The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-08-22
80 n. - inl.Illl.l..L /
new Laws ReIn,sng 90 co yeln,upnt,
f4t ht tanfract.. AlR =

rev Laws Relating 90 GOye taisnpntk 4
tif CaBfraCe. ~ - Fl
The recent legislation Of Congress az
fecting contractors has fiotpefhAps re-
ceived the attention at the hands OF the
public press which its importance, and
especially tsinterest 10 the parties most
Immediately concerned, would seem en-
titled TO command, We therefore invite
the public attention 10 the subjoincd lucid
exposition Of the recent statutes enacted
by Congress on the subject:
Congress, at its last session. passed
several laws relating to contractors which
are not generally known 70 be in force:
May ] ask you 10 publish the following
extracts, which will give some new light
10 contractors aud the public illh9
The "act to define the pay and emolu-
ments Of certain officers Of the army. and
for other purposes, approved July 18th,
1862, contains enactments upon these
poln'YsHTn alfInlJl11fi tnHI
I, Contracts not 7rangeraJle.
Sec. IA enacts that no contractor or or
der, or any interest therein shall be
transferred by the party or parties 70
whom such contract or order may be
given to any other party or parties, and
tLat any. such transfer shall cause tlP
annulment af the contract or order trans I
ferred, so far as the United States are
concerned: P5Opide4, That all rights Of
action are hereby reserved to the United
States for any breach Of such contract
by the contracting party or parties.
The effect of this enactment will be TO
check the operations of set of men who
make trade Of procuring contracts for
the sole purpose of selling them out 70
manufacturers or regular dealers, who
have perhaps been discouraged from bid
ding by the arts OF these very persons.
They manufacture public opinion by in
dustriously representing that contracts
can be procured only by those who shave
influence" who "know the ropes" &c.
Whereas If the regular dealers would
make their own bids directly, instead OF
allowing these middle men TO get large
commissions, they would find that the
procuring Of Government contracts de-
ponds upon figures relher than upon in
fluence. The clause above quoted VIII
make outside parties slow TO purchase
contracts which are annuled by the very
act of purchase.
n. C3atnctofs d,aataJ2sto trial BIZ dolat
aFa as8 MaEiulF 50 VI
Section 1G of the same law enacts that
whenever any contractor for subsistence,
clothing, arms, ammunition, munitions of
war, and for every description of supplies
for the army or navy of the United States,
shall be found guilty by eourt-martial
of fraud or vilfdt neglect of duty. he
shall be punished by fine, Imprisonment,
or such other punishment as the court
martial shall adiudge; and any person
who shall contract to furnish supplies of
any kind OF description for the army or
navy, he shall be deemed and taken as
| part of the land or naval forces Of the
United States for which be shah Con-
tract to furnish said supplies, and be
subject to the rules and regulations for
the government of the land and naval
forces of the United States.
L A defaulting contractor may, under
this law, be brought before a court mar
tial composed of military officers who are
in the habit Of dealing summarly with
offenders. The courts, especially In
time of war, pay little regard to mere
forms, but go at once to the root of the
matter. Dishonest contractors will find
that in these courts there is no tmlling,
no delay, no baiE Short, sharp JUSTICE
will be dealt out TO those who impose
upon the soldier or the sailor inferior ar
ticles, and the public will justify and
applaud the well-merited punishment.
ILL., Weeb7y publication Of applications tc,
contracts, igih he names Of persons yecgm-
mending die dppAoh8!i ~ B fti 3
BY Joint resolution, approved July -,
1862, it was resolved that it shall be the
duty Of the several Executive Depart
ments Of The Government 10 publish ID
one OF Che daily newspapers Of the city
of Washington, on Tuesday Of eacl
week, a list of all contracts which shall
have been solicited or proposed TO each
respectively, during the week next pre-
ceding, which list shall state briefly tn
subject matter of each contract so soil
cited or proposed 10 he made its terms
, the name of the proposed contractor ant
! of all persons known 10 he interested
therein, directly or indirectly, and o
4 ala pNAeuAlo W il0 GulANit3 lNtais ltNhlil
mend the making of any such contract
Provided, That the foregoing proyisio
shall not be applicable to bids made il
5 pursuance Of advertisements for con
/, tracts or purchases made, under eXistin
" laws, but shall apply 20 an propose
notifications of existing contracts.
- jP6bhcRtiohs under this fSsolutiO
have already been commenced by I'll
. Navy Department. which gives weekly
Il in the National Intelligencer, the informa
= ton required Members Of Congress an
! other public men have grown very car
e iious in this regard, not liking to 81
e their names conspicuous in conneeuo
o with Government contracts, II is TO
Il hoped that these several enactments ma
9 have salutary influence in preyentit
i some of the evils under which the cOuntr
e has been iabOring in the important ma
u ters Of contracts. N'a"
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