Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-02-20
SPEECH OF
Mr.. Van Wyck Of New York,
The Frauds and SwindIes upon The
government.
IL mE HoUsE OF REPREsEyTATTEs-
leoscLrpsp NOV rrs1.npAr.l

In letter of May 18th. speaking Of purchas
ing several vessels, among them whaling ships,
hesays: TI
Please advise with Mr. G d Morgan in regard
70 this matter, and make purchases with his ap-
prevail"
Thus it clearly appears that Com. Breese was
induced to place confidence IN Mr. AspinwaI; and
when the whaleships were ordered IN the absence
Of Nr. Morgan, he called on Mr.. Aspinwal and
was governed by his advice and action, and, May
10, wrote to the Secretary:
Il have commissioned an agent, indicated by
Mr.. Aspinwall, to proceed TO New Bedford TO
negotiate for the purchase OF three whaleships
which the Department directed me to obtain
for cOaling uses; none can be purchased at this
place"
After the Secretary had frequently advised him
to consult a number of persons. in every letter
reducing the number. until he declares bis warm
attachment To Dir. Morgan and Mr. Aspinwal
although the letter ordering the whaleships re
quested him TO purchase them with the approval
OF Mr. Morgan; still, in his absence, and the press
ing necessities of the purchase, and considering
the high eulogiums pronounced by the Secretary
on Mr.. Aspinwall, the followng statement in the
letter Of the Secretary is remarkable and unsus
tanned by the evidence
Had the naval officer followed the orders
that were given him. these frauds would not have
been pcrpetrated. But Commodore Breese em-
ployed Mr.. Aspinwall's broker, and not Mr.. Nor
gan, and the results we're a gross fraud and the
purchase OF inferior vessels which could not have
been the case had the policy which the Depart
ment VAS then nstituting prevailed and its orders
been Obeyed.
The attempt to sacrifice Dir. Aspinwall and
Com. Breese in Mr. Morgan's defense requires no
comments Still more remarkable i the charge
Of the Secretary. when it is remembered that the
person referred to ". v AspinsraHs broker,
Starbuck. the very man employed by Nj
Morgan as broker, even subsequent to the pur-
chase of the Roman and Badger, as appears by
the following letter:
DEAR CoMMoDoRE-I have not directed the
Mediator to go to the navy. ard, and until hear
from YOU shall do nothing ia the matter. have
requested Mr. Starbuck, who purchased her, to
call and see YOU.
VERY truly. your obelient servant,
GEORGE ID. MORGAN.
IS. L. Breese, Esq, Flag Officer.
Nv ashiDgton. June / le6l."
1t is due to Commodore Breese to say that,
when the ships brought To the navy yard
he discovered the fraud, informed the Secretary
and desired to have them consider Mr. Aspin-
walls purchases, which he understood was done
order issued tor loading them. The
Secretary also refers TO the Penguin and Alba
trOss, bought 10y Commodore BreeSe for SIS 900
the Stars and Stripes The Secretary. however.
omIts 10 state that the Penguin ami Albatross
were built for sea going vessels, with double en-
gines, and cost, probably. in construction, one
third more than the Stars and Stripes. The Sec
rotary further saye:
In single transaction originally made with
a large ship-owner by Commodore Breese, for
five valuable steamers, | felt that the Govern
ment was unfortunately involved. and Mr. Nor
Under many and great difficulties he succeeded
in saving to the Government, by his action in
that transaction. 1874, 900"
The explanation, as | understand it. is this:
The Commodore, in chartering the five vessels.
required the owners to insert a price ut which
they would sell TO Government 1t was n mere
proposition on their part 1t was rot accepted,
neither was the Government bound to pay it,
The Secretary also adds
Yet hear from the owners and sellers no
complaint that they, by the operation of this
system OF purchase, have been oppressed or az
greyed.'
Let Us examine the correctness of this state
ment by one transaction. In tie month of Nav
last J. Rudolph Sieg and james G. Jewett & Co
o. New York City, were owners of the steamer
Mercetita. During that mouth a man by the
name OF Burrill, claiming TO be an agent and al
wiser of the Navy Department proposed a pur
1
of Government agents, the 18Th day of
June wrote letter to the Secretary OF the
Navy offering 20 charter or sell that vessel at
valuation to be fixed by the Department. \
similar letter was sent by them TO the President
of the United States The Secretary returned
an answer refusing to charter purchase as
she was unsuIted for an armed ship BLrri
shortly after appears, saving that he can sell the
rejected steamer; that I've had returned from
| Washington. and asked authority from them to
/ sell TO Government. which WAS given him on the
/ Sd day OF July. On the 3lSt of July Burril
/ came again and made an offer from the Secretary
of the Navy for the rejected steamer, on the con
\ ditlOn that the owners should pay 50 900 to
him, besides Il fair brokerage, which -, 900
/ Burrill said was to be given to Government Off
clals for their assistance in selling this vessel.
/ Jewett Co. refused, prOclaiming that they
would first see their vessel rot at the wharf,
and themselves wanting for bread, before one
penny should 20 to bride Government officials;
requesting Burril t. say 10 those who sent him
II the Government wanted $4,000 they would
give that sum towards raising another regiment
To fill the place OF the New York 18th Burril
lett, and, after the lapse of few hours, return
ed. saying that he had heard from Washington.
and that he would withdraw the condition. and
they need only pay him what they saw tit to al
low him for his services They accepted ard on
the same day gave Burrill bill of sale for the
Department: and he presented Il list of altert
tions required in the hand writing OF ; VI Pook
the naval constructor. and one of the board to
examine vesSeLs. On the 9th OF September they
/ delivered up the vessel to Government through
| Burrill. Much 20 the surprise OF the owner the
Secretary sent a requisiuOn to pay Burrill $780,
uOJ for tie Merce,Iiia, although the names TO the
bill OF sale were that oi Seg, owner OF seven
tenhs. and Jewett y Co. three tenths They
succeeded IN arranging 80 that the money should
be drawn 10y thru party. Some twenty DAYS
after the date of the iequisiton AIS order was had
on the sub treasury for the money. Mr George
d. Morgan did not appear in the negotiation un-
ill after tie reqHsitiOn for the money He then
came ana demanded 81 $40 for his share. admit
,irs that he did not sell purchase vet the own
err could not Get their money until he was paid;
and ii they would consent 10 pay, he would
write u Washington md Ur,e the immediate re
mittance OF the money The above facts must
have been known 10 tic Secretary They were
written 70 Com. Hudson, October 81 with re
quest that they be filed ia the Navy Department.
which doubtless was done Since the letter OF
the Secretary. The Committee have not had time
90 examine the owners of the Merc,rlita; out tie
foregoing and subsequent facts, III CONNECTION
with the purchase. are sustained by alidavit> of
Rudolph : eg ..ild james &. Jewett. They
testify that they did not see or know anything Of
George d Morgan until alter the purchase and
delivery of the BIZ OF sale to the Department
through Burrli: that the l9,h day al Novem