Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1859-03-04

ined and re-examiIed by different members OF
the Committee as 10 the knowledge of the Pre-
sident. He repeated that The Presidsnt knesc
fhat The three aeere to divide the emoluments of
HE Office, and that the parties we're satisfied
with the decision.
Mr.. Getz testified hat be was 1T Washing
FEN at The time, AMI was informed CT the ar
rangements for tie appointments of Dr.. Hunt
the profits. He conyersed With the President
about the appointment of DR.. Hunter, and the
President said to him: ''Mr. Jones urged me to
appoint you, but you are DO applicant; ] lave
made up my mind TO appoint DR. Hunter"
Dr. Hunter had been for years, was then,
aud still is, practising physician in Reading
He bad Dever purchased coal for saIe; he did
not know is market value, took no pains to
ascertain il did not purchase any coal for The
Government, on do any act ln the performance
Of bis duty, except to sign formal papers sent
to him by Tyler, Stone & Co philadelphia,
certifying tha, specific quantity Of coal cf tie
best quality, had been duly inspected aud
weighed By him and shipped ca bolrd named
vessel. These papeIs were sent TO tie proper
bureau, and all parties knew, or out 10 have
knowb, That the certificates we're false. 80 far
az re!e;es to bis personal knowledge Of the
facts certified. When the Government needed
coal requisitiun was sent 10 DR.. Hunter,
which by him was sent TO Tyler, Stone & Co.,
who became at once the purchasers for and the
sellers to the Government. Tyler, Stone &
60. and Dr.. Hunter fixed the price at So So
per ;uo. The testimony of many witnesses
establishes, beyound reasonable doubt, tLat
the market value Of such coal as was delivered
TO tic Government would rot exceed So 80 per
tun, and several respectable dealers would hare
furnished the Government at that or a less
prize, and then maaea profit. The amount of
emolu:neuts received by DR.. Huutcr and di-
vided by him with Mr. Smith was at lie rate Of
about $4,000 per snnum.
II. Live3ak timber, like other material for
the Navy is required by law to be purchased
by contract with the lowest bidder but, ra-
like other material, it is not kept on hand 10
large quantities by dealers 10 timber l. has,
therefore, been tie uniform custom Of the
Government; TO allow contractors from opc 10
two years TO furnish tbe supply nceded, uniess
the exigencies Of the service demand en i'm
mediate supply, 10 which case it may be bought
in open purchase.
Mr. ". G. n Swift, whaler ef Nsw-Bsd-
tor fer the supply of ilve-oak and other tin
Der for the Gorernsens. In 1854, lie entered
into written agreement with George Plitt Of
Philadelphia, an intimate friend Of President
Buchanan, by which Pitt agreed to aid Swift
ell he could in obtaining live-oak contracts
with the Navy Department; fcr which Swift
was to pay to Pitt ten per cent on the gfoss
amount Of the contracts made. Pending tie
Presidential election of 1856 Pitt introduced
Swift 20 Mr.. Buchanan. Pll:t himself, at The
time. was Treasurer Of The Democratic State
Gouu1i,tce of Pennsylvania, and, es snch, re-
ceived from Swift the sum Of $4,000, to lie
used in the pending election. Mr. Buchanan
was informed, before the election, that Dir.
Swift was an Old Lioe Whig who Lad come
over 10 his party, and was taking active part in
the election; and he vas subsequently, inform
ed Of the amount contributed by Swift. Pitt
also introduced Swift TO Mr.. Secretary Toucey,
telling him that tie was a very warm frlead,
who had contributed very literally toward the
election of 1856, and who had uumber Of
Old Line Wing friends in Massachusetts, who
we're equally literal, and that such gentlemen,
os course, sought 70 he patIonized."
The result Of these iDtroductions ard these
interviews with the President aud the Secretary
Of the Navy was, that in 1857 contracts for
iye-oak were awarded to NJ. Swift to the
amount of S32,940. And in 1858, by
series of artfui and fraudulent maneuyers, which
arc fully and clearly set forth in the report of
the Committee, it was contrlred that br. Swift
should get further contract for 10000 fee:
Of timber, amounting 70 Sl66,70o, about
$25 900 more than it would have cost the Gov
erumen, if the contract had been honestly aud
properly offered to public competition, without
the disgraceful favoritism which the testimony
proves to have been practised.
III. The investigation into the condition OF
the Brooklyn Navy Yard disclosed, in the
first place, the fact that the patronage of the
Yard was Systematically divided among the
Democratic members of Congress from n. York.
Thus, the constructive engineer, the master
plumber, and the master block maker, repre-
sented Mr.. SIckles; tas master paiater repre-
senta1 Mr.. Soaring the master spar-maker,
master blacksmith, and timber Inspector, Mr.
Mac!ay fhc master boat builder, aud master
ship carpenter, Mr.. Taylor: the master cauiker,
Mr.. Cochrana and the master stoue-cutier,
Mr. Word. In the general division of pat
ronage, Llwrsaee Cohane was appointed master
carpenter upon the nomination OF Mr. Haskin
He was removed On the 9th of June, 1858, on
account of Alr. Haskin's auti-Lecomptonism
Alexander Ward, the master laborer, repre-
sented Mr. Clark, and 10 Nay, 1858, after Mr.
Clark bad taken his position upon the Kansas
question, Ward resigned, to avoid being turn
cd out
This system, Mr. Sherman justly remarks,
has reduced the Navy Yard to a mere political
machine, were idlencss, theft, characterization,
fraul and gross neglect of duty prevailed to
an alarming degree. Members of Congress
took scandalous interest iu the appointment
Of the lowest workmen, sometimes pressing ap-
pointmeuts upon the master workmen, as re-
ward for r,artisan seryices without regard IN