purpose? o
But let us return to the doings of Messrs. I
Pitt and SWIFT, in their pursuit of fat h
liveoak contracts.
After Mr.. BUCHANAN's induction into office.
Pitt introduced SWIFT, to Mr.. ToUCEY, the
Secretary of the Navy. Pitt testifies that
"In introducing Mr. Swift, told Mr. Tou- ;,
that ia "a a OyaDtlaman x.ybn 4 oh H.,
very glad to have him aid in any way that he ~
could, legitimately, of coUrsc;t that he was nv o
very warm friend, who had contributed very a.
literally towards the election Of 1856, and
hat he had a number of old-line Wing friends :.
n Massachusetts, who were equally liberal. II
'ome of them, at least, and | thought that
such gentlemen ought to he patronzed of d,
course. -
The upshot was that SWIFT carried the day b,
'efore all competitors-having obtained con- al
racts in 1857 to the amount of 1922 $40, pr
lad in 1858 to the amount of $l66,70O. OF
Subsequently to those transactions, Pitt ii,
nd Swift fell out-ihe former repudiating pa
is ten per cent. agreement with the latter. M
Lift thereupon consulted his friend, the re-
resident. The Presidential conference is us
bus stated by Pitt: h,
II did not want to Involve the present adj to
Illustration in any difficlity, and, therefore All
ask d the President whether there would be =,
ny objection to my prosecuting Mr.. Swift in =
Ourt for this claim. The President looked ne
! the agr, ement made in 1854, aud said he of
ould not see any objection to 1t. He had nm
course, no advice to give, aud told me g
light do rs pleased about it," VI
Let us pass on to another transaction ex- -,
mined into by the Committee of Inycstiga- -
on.
On the 26th of July, 1853, sealed pro- :,
osals were invited by the Secretary of the
avy for the steam machinery, &C., for seven -.
oops Of war. Before the Secretary had -
sssed upon any of the bids, the following
tier was sent by Col. w. G. PATTERSON of -
Philadelphia, to President BUCHANAN: =,
PHnADELrHI., September Is, 1858. nj,
DEAR SfR | venture TO suggest 10 you the
Importance Of awarding the Contracts for the WI
achinery Of the sloop, now building at the wa
IVY yard ut this place, aud, 1T 10 can be of
ole without prejudice to the public service, a.,
Merrick Il Sons Theirs Is the only es- '"'
blishment in the first district which em- sus
Toys large number OF mechanics; ut this clio
me. $50; when Ia full work $50 mr.,
The managing partners (Mr. 81, sr., being -.
sent in bad healthy are full of energy. "''
raining every nerve to kesp their force dur mo
q this depression. and. Ia SO far as know. the
e only old wings OF any influence In that nv
strici who are in iavo. OF the reelection OF :
d. Florence. W"
+ know. from former experience. the value aD'
that influence, and feel persuaded that IL Is mu
e Interest OF the democratic party 10 in- OF
ease il.
The first district will, hope, be carried In CIV
~ event, but with that shop at work, full ha'