Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1861-12-27
FROM WASHINGTON.

/
/ Dollars wrung from the Treasury by
Combinations among those hdcaag
Arms for sale Gross Cheating in
Supply Contracts.
WASHINGTON, Dec. II. The report
of Mr., Van Wyck's Investigating Com
mittee into government contracts shows
that they have held sittings in all the
principal cities, and travelled $500 miles.
Many extortions and abuses in the pur-
chase of arms and vessels have been dis
covered and exposed by the committee,
for the benefit of the Government and
the public. The investigation into the
chartering of the steamer Cataline dis
closes the fact that she was chartered for
$4,000 a month, for not less than three
months, and in case of her loss $j00 900
was to be paid for her, although she had
just previously been sold for $4,000.
This latter provision the committee deem
wholly indefensible.
The committee call especial attention
to an arrangement between the secretary
of the Navy and Mr.. Morgan, for pur-
chasing vessels for the government, by
which Mr.. Morgan received in seven
weeks the sum of S56,584, by his own
admission to the committee, and if the
same commission has been paid him
since Sept. 6, the date of his examina-
tion, the total sum received by him to
date will reach the enormous amount of
500, 600 for service as agent of the gov
ernment for four months and half.
The subject of the purchase of arms
developed the fact that the government
and the states were in direct competi-
tion, leading to extraordinary cupidity on
the part of those having such for sale,
both in Europe and America, and to re-
markable combinations to rob the treas
ury. The profits have been enormous,
and realized in many instances by our
own citizens through a system of broker
age, as unprincipled, dishonest and un-
| friendly to the success of the nation AS
the plottings of treason. The purchase
of arms, by the recommendation of the
committee was placed in the hands of
single bureau of the War Department,
though an earlier adoption of its sugges-
ton would have saved millions TO the
treasury, and would have secured the
use of arms at points where the public
safety was most in peril.
Major Hagner, the ordnance officer
who was engaged in the purchase and
inspection of arms, testified as follows
THE agents of Gen. Fremont, of the
governors of states, of the cities, Of the
Union Defense Committees, of Colonels
of regiments and of Generals Of our
army, are all here in New York. | may
be in treaty for arms, and the first thing
| hear is that the arms are sold TO some
agent. Some men who hold arms,
sometimes think, are rather disposed not
to have bona fde sale. They like TO
keep the arms in the market in order to
advance the price. l think they have
been gambling in arms, just as they do
in stocks, &C."
The committee report, in numerous
cases which have come under their OBJ
servation, the price paid for arms was
inexcusably exhorbitant. In some in
stances the arms were worthless, and in
others an exhorbitant price was coupled
with other evidence of purpose to de-
fraud the Government.
The committee examined into the sub
ject of army supply contracts. The act
of Congress prohibiting contracts without
advertising, except in cases where the
public exgency required immediate de-
livery, has been almost a dead letter.
Immense supplies, both in the Navy and
War department have been purchased
privately and without any competition.
In the Western division of the army, |
this law has been totally disregarded. |
In the purchase of cattle there has been |
gross mismanagement, and great irregu-
larities have been practiced in New York
in the purchase OF horses and wagons.
The circumstances of the erection of the |
Notifications at St. Louis were marked
by extravaganza, recklessness, insubor-
dination and fraud, and the committee /
hope some means may be found to make
the parties to these atrocious frauds dis
gorge the sums out of which the govern
ment has been swindled, and that labor
ers be no longer delayed from their pay.
The abuses in the Western Military
are prominently eliminated,
those relating to the shipment
of ice, the diversion of moneys from the
Paymaster's department for which they
were appropriated, rotten and condemned
the roofing of the Benton Bar
racks, transportation, &c.
The report is signed by Messrs. Van
Wyck, Washburne, Holman, Fenton,
Dawes, and Steele of New Jersey. The
other member, MIR. Jackson, is absent in