The national Republican., 1862-04-30
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
COMMuNICATIONe.

.~~--Ss'sS~As~s's'
The SPEAKER laid before the Houss the
OF War, which were ordered TO be printed and
laid on the table:
Let. ln answer to resolutiOn OF tho House,
Of the 24th inst, In relation 10 the evacuation
Of jacksonville, Florida, BY the United ststss
troops.
2d. 10 answer to resolution Of tho House.
appointments TO the rank Of brigsdisr general,
between the lst day Of April. 1881, and the lst
day OF April, 1862.
NAILS AND MAIL ROuTEs.
Mr.. SARGEANT. OF California, presented
joint resolutions Of the Legislature Of the State
Of California, 10 favor Of the establishment Of
malls and mall routes therein named. Referred
10 the Committee on the Post 0aoe and Post
Roads. 'a-'
.-H. REyOLyISo BATTnaIEs.
Mr. OLIN; OF New York, offered tho follow
Ing resolution, which was adopted:
Resolved, That the Secretary Of War be di.
reotsd TO furnish this House with copies Of such
letters and documents NJ are on ale In his De.
pxrtment, written by George Van Derheyser,
sSs 70 S' 81 T svs
river, and hRrbOr defences. .H
.u',' GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS. a
The House resumed the further consideration
Of the resolutions reported from the select oom-
mlttee on Government contracts, exoept the
first In the series Of said resolutions, the pend
log question being on the motion Of Mr.. Ste
VEINS 10 amend The second resolution.
The following are The resolutions referred
to-
lst. Resolved, That the Secretary ofthe Treas.
ury be requested to decline making any fur
thsr pay ymsnt 70 the parties interested In the
ter o. said vessel by the Unitsd States on the
@ "a % Hesoped, sfti That, Secretary Of the Treas
ury be requested TO adjust the claim against
binss, purchased through Simon Stevens, Esq
by Gen. John q. Fremont on the 9Th day oi
August, 1861, and Afterwards delivered a. the
United States Arsenal y, The city Of 81: Louis,
on the basis Of sale Of said arms to the Gov.
srnmsnt for sla.6O each, rejecting MI other dc.
4 inands against the Government on account OF
the purchase Of the same. II q.
ID. Resoloed, That the practice Of employing
irrespoIsbls parties, having no q ofosl Sonnso.
Ofpublio duties which may bs properly per
formed by regular officers OF the Government,
and of purchasing, BY private contract, sup
plies for the different departments, where open
and fair competition might be properly invited
Il by reasonable advertisement for proposals., Ia
i injurious tO the public service, and meets the
unqualified disspprobs,ion Of this House.
Mr.. ROSCOE CONKLING said that ths
frsuda dug out by this Select Committce on
Government Contracts were known 10 the
country before. The transactions with regard
70 the steamer Cstiline were notorious before
tho committee began It, work Not word In
their report, a. lAI ~ he has observed, has
thrown scintilla Of light on this subject.
The Qualifications at 1t. Louis were food for
newspaper writer's before the committee went
. to that city. He was not aware of q single
transaction Of the committee on earth but what
was known 70 the country before.
They had expended about twenty thousand
dollars In making the tour Of this contin, mt
besides other expenses not yet paid, and have
charged mileage--a thing never done by com
nittee before. ID
He defended Gen. Fremont, and was very
severe on the committee - 30.
Mr.. WASHBURNE replied TO the attacks Of
Mr.. Copkiing ON the committee, and raid tina,
whsn the gsntlsmAn from PepusylvAnia (hE
Stsvsns) sad that +" tAs oolpitsss bad Oom