Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1862-03-06


gives you full and fair and frank expo irion
OF that transaction and its results and | here
solemniy declare IL 10 he, In my Judgment, u
complete AMI perfect vindcation OF the honesty
OF his intentions and Of the ihtvgriry Of his ac
lion IN that matter, and one which | think
ought 20 satisfy, and vii h | had supposed
would satisfy every mad not predisposed and
predetermined 10 cavil and iault-fnding.
confess, sir, that my own mind was not a little
relieved upon learning the exact facts and cir
eumstanees OF that transaction as he has dis
closed the n; for he'd not been without ap
, prehens0n that where there was so much carp
ing and clamor, there might possibly have been
some occasion for il but happily in nv judg.
ment there is none at all-none whatever, so
far as the Secretary of the Navy is concerned.
and The facts and circums tances of the case he
ing inlly understood and properly appreciated
need not say that in the great and terrible
emergency into which this country was sudden.
~ plunged upon the open outbreak of the re.
bellion last spring, "a most difficult and respon
slbie task was thrown upon the Secretary of the
Navy he was required 10 increase very
largely, and with all possible dispatch, our ma.
val force. Ships and men and arms were all
wanting. lie was required in the emergency Of
The hour, at once and without delay, 10 ex'em-
poIiz', virtually to create navy for the public
defense snd for the nationsl protection. The
emergtrty Of the occasion admitted Of no delay.
he thing must be done, and done at once
There wss no tims, certainly, 10 build ships for
the pre- sent necessity Of the public service
neither WIS there time, nor did TIE nature Of the
business. the various kinds and qualities and
prices OF the vessels to be procured, admit OF
their being obtained by bids or offers under ad.
sertised proposals. There was no other course
no oher alternative for him but to 20 into the
open market and purchase such ship as would
answer The purpose from the merchant marine
upon the best terms he could make. This | g
did this he was obliged to do and hesitate
not here 10 say that he did il well that be did
II Judiciously thar, under the circumstances,
he did 1t economically ut all events, that he
did IN ihe exercise Of lis best Judgment and
OF an honest urpose. He could not of course.
give his personal attention to this business and
make the purchases himself. That was impos
s'ble, and nobody could have expectei il of
hih' lie must OF necessity then do this bust
ness and make these purchases through the
agency OF olher parties.
In the frst place, he tried the experiment oi
making these purchases through the agency OF
naval officers OF high rank and character, and
these officers in turn made The purchases ihro
The sub'sgency Of ship brokers', who charged
their purchases. I his system proved to be
worse than dead failure. Under it tie most
gross and bare fsced impositions and frauds
were practictd upon the naval officers and
upon the Government, as in the case of The
urcbase Of The " illiam Badger and the Ro
man, which were sold 10 the Government Al
about sable the price that was paid for them
| by The agents What shall he ,iu. Shalt trr
Continue this system after this experience q
| Certainly not Would you have him appon. &
| plurality OF agents, or constitute a board O
commission TO make these purchases ii,
state" 10 you IN his answer, clearly and torcibly
the objections 10 either of these systems, anC
they are such as would readily occur to evsr,
intelligent mind upon ltle reflection.
Alter this experier ce, then, and upon full
consderation-fo it WAS done deliberately, up
on iull consiJerstion-hs concluded to adop
the system OF single commercial agency, an,
| appointed Mr. George d Morgan, of the city Z
| New York, TO that agency. Mr.. Morgan is
| personally, stranger 70 me. / know him on
ly ty reputation, and that reputation is strongl,
III his favor From all tie information have
hesitate not to say that this was good, judi.
cious selection. lie might have made o,her
doubtless as COOL, as able, as comretent, a
honest, AS upright as faithful but l say tha
no better selection for this business. from 81
the information have, could have been made
MIR. Morgan, ss is well known, has long bee,
connected with one of the most respectable an,
| successful busin IS firms in the CITY of Ne,
York. lie is gentleman Of acknowledged an
well known character for intelligence for siric
integrity, for act,ve energy, for uncommo
business capacity, and as having long ard lare
experience in the business of buying and selln
ships, as well as other kinds Uf property HI
eminent fitness and qualifications for this bus
ness were well known to the Secretary--an
they were well known to the public and ,hes
were sufficient guarantee TO the Secretary, an
sufhcient guarantee to the public, of an abl,
an honest, ana II faithful execution of this in
portant trust and this, add, was s sufiicie,
Justification for that appointment.
Moreover, let 1t he borne in mind that M
Morgan was u make no purchases Of vesse
unil t"ey had been inspected Y board e nG
Val experts aud only upon their certificate
the proper quality OF the vessels, and Of the
adap'a'son 10 naval purposes. This was car
full and very proper rec, ulion on the pa,t
the Secretary OF the NAVY. Mr.. Morgan b,
executed the duties of his agency in this behal
aud tell me has it not hern well dou Has il u,
been i'll fully done Has i, not been econcu
icaly done for the Government Has he u,
justified the Secretar,'s choice of an agent 4,
this business ? 1t is SO certified by bu inc,
gentlemen of the highest respectsbility in II
city oi New York, and | um not aware ih
anybody & isl utes it, ] hold in nv hand letter
private letters, 10 he sure, and not intended &
the public eye, addressed to rae on this SUI j..
by gentlemen personally known to me as &c,
enen OF high respctabilty and posirio
whose opinions are unbiase d by ary pc, uaia
interest, remotely or directly, in that iranss,
tion, and whose statements are entitled 10 IL
credit. In this connection l will read We
brief extracts from one or two Of them. UDe
them says:
Il have the pleasure OF knowing Mr. Morg,
well, and am COZ fd, Ut ihst the Govcrnme
could net well have sell eied a shi, w,isI pn
chaser Of property thar thi. gehil, man, ror o
wh,se uHnsnrtlons arr so generally known
have been made on such favorable terms
the GovgtD.4eIt."
Ano;ker says ."g can furnish you, frcquire
information irom several Of cur ieauins bul
ness hims Iha. ibiou,b Mr.. Mersans aeeie
the GoytInneDt has saved at at twice 4
amt nut Il his commissions j lave Known n
Morgan ter the lsst fifteen years, and can 8
sure yen that Tor integrity and ainlIiy, his pos