Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1859-03-09
,LEARFIELs, PA, MARCH o, 1859.
THE REIGN OF CORRUPTION.

most corrupt that has ever had the control of
our Government. Recent developments force
the conclusion upon us that nearly every act
thus far has been marked with the most outra-
geous favoritism and reckless squandering of
the public treasure. The reports of the In
vestigating Committees appointed by Con-
gress expose some of these disreputable trans
actions, and, startling as the assertion may be,
show that the President himself, as well as his
Secretary of the Navy, countenanced and en-
couraged the corruption.
The Naval Investigating Committee report
that the Navy Yards are stocked with political
fayorites, whose appointment is dictated by
democratic members of Congress as a politi-
cal reward, and that men are employed in them
by the hundreds, just before elections, to Sc
cure the election of particular men to Con-
gress; that contracts are awarded to the high
est and not to the lowest bidders, the recip-
tents being always political favorites, and in
some instances relatives of the Secretary of
the Navy; that contract for furnishing live
oak, at extravagaA prices, was given as a re-
ward to a man named w. C. n. Swift, q
whaler of New Bedford, Massachusetts,, who
was an old line whig, and contributed S16 900
towards carrying Pennsylvania for Buchanan
in 1856, and that creature of the Presidents
one George Pitt, of Philadelphia, was to re-
ceive ten per cent. on the gross amour: of the
contracts that he should procure for Swift,
and that in 1857, contracts were awarded to
Mr.. Swift to the amount OF S232 $40, and in
1858, by series of artful and fraudulent ma
i
get further contract for 150, 900 feet OF tim
Der, amounting to Sl66, 200, about S25, 900
more than it would have cost the Government
if the contracts had been honestly and prop
erly offered to competition without the dis
graceful favoritism disclosed. The Coal A
gency was given to DR.. Charles II. Hunter, of
Reading, Pa, man who neither knew any
thing about his office nor did anything in it.
but allowed outsiders to buy the coal at exor-
bitant rates, the arrangement being that the
emoluments of the office, which reach nearly
$4,000, should be divided between Hunter,
John F. Smith and j. Lawrence Getz-the
latter subsequently declined TO have anything
TO do with the matter. The President, accor-
ding TO the testimony, was fully aware of this
corrupt arrangement. Proposals having been
invited for the machinery of the steam sloops
of-war directed by the act of June 1858, seven
bids were made for that of the large Sloop at
Philadelphia. The lowest was S9S 600, but
before the Secretary of the Navy had passed
upon the bids, Col. w. C. Patterson, of Phila-
delphia, wrote letter to Mr.. Buchanan, set
ting forth that Merrick & Sons was the only
establishment il Florence's district; that they
employed large number of hands; that their
influence was valuable, and with the aid of
this firm the result in the lst district would be
this precious document to the Secretary with
the following significant Endorsement:
EsThe inclosed letter from Col Patterson. of
Philadelphia, is submitted TO the attention OF
the Secretary of the Navy. J.B."
And, presto! the contract is given to Mer-
rick Sons for s102, 200, being S4 900 more
than the other bid 1t is also shown that J.
Clancy Jones, while member of the House.
received five per cent. upon the contracts he
obtained for others at the navy department.
The report Of the House Committee on the
case OF John A. Soaring, Democratic MEM
ber from New York, shows that he refused to
Claims, upon 4 certain claim or allow it to be
paid, until he had been allowed certain per
centage upon it.
Inc report in the Seaman investigation es-
tabilshes collusion between the superinten
dent OF public printing and the public printer,
by which the engravers, lithographers, con-
tractors for paper and the like, were syste.
matieally black-mailed and the povernman,
as Systematically plundered. So far as the in
quiry extended, Seaman had pocketed about
$4,000, and Wendell about $4,000, from
these sources.
The debate in the Senate on Monday a-week
shows that contract amounting to $780, 900,
which ought not to have cost over $4,000, was
given TO the office of the Philadelphia Penn
sylranian, in which certain Senator has, OF
had at that time, an Interest, and that it was a
part of the consideration that one-half of the
profits should go to sustain the Presidents or
gan, the Washington Union, and that the As
Slstant Secretary of State also came in for
share OF the spoils. The President is we'll un-
derstood to be party to, or cognizant and an |
proving of this corrupt bargain.
And this is but a beginning of the deyeIop-
ments. The next Congress will have the |
chance OF ferreting out many other instances |
OF viliainy These, however, are enough TO |
make any man whose love of honesty and fair
dealing yet remains, detest an Administration |
that permits and countenanees such wholesale |
corruption and peculation.