Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-03-05

Messrs. MERRIcK and SoNs were the onlJ
Wings of any influence in that Congressional
District, SO far as the writer knew, who were
in favor of the reelection of Col FLORENCE
the Democratic candidatel With their :. shoy
at work, full handed, two weeks prior to tn.
election, the result wouId,'' in the writer
| opinion, be placed beyond all doubt"
Mr.. BUCHANAN had not attached weight Il
these considerations. would be have submitted
the letter containing them TO the attention
of the Secretary of the Navy 20 Be that, a
it may. Messrs. MERRIcK and SoNs got th,
contract.
Other contracts for machinery were ex
amined into by the Committee, but we have
not space for any reference to the particulars
| Nor, have we space to refer to the details o
the live oak contracts. We can only Civ,
the conclusions arrived at by the majority
and minoriety of the Committee on those
euljects.
In regard TO the live oak contracts will
SWIFT, the majority OF the Committee reported
the following resolutions:
hrsOtDtOf Willie we cOtIU never sane
ton or approve any arrangement on the part
of an officer OF the Government which. under
pretence Of making contracts for supplies
was designed to confer especial and exclu
five favor on individuals: vet in the con-
tract entered into in September. 1858. be-
tween the Navy Department and w. C. n
Swift for the supply of live oak to said De-
partment, it il clearly proven by the testi-
nony that. II the Secretary Of the Navy did
contemplate any favor to the said Swift, he
did not design to bestow it to the detriment
of the Government; but that. in all he did in
this matter. he kent always in view the good
Of the public and the interests of the service.
The cautious, nOn-committal phraseology
of this resolution will strike the most ordi-
nary reader. Whether the Secretary of the
Navy had shown favoritism to SWIFT the
majority say not. If he had, they could
never sanction or approve it-but even if he
design" to do it "to the detriment of the
Government, &C."
The resolution reported by the minority
of the Committee on this point is as follows:
ResOlUed, That the contract made by the
Secretary of the Navy under date of Septem-
Der %. 1858, with W. C. n. Swift, for the
delivery of live-oak timber, was made in
violation Of law, and in a manner unusual
improper, and injurious to the public service
In relation to the contracts for machinery.
the resolution of the majority of the Com
mittee reads as follows:
Resolved, That in the letting of the con-
tracts for the construction of the steam ma
chincry for the vessels of the navy, during the
pr, sent Administration, nothing has been
shown which calls for the interposition of
the Congress of the United States; but ii is
manifest that the present head of the Navy De-
par.ment has displayed a very laudable zeal
to secure the greatest amount of speed and
efficiency attainable for said vessels.
As applying both to the live oak and ma
chinery contracts, the minority of the Com
mittee reported the following resolution
Resolved, That the President and Secretary
of the Navy, by receiving and considering
the party relations of bidders for contracts
with the United States, and the effect of
awarding contracts upon pending elections,
have set an example dangerous TO the public
,afety and deserving the reproof of this
House.
Up to this writing, we have received no in
:elligence of any action of the House of Re
'resentatives on these reports. 1t is proba-
Die that in the press of business, at the close
If the session, they may not be acted upon
It ALL