The Kanzas news., 1859-03-26

ed-like eels 20 being skinned-that but
few seem to consider it as more than com.
mon case Of svindling.
We have room for only one OF two instan-
css = It appears that law passed for
building new war steamer. which provi-
.ded that the Secretary of the Navy should
receive sealed proposals for building the
steam engine and boilers, and should award
the contract to the loscest Responsible bidder.
Wei, il happened that there we're two re-
sponsible bidders, viz: the proprietors of
the Novelty Works, the most extensive
steam engine building establishment on the
continent, and a firm in philadelphia.
Merrick 4 Sons, The Novelty Works.
offered to perform the work for some $685.
900. and the Philadelphia firm for s1O2.-
o0o-Hnaking - .00s difference in favor-of
the Novelty Works. But now mark Mr.
Buchanan received a letter from a political
friend and fugler in Philadelphia. inform
ing .him that Messrs. Merrick & Sons
were old line Wings of great influence, and
that their aid was much needed in order to
re-elect the notorious Tom Florence to Con-
gress. the latter having excited the indigna
ton of his constituents against him by vo-
ting for the Lecompton Constitution. He
represented 10 Buchanan that if the CON
tract was given. to the old line Whig firm
they would employ additional hands, and
enable Florence TO return to Washington in
spite of the wishes of his bona tide con
stitnents. What did the venerable James do
with this letter, think you? Considering
it as an invitation to violate the law he had
sworn to execute, by giving the contract to
a party not entitled to it, and By so doing
to sYindle four thousand dollars ont of the
an honest constituency out of their rights,
our unsophisticated readers may imagine
| that he returned the letter to the writer,
with severe rebuke for attempting to cor
rupt him; or they may imagine that he spit
upon itin token of Indignation and con-
tempt and threw it into the fire. Now
mark the fact! The venerable Lecomplon
lite coolly endorsed upon the back4of the let
ter Referred to the Secretary of the Navy
| for his consideration" and signed his in
itials, and the Secretary of the Navy after
due consideration concluded to violate the
law, his duty as man and a sworn officer
of the Government, and gave the contract
to the Philadelphia firm upon the implied
understanding that in consideration of being
allowed to swindle the whole people of the
United States out of $4,000 in cash they
should assist Thomas B. Florence to swim
die the people of the First District out of
their votes and their rights! Is not that a
pretty piece of business for President to
engage in? A man too just on the verge
of eternity! who urges Lecompton bills
aud Cuba purchase bills upon Congress,
''under deep sense of duty to God!'
Take one other specimen-"The Coal
Swindle" :" 1t appears that all the coal for
the use of the navy has been bought nomi-
nally by one man, who charged FIVE per
cent commission for all the money expend-
ed, Well of course this made fine pick1ngs
for sonbody. and some particular friends of
the President must have it.. It was the
very best kind of an Office, for it paid mag
ni6centiy and there was nothing to dol
Nothing at all in fact, for mercantile firm
in Philadelphia sold all the coal that was
wanted for the navy, charging uniformly
thirty cents per ton above the market price
for it, and the. agent had nothing to do but
simply to certify that such and such guam
titles were furnished. and pocket his com
mission of FIVE per cent, which amounted
to some $4,000 per annum. But this is
not all: the thing was too rich for one man
to enjoy alone, when the President had SO
many hungry friends to provide for, and 50
he appointed one DR.. Hunter, of Reading,
with the express understanding that he
should divide the profits with two others,
one Of whom was Mr. Getz. then and now
4 the editor of the Reading Gazette Getz
f not liking the arrangement, or perhaps dis
gusted at not getting the.whole of it, re-
fused to accept his third and disclosed the
whole transaction to the Committee of In
yestigation. 4
/ These are simply specimens of the way
they do things-these Latter Day Saints oi
National Democracy, The "Live Oak
bought for the navy is another huge swim
Idle; and IN fact nothing that is eaten, drunk
or worn in the service, or used in any man.
ner afloator ashore but must first pay trib-
ute to these treasury leeehes. who are only
an Improved breed of the horse leech men.
toned by the wise King Solomon. q