New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-07-24
THE BEEF CONTRACT.

To Ge ES,soyS If The n. y Trbsa@
Sir: The public owe you a debt Of gratitude for
your upright course with respect 10 Government con.
tracts but especially for The IL your paper Of
yesterday on the Hugh Maher contract for beef On the
boof
Twas present at the opening Of the bids On the 3Oth
Nav last and have retained @ memorandum Of lbe pro-
posss as well az a very distinct recollection Of the
manner in which the husinesswas transacted and may
ct some future day, furnish you with interesting
particulars on she subject.
At present my object is 20 nsst that Justice be done
% those bidders whose proposals. were made in good
faith and who still ready and willing into
formal contracts based upon Il err bids. Every one
knew o. he time Of tbe opening Of he proposals that
Hagh Maher, or any other man. could not deliver
good cattle al - 80 per hundred u Penney vapia and
soS5Itain was thas IL would never be done aud 70
hrp my conviction thai neatly all tbe bids below
six cents were made 70 drive away thgfe bidders
who's proposals made in good faith that on The
3lst Of May served formal OiCe on The Comuis.
ssry To the effect tfa IN tie event Of The flnre OF
lower bidders TO comfy with the terms II tfe CO.
erausUt, should be ready any line to execute tba
contra with proper Beiies my Object being 10 give
the Department DO eXcnte Tor either falling back 1oon
higher BID han nine, Or Of Purchasing the beef of
any party vhoe name IL net Ia the Lat u bide opened
en- the 30th Of May.
As the general public do 10. understapd how this
business Is pausged, will lain it briefly. IN lie
first, place The COmmjsssry advertised that until he
3h OF May he would receive proposals for Supplying
beef op4be boof haudIed persons resisting in yarios
parts 81 The cOuatry, put 10 written proposals. very
lew writing from their homes bus most OF chem Qoiu
70 Washington IA FersOn, and writing their proposals.
there, and dating item al whatever hotel they are
stopI Ing at Wien these bids come 10 be oIened The
honest bidders find several parties hsye oeed 10 far.
nise the article At what il coss in the Ear Wee. aud
they Ietarn tier mes fun VI sympahy for the poor
contractor whose ruin9Is bid AL be aoceutd Anon
ever the h9nest C0mmissary finds that the loyes
bidders do not furnish adequate security and tHcir
prop osas therefore DeRiected. WHAT shall he do
In such case Why, being hOnest, he turns 10 biz
file of bids and selecting several Of the lowet ad
dTeAes . notice % tho priiss 10 come forward and
execu'e contract. Where dOes he send dis notice
OF conrss To the address be finds in the wntsn pro-
posa p which niue times ia ten, IL Willards' OF
Bfo1ys," or sOme other hotel In Washington,
where te letters remain few days days and are then
sent 20 me and tbence in due course, totte
deid lsttsr Office aud never by aay possibility
reaching tbe ssrti,s. Nell what can this honest com
misaFy do lie must give The eoBtTad ~ the loves,
biddeT TINT aGads ready ~ enter into the eontrae IN
due fern, and presently pauy pre9n ts hins'h who
pfoposea 10 dsliyef che caeat, say, seven cents per
pound and signifies his williDg es 10 mske the con-
.rast ard DOGS make II, and obi ms seven cens per
pound while ilce were City, ror 4ls, OF eqn1l re- I,
'popsity who offered 20 furnish :, &c same goods az
x cents, ard ~ ne tjme is seyen-c sat man - the
Opartner Of the folrccnt mar wh0e %, PosaI drove
way all iEfcrmedisfs bidders, aud he TO, obmc't il
hGs swi INDEED ont Of cent per pJn1d upon ehfe
onsnnptiOn Of beef during The war"
Tbs Mailer ecn.rad, however, Colld not be m8u. %eo