Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-09-22


"In these ave Of The contracts there was dss,sn,s o.
400 500 between the rejected offers Of wei known eabhsnmens
ID alter the sshon the oss country was $780,
zoo eighteen h'rsAnd dollars each vessel me
I SSlsnS "''' "''' '''' ''''' '''sH' "''''
By the foregoing it will be seen that the Novelty
Works Of New York, and the Reading Forge company
among the best and most responsible in the country,
execute the work for sos 600 whilst the oer
Of Merrick Sons was for 100000 and by the terms
of the law the Secretary Of the Navy had no aterna
tive but give the contract the lowest responsible
bidder which doubt would have been done, but Tor
the following most remarkable correspondence, which,
as justification or excuse at least for the gross mscon-
duct of the Secretary, laid before the committee oil
investigation:
| "PHLlDslPHIA, Sept 49, 1858.
pe.r sr-I venture suggsst 70 you the importance OF
contracts for the machinery Of the soop now pa
Ing a. The Navy yard this time, and be done Without
radiee 10 ihe public service 10 Merck Theirs the
only establishment In the First District which employs ase num-
The managing partners r sr being absent in bad healthy
are full energy aninE every keep Their force during
this depression and In 80 far as know, the only oia ss
influence that District who aren favor Of the reeecuon Oo
from former experience the value OF that influence
that is the interest of the Democratic party 10
fhe F District w hope be carried in any event but With
that shop a. wor full handed two weeks P5oT 70 tue s
rsa would think p WIZ %a.S ys.Nsc a. a'u0
| W. O. PATTERSON"
This letter was sent to the Secretary Of the Navy by
the President with this endorsement:
eth. enclosed letter from Colonel Patterson Philadelphia
submitted the attention OF the Secretary Of the Navy
And the Secretary obedient to the will Of his superior,
Welded his ready assent and complied with the ntma-
ton thus thrown out.
Let us turn now to the more recent Developments
made by the Committee Of Investigation, OF the House
of REPRESENTATIVES under the resolutions OF that House
~ of March inuuire whether the Presi-
dent or any other officer Of the Government has by mo-
ncy patronage any other improper means sought 10
influence the action of Congress for or against the pas
sage of any law apperainng to the rights OF any State
or Terrtory-abuses in the Post Offices and Navy ards
and as the President speaks in his letter OF the 10th OF
November 1885, 10 the Pttsburg Centenary celebration
(aready quoed) of the employment OF money to car
nv elections inquire also, how much monsy was used
ia Pennsylvania any other States, by whose author
ity and from what source the money was derived
The report was laid the table June 10th 1860 and
ordered TO be printed To avoid all cav the statements
will be made from the report of the majority or the
minority but from the testimony OF witnesses.
His favorte Wendell deposes :-"Question When
YOU had interviews with the President previous 70 the
election in Pennsylvania in 1858, did you not freely
talk with him in regard to the use OF money to carry
certain districts ?" ANSWER talked with him freely
as to the Of money iu elections; do not remember
as to any specific Districts talked about the expenses
of elections generally the large amounts used les sr
The witness then stated that these conversations happen
ed "pretty much every day, should presume do not
remember any particular day Of the week" "Qnestion
Was il not your habit previous to the election, TO spend
the Sabbath day with him. conversing freely upon poitl
cal matters and particularly with regard TO the use OF
money TO carry on electionsg 2" answer cannot say
Il was a usual habit; him on Sundays, could not
saw how many" "Queston. | am referring TO immedi-
ately preceding the elections" Answer. Yes, sir;
may have him on one or two sabbaths Immediately
preceding the fall election of 1855" "Queston. On
those occasions had you conversations with him on that
sutjectY Answer. Conversations politics "Ques-
ton In connection with money matters| ANSWER.
The expenses Of the elections would usually come up
during the conversations" Question. Did Mr. Buchan
an object carrying elections helping 70 carry them
in that way" ANSWER. Never to me-"
Again -"Question. DID you not tell him" the Presi
denO "hat you compelled to use large amounts Of
money!" ANSWER. cannot say told him was com
Delsd" Question That you were using large amounts
Of money!, ANSWER. He was cognizant Of the fact,
that contributed largely to elections" Question
You had conversations with him, upon that subject"
ANSWER 1t the subject Of conversation at differ
ent times the amount that | contributed" Question.
What was the character OF the several letters FROM Penn
syvania that he read you portions Of during OF the
interviews you had with him. about carrying certain dis
trcts How was it TO be done" ANSWER. think
the most of them wanted material aid; they made sug
getons as aid required 10 different districts generally
aud the political an airs of their several districts Again
-"Question. Do you recollect whether in answer or
reply you did send off money! ANSWER. II my
memory me, returned TO Philadelphia that eve
ming or the next evening with munitions. think re-
turned that evening. had returned home the evening
before and looked after my business during the day
add went back the same evening. l backwards and
forwards pretty actively engaged in preaching good
9ocirinen Question By mHHtioHS, You mean mo.
new do you?" ANSWER. Yes, SIR" Question. Aud
YOU left the evening Of the conversation with the Pres
dentg" answer. Yes, sir" BY Mr WiuslOw You
do not wish to be supposed that the President furnished
any of the money!" Answer. No, sir not red
he did not bleed as thought he ought 10 do" The wit
ness then stated that promise OF patronage made
him. if he would bleed freely; for he 1.-THE Presidentl
had nothing TO give in our liue. was then doing ell
the work; | think | doing every thing the Execu.
dive had the control OF at the time. | making mo-
ney pretty raiiiy, aud spending Il about as fast"
Again, as to the amount of these expenses and how
applied "Ques,on. Have you any knowledge Of what
amount YOU have contributed annually, for the
time YOU have been engaged in doing Government
work :" "Answer. During The past four years have
perhaps contributed hundred thousand dollars
20 what might be considered party pnrposes" "Ques-
ton In what States was that money generally made
use off," ANSWER. Well the larger part of it in Penn
syyauia think" "Question. That is than half
the amouutg" answer. could not say that" "Ques.
ton To what other States than Pennsylvania have you
contributed to aid the partly Answer have
tribucd for party purposes in New York. New Jersey,
Connecticut Ohio, and Maine, think. There may be
others but they do not occur my mind now "Ques-
Sates,' Answer Yes, sir. do not remember spend
inc A dollar politically in Southern States have ten
dered contributions there but they allowed that they did
not use money did in the free States Question.
You aege then that Pennsylvania has got half
than half of the whole amount Answer / could
not say that; think quite hafY" "Question. But
much more than any other State? ?" "Answer. o. much
more by far. We thought Pennsylvania more important
in 1856 than any other State and DESTROYS in
1858 of securing the State" Question. Can you tell
what amount YOU spent in the first district Colonel Flor
ence's district during the time you dong Govern
ment work." Answer. / could not tell exactly, my
Judgment is that it rising 50 600"
1.-THE reader will If he peases, here turn back to Pat,
tersons letter the President quoted above showing
the anxiety Of the President to elect Florence and the
means he adopted to do it
After stating that he paid large amounts Of money to
Severns of the Argus part to sustain the paper part to
be expended in the District the witness asked "Who
was il that made the arrangement by which he TO
get the money!" ANSWER. Well, sir, my knowledge
has been that it through the PRESIDENT doing
all the printing here, and Mr. Rice Of the Pennsyivs
man claimed portion of it, and then Mr. Severns did
and through friends Mr. Bgler Col Florence, and other
friends it arranged that they should have such per
cenage OF the work; that should pay them so much.
The reason given that the patronage Of the city
lost owing to the triumph of the opposition and the pa
pers must be sustained in way and therefore, they
must have portion Of this work. paid during the
year. think to Mr. Rice, between Sll 900 and $4,000;
and to Mr. Severus including what suppose was used
for electioneerng purposes about $1,000" Question.
Two thousand dollars of which, you say Tor cleo
tioneering purposes!" Answer have il my memo
nv that it was about that speak Of 1885, have said
that that district has cost So 00O directly indirect
w. these past four years" Question By whom was the
arrangement made to take OF these papers, "An
swer. 1t was done by authority of the President
Question Had you any conversation with the Presi-
t. .am