New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-01-28

l.
Al hNing tho largest pice that could he demauGer
end paid without shocking the moral sense of m,
community.
Nor are the Committee a. al shaken in tl. ooiniou
By tie os enta'Ous disl lay, in vassllel columns In
lie table qi xed TO the Sscretarys letter of the rca
asked and tie price paid for each vessel The man.
neJ in which great saving is made TO the Govern
nenf or rather u made toappear is by putting down
fabulous end enormous prices in the column Of prices
asked aide by ride with tho prizes raid Thus, the
prize asked for the steamship Mississippi is s250C0O
aDd the price raid il 81 0 900, making saving in
this trade alone of $4,000.
The pyi a.ked for the steamship EaoIe il
$50 600, and tie price paid is eioJ.OOO, showing IN
apparent sgving Of s65,OOO. The steamship james
Alder has IN asking price Of $4,000, while the
price for which size was sold was sso,ooo, mshiog
an apparent swing In TIE purchase OF this vessel OF
$1,000. Bnt TIE Tno.s remarkable case of success
That Nh. Morgan had in reducing the price asked
down tOtle piice sctrsDy paid was in the purchase
of The steamship Alabama, where The price asked
was Sl2OaO0 while tho price paid wac only S5,UCU,
thus showing a saving to the Government ia the
purchase o. this single vessel of snail value Of
S97 000
From lbese statements taken from this table your
Committee with confidence appeal TO the Senate and
tie country 10 Judge Whether il was made in honesty
aIi GOOD faith, aiih view OF stating fairly what
were he actual prices demndsd forthe vessels, or
wis the alse and fraudulent pnFpcse OF holding out
TO tLe Government and tie cOantry tie idea that
such vast an Mounts had been scsual'y saved TO the
Government by the agency os Nr Morgan.
Nor DO the Committee attach much weight 20 the
certificate of Dir. Samuel l.. Mitcili and several
other gentlemen, WHO have glvenO the Secretary Of
the Navy certificate that these vessels have been
purchased at lower prices not than she vessels were
WORTH not than the usual market prices al the
time, hut A" at lower prices than n2pe usually been
paid by the Government"
Neither do your Committee place especial confd-
ence in the Judgment and olinion Of blr. Samuel l..
Mcbill ia Ihis matter when 1t oprears from the re-
port Of tie Secretary OF the Navy that more than
$iO0,0)O OF the amount diebnrsed or Mf. Morgan,
WAS paid to the firm of :. j. Mitchill n Son, OF
which Air Samuel l.. Alchiil ID supposed TO be the
leDlor partner.
Nor i IL the fact, 20 far "a youT Committee, upon
dIligept inquiry Lave been able 70 learn, that such
nn ARRANGEMENT ~ that made by the Secretary of TIE
Navy with Mr.. Morgan, has the sanction Of the
Chamber Of Commerce, or OF any oSber mercantile
community on the face Of the earth. And It would
be ttran re indeed if it were SO. No usaee csn pre-
vail or lie et.al lishtd among any nelh-eot aud W
night community, that does not rest upon the sold
basis Of common sense, common honesty, and
,apacily. Your Commute, believing tlat 10 mef-
chant IN possession of his ordinary mental faculties
could TO guilty of the ubsurdiIy OF employing an
ageut TO buy Tor lin vessel, and make hi- conQen-
-ation entirely dependent upOn the price be 81 0uld
pay, aud 10 increase in olortiOn 10 the extrdva-
gauce Of tue SUN pad, app ea To several gentleheD
Hhom they supposed 10 bave knowledge on the su D'
ect and inquired OF them II they ever knew OF such
al arrangement, and they have, without exception,
answered in tie negative. TO CtLer gentlemen
they have applied in writing, ana, among
others, 10 the President OF the Cham
Der OF Commer,e Of the City Of New-York, sekirg
the same question, and III 10 instance have
hey received affirmative answer OSe OF the
ideuts OF the Chamber OF Commerce, ia an
syyer 10 letter addressed the President The Pres
ia, ut being ab.eut from the city ilcloses The rates Of
commissions recommended by the Chamber IN cares
where 10 express agreement Il made, and IA that hst
# oomm sioLs Y, per cent 10 rel down rs The com
mission for purchasing or selling vessels but he
Ia ,s,,,i. % vessels A. 10 III purchase. broker. fs
qosny emqoyr 3D. ard IN such easea htoLesse genesay
Two and hall Ier cent instead Of heiug as stated
By the Secretary the least possible eNpense or
Charge Is the very highest SANCTIONED or recon-
II epded by The Chamber of Commerce. The ordinary
cou,reusaiion In New-York for broker or commits.
ion merchant for making large purcbaFe il gsner
ly If not al.yays, regulated by contract, ans does
Il exceed halt tie SUN pail o. he Secretary OF tie
Navy 10 Sir. Morgan aud, IN such large pufchetes -
those made by him fos the Cove nment, shoali not
cx eed one-iourh OF one per cent.
Your Coaiuitfee can wen innglue thai person
Lesirous of selling yegsel, ana whose necessities
rc urtcut mi gnt deem DC eXpeditut 10 contract win
"A broker % make sae OF her, and, - give stimulus
10 his efforts m that aicee!iou pay nun ,o,nIhis
zion to be reqnlnted by HE amount for which DO
ould cell tie vessel In that case, ~ would he FOR
the inierert Of both principal and sgent Ia procure
the hgheet possible pTice; but When purchase eni-
rIoys broker buy vessel Tor hiin, ~ y Tor tne
teges. Of tie principal procure the vessel tor the
lowe price aud IL would lie the bish. OF snrdity
ip snch c-se tor hm 10 make It Tor the interest OF
his own ngenf 20 be unlai,bfl 70 lin, and 70 oom-
pensa,e bin noa Literally ior buying nj the highest
rate. =,
About the tine Il If immense SUN raid TO NJ.
sIorgan for These triing services or Immediately
breeding IT, von OF tie most prominent. patriotic,
ard uubIe-.uiri ID citizens ~ Neg-l0Ik, oI great
exrcieuce and hi h reputation, bad organized them
selves into % Uuion-Deieuse CJmH -e, and iof days
and weeks, D. not lCr months they deYcil1 ihch
line md inlebs % supply the wants and ue esliies
.f she Government, without ever having received
or gsked. ns your Conn i'tce nave been iniC'me0
aud believe, sLa3le dollar Tor their service, and
I,r, . N be 70 doubt tina. there aie aud hsYe been
.,f,,s of ratrio,ic merchants in New-Nork eai-
i,sutlV qualified in all respects ior TIE duly, WIN
cyonld q eeriry have performed this work Tor Tie
Government. without any charge wnateyor
Eut the Con mittee repudiato entirely the ldfa
that oonmi siJns sales or pure as r, OF oishnfae-
merits constitute a proper ole Of oomYeusttng /
ni er or agent Of the Governmsnt Tor services. Ihe
i - OF conn cupaiOn for ministerial services, ind
zoe ru,es and principles ju.ty Gpph.ehle thereto, I
came under the consideration OF Sir William Sc0t, /
o.teryyerd Lord StOwel, 10 tho care II tho Renos-
ier,, r,porred Ia tho Glib # Robiuson'- Admiralty
peuStts page li3 Tie Malsha Of bis COurs had
,resrnftd claim for fees for services ~ the removal
and sale Of prize ship, on the value OF which he
claimed commissions ia the cougse Of the elaborate
or Mon delivered by that great Judge the following
principles were docl reds
IN ics or office have their foundation w son conpecnt
.ullonty Ssguing isir ga9Itnh' "e'st ioI e P.-'N
fv.r or fst De- ppouet acclaim Tor Mosh aid labor
Seeoat. percen-so change or commission on 'i.re
rlsptsfrsd for and labor, Or the
i 81 resuursibify end not ing be more clear than
tat of all possible MODES % eIunnf percentage Is the
/, ,gi sop ,oaant 10 general principles a equity
I'M DO MOS, entirely repG5,sie ia analogy between
fefc.c profits ard OH ia charges The me.ch. 0na se'
lis ,orlmiisou 5ecnus Ae il a merchant &c.
After Going on 10 stsie with oharnceristic oear-
ness tho very different grounds On which commis-
-onn mud ohe ial Ices rest he adis;