The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1859-03-11
Democratic Corruption ana Pecu-
latfOu.

democratic Corruption ana Pecu-
IRttCn.
We called the attention Of our readers the
other day to the frauds, corruption, bribery
and stealing prevailing in tho Navy Depart
ment under the present Administration as
developed BY the Report of the Committee
of Congress appointed to investigate the mat
ter. II appears in that Report that Pres-
dent Buchanan was cognixant Of ell the cor
ruption existing in the Department, and that
in regard to many disreputable transactions
ne was pariiceps criminis, both by sugges-
ton and subsequent approval. In some ca
ses Members of Congress most intimately
associated with the President, traded on the
capital of their influence with him, and we're
openly engaged in huckstering jobs for Iron
Works for share in the profits. Contracts
for building public vessels were given to con-
tractors On the ground of their political in.
fuence, on the recommendation of President
Buchanan, in violation of the law requiring
contracts to be given to the lowest bidder
Contracts for furnishing coal were given out
at prices largely above the market rates and
the profits divided by previous arrang ement
amongst democratic newspapers and slang
whangers. Contracts were obtained for special
favorites by an influential Member of Con-
gress under standing arrangement that he
was to have ten per cent. of the profits, and
many more similar corrupt frauds and pecu-
lations on the public treasury are exhibited
in that Report.
We will now give our readers a few ex-
tracts from the Report of another Congress
sional Committee, q majority Of whom are
democrats, and all of whom have signed their
names to the sickening details of feculent
corruption developed by their examination
of witnesses under oath. The Democratic
Superintendent Of the Public Printing, Sea-
man, and Wendell, the Public Printer. have
stolen thousands and tens OF thousands OF
dollars from the public treasury, and they
have induced all who came within the range
of their operations to become accomplices in
their schemes of fraud, bribery and pecula.
ton for their personal benefit and the pro-
motion Of the interests of the Democratic
Party.
Here are few extracts from many Of
similar character in the Report:
Your committee find that there was a very
general belief in the trade that it was neces.
sary for them to pay for their contracts in
some way, and that the practice of paving
was as general as the belief. PAYMENT was
made in different ways. In some instances
in the way of loans, and in other cases a per
cen.age was paid to agents for attending to
the receipt and delivery of the work in Wash.
ington. The necessity for which services
existed more in imagination than in reality,
as the plates were always sent direct to the
Superintendent and by him were delivered to
the printers, who arranged them or colat
ed them with the sheets. In other cases the
per centage was paid direct to the Superin.
tendent. The engravers and photographers
testify, with one or two exceptions, that the,
could afford to pay the per contage, and tina,
they made provisions in their bids for III,
allowance which they were compelled "a
make to the agents. This fact is establish
eddy acomparison of the prices paid unde
the late Superintendent, and those paid b.
There IS nearly so per cent. difference il
favor OF the present prices. This is the ties
tlmony of MIR. Towers, chief clerk in the OF
fee. Mr.. Graham testified that he woul,
have done come of the work at Is per cent
or one fourth of the price paid under Nj,
Seaman; and reduction nearly as great q
this has actually been made in the cost Q
the work done on the coast survey report O
1857. The charts done under contract Will
Mr.. Seaman on that report for 1856 co.
1857 SO each, while the same kind of chart
somewhat larger in their average size, Il
the report OF 1857, were contracted for,
have been done under Mr.. Bowman, for Sd
81 each.
One or two photographers say that Il
prices were about the same that they receiy
ed from publishers, but it appears that thos
parties did not object TO loaning money I
the late Superintendent, which loans Thu
have not requested him 10 return.
BY reference 10 the testimony of Messr
Roberts & Eiche, it will be seen that til,
agreed to divide the net profits in the VOL
10 be done on the Mechanical Report OF Il
Once. The contract was given at 500 .
page, Of which sum they estimated $l4 .
page as their net profits. Out of this su
Roberts agreed TO ray Eiehel Is Is per cent.
securing tie work
The per centage paid TO agents was FIX
to 70 per cent. upon the contracts.
some instances the money was loaned to a
Seaman, and no security or vouchers vi
taken for it. In the case Of Sarony, Msio
and Knapp, bis name did not appear on !
books.
Your committee find that the various su,
paid to the agents employed under difTere
pretenccs were paid under the impressi
that their business interests would be ben
fitted thereby, and that it was necessary til
those payments should be made in order
secure government contracts. They fursh
find from the testimony that engravers a
photographers who had previously had wo
from the government did not succeed in q
ting it under Mr. 6eaman's superintendent
until they ernnl0ved pArticular agents. 4