Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1859-10-06

In these ii7e Of the seven contracts, there WHs
u dIffcrpuc, of S9U.iU0 between the u ircivd
offers OF wcll-huuwn establishments aul those
which were accepted; and, il tue her $50 were
awarded after the same fashion, the entire L.
to the country was :l2G,7OO, or over eighteen
thousand dollars on each vessel The ie-
jcctcd bids we're from the mot en- iuent works
in the Union"
Ey the foregoing it will lie seen that the
Novelty Works Of New York, and the Read
ing Forge Cumpany-among tie hest and
most responsible in the countrv. proposed t.
execute the work for SOS 600 whilst the Of
fer OF Mcrrick & Sons was for S;1O2 zoo, anG
10y the terms of the law the Secretary of the
Navy bad no alternative, hut to give the con-
trac. to The lowest responsible bidder. which
no doubt would have been done, but for the
following most remarkable CORES poudrncr,
which IS a Justification or excuse at least, for
the gross misconduct Of the Secretary, was
laid before the committee of invest cation:
CO... ". c. Patterson, Of FhGmld,hia, to the
President
PmLApsLruIA, Sept. 10, 1850.
"UcGT Sir II venture TO suggest TO YOU the
Importance Of awarding the contracts for the
machinery OF the sloop, now building nj the
navy yard ut this time, and if it can lie done
without prejudice 10 the public service, to Mer-
rick & Sons. Theirs is the only establishment,
in the First District which employs large
number OF mechanics, at this Time $50; when
IN iUil work, $50.
",he managing partners (Mr. NJ, ST., being
absent, in bad health are full ofoncrgy, strain
ing every nerve to keep their force during this
depression, and in so TAR rs know, the only
old Wings ofanv influence in that pistric; who
are in favor Of the reelection Of Colonel Flor
cuce.
81 know, from the former experience, the val
ne OF that influence and feel persuaded that ii
is the interest of the Democratic party 10 ill.,
crease il.
The FRS, District will, hope, lie carried in
any event, but with that shop ut work, full
handed, two weeks prior to the election, the
result would, think, be placed beyond all
about.
"With much respect,
". e. PATTERSON"
The president.
This letter was sent to the Secretary Of the
Navy by tue President with this endorsement:
SEPTEMBER Is, 1855.
"The enclosed letter from Colonel Patterson
OF Philadelphia, is submitted 10 the attention
Of the Secretary of the Navy. J. b.
And the Secretary, obedicut to the will o?
his superior, yielded his ready assent and COM
plies with the intimaton thus thrown ont.
The result Of this unworthy and shameful
Interference, on the part OF the President.
was that the contract was given 10 Mrrrick
& Sons by which the law was grossly violated.
the whole object Of advertising for the lowest
bidder was defeated, the legal rights If pri-
vate citizens were abused four Thousand dol
lars of the public money was uulawluily
drawn from the treasury and the sacred right
If free representation was tramped under
foot by the representative man Of the Demo
cratic party, in order to secure the election of
one of his Philadelphia pets and We, it was
Mr.. Buchanan who said in his letter 10 the
Fort Duquesue celebration, only las. summer
or fall, "Nercr until rihin a iricfpc1o3 hare
,ce heard Of the employment Of money to carry
elections. Should this practice be indm3ed
until The rioters an | Their representatives in The
STATE and National Legislatures btcome' nftc
ed the FoUNrATIoS OF FREE GovERNMENT
will be THEN POISONED AT ITS SOURCE, and WE
MUST End, AS HISTORY PROVES, IN MILITIA
ny pEspoTIsM" Here we have tho profession
of Democratic morality and patriotism, on
the one hand, on the other. the practice Of
the professor, against which no "watch dog"
of the treasury or of the peoples liberties hss
vet raSse.i . voice o! warning. Why SUM J
hers the indignation of the Democracy