New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-01-17
Reply to the Inquiry of the Senate
sPErI.L REPORT OF SECRETARY WELLES'
The History of The Purchase Of Vessels
THE blEncY Of Mr.. GEORGE 0. MORGAN

inquiry adopted by tina, body:
NAVY DEPARTMENT. Jan. Is, 1851
To the President II the senate. ,;.
Sin. fave Inc honor TO acknowledge the receipt
of the fiU wing resolution OF the senate
Resyp.d That tie s,ere;.y Of the Navy De a',oeo ~
ssSse D. Morsn Of Yewyck to pahae vessels for tae
sse OF the ent ana 60 report tae amount OF 0o
=" 'TI.rki,S the S.rate FOR the opportunity thus al
forded me 10 lay before yOur honorable body, and
through YOU before the country. further ana toe ui
est resaible Information touching 4 matter wLlch,
fron its nceiii9n in April last down to the present
time has not ceased 10 engage my careful attention,
and which has perceive, elected no lncousidera IL
comment in both Houses Of Cough, 90, hasten 10
make full respObee TO the resolution VIII You
have done me the hOlor 20 transinr ! deem II
proper and Necessary 10 include in my observations
some reference TO tOnt portion Of the Report recently
submitted TO the House OF Representatives, by u
Committee of thu, bOuOrable body, aod by The order
of the House uinted, touching ulpn the same SUP
let bv reason not otly Of the consideration duo 20
q document originating from such source, Out tlsO
because / learn from tie debate resul 'Hg IN Inc
adopiOr BY tie Senate Of the resolution before ne,
thai IL has attracted the attention OF seveIt senators
MAJ add IL az such reference bv N 10 tlat report
spuear, to me the more nroper by OF the coz
vctiOn which entertain that some OF the lSCts bear
mug upon the matter 10 before re ~ set forth or
sllnded to or commented upon In that document are
iaI lie 10 material misaprrei ension.
In the annual report o. this Department TO lie
President Oh the 4th o. December last to be Il en
laid before Congress with the annua. message, l
made upon the whole matter row uneer eonsidsla-
ton the following statement:
The uubie ye.ss. ara the puic yard. ;n their caPsy
of and epsr however totally iusce quse
Csy.nneut snd tbe Dersrtre, r-led to Is.9I to
the marine good the deboisney VesT'
sis end their agents wbo instances became dsstis
6ed when their efers were nos SEC pied
TINS new necessity OF he OVeTLnsnt, involving ia-ge
.,naudro A, H., tarchs.e Suitable veseis I'M reed
important TsspoD'oiy aud me t.k o. mssire t'So. ~
be, ard most reasonable srn for the Oo'oIpnehto;
lIge OF vessel moot Suitable te il. use wos Set ded
by peculiar dfcues oud received raiurc consideration
1he purchase h he mac directly ~ the Depsr ne or
whee the be ho1.ht 90 espccil 81 ;he
greet central point .f supply foT .uch demand TIE port OF
both these methods Of procedure The befe'' ;-is
si'clossd ser'us Objection II YES ioeil'.t hoo u hI,,
thst cpsItmen chirsd suddenly "'h The ogautnon
and spentsndenee OF nd sfouous Laval operations on
@Iss 'G IN - liz ,.' D9pn ees 81 Ell
ese purchase the tiae 1ud attention ueedu July 10 pro
tec the interest," Of the GoveLmer u wes equally clear
thai boards o ocer, ocug IN mercantile csp,cfy
aud hich hey had he ;beT eeeo rraet,
20 reat enbargassnrt and dla ens III their ali z
with .ensrs Of Bd poessiousls 1roSers IN nsrt Fl
the Department coud rely 81 I'D rely, wh TIE fullest
hdeaes gpoa the pTgi'soi -5 amy O., y. .. :ie
unser to- responsibility Of their missions to inv~tr
al respect. q; each ,.g offered and Of cls,t b,
se.son fuy adapted TO form H.. psii.alsg service
az snthor,y Of selection AID rejection Al ve.se
thesory eScoivey cotsed TO toefds conssins esc Of
On experiences naval r'spc OF Sna tin"i enc g. ord
nsnec ofc convened s,d stationed for tne purpose a. New
forL "a te o'hc' if.'ll cins. IIc mere neicA .ie
part q he tu'esr The Hasirg hf bts' ha ems p ne
Tor The Government IN eecn ci.e WIN tue care sv.uDg ell
~ . - i,e Sv =, t 80 e, uy 80
BE- placed Pes hands Of mercantile sseno,
and csTacv Obvious rr..on. ibcudir. ration
aai ni' ineudua responsibility hioA away. o.t most
GoveTrmeut 1t the zane places, would nece'sy compete
With Other to m ds tlss IA te mafte ind Gated
d.
bed individual upon tie instinct fstadas tbst he SHOULD
he shoulc y charge sraiu t- Government
for his service tas he .'g eesi "sys directly a. eaco
ting no brokera. agent. commissions. between
seii ed t1e owners and IT. lnsly me- oVn coani',ign
resul.' etoaH IeIcsse nAet y The Chamber Of Conn
eh nt N that city q, the right snd egsi rate q Teuners
no o sac 'etce' ,"oss.a ~ sS person -ei"s between
ihe ,seot inns seec'fa va n4Ichaut who had been
connected IL u he ost sucCes ui aid extensive
ne~cs hf'ns IN ts oouutr-s cAn'en01 Of gesi bush
capacity and Of The moot @c uons a1d uhqnes lose IN
tes1iy Ee.inq shits al ir'ste epgagesAs and with
this gentleman Las devoted Ls wno. i1- ind energies with
untrlg fidelity, to the service OF thu department and the
by The sys In. adopted tie vey best vessels IN the
commercial marine have oeen secured To- tie naval vice
moderate rSes and 20 the sseat advantage of the Go
Led nav a, ets cf TO The G9SeYnnan /, r. bsiisTd %
that required or the cOnstuc on Of thesue ECU
veea5ie vessels and question which ;. the
posed o. AID IN 40 sAsIcosE s- the caunuy better
serveC
sa9oined Is stat. from the parchaing asen. at
Eew-Yok, wiz sch siviug he Btus. tunnsge pho.
demanded and actually paid 81 every vessel ihst has
toUSat b. h9 aso Of a. S43ed TO tho Navy
CHI se Of Adui, son in Mach Lest There abundant
congratulate onrsevss thai, soeh desnJ in
such ess ageie ense ed 70 make speedy and
etion 10 he naval ssIyoe and an terms 30 eeonomi
ca 10 tbe GOyeTHuent"
In thu poriioa Of my annusl report, including the
report o. Mr.. Geo. -. Morgan under the date OF
2yth November, With the schedule OF Ill vessels pur-
chased by him u thai date, under my direction With
size pnces demand ed and the prsces pad lcoples Of
which letter aid schedule inclose IL this COM
INJUNCTION 10 the Senatel, intended to lay before
Congress exact Information of The action o. the De-
parnent 10 the purchase VI vessels required by the
argent necessities Of the publie service, Of the
grounds upon which that acton has been taken, and
OF Ito resnle.
l was well aware that the presentation Of such
statement 10 Congress before L had been askel for
was not IN conformity with the established usa9e III
similar cases Of the Executive Departments. But
according my ideas OF public duty and my nelira-
ton Units performance, tbe earliest proper moment
Wac not TOO soon for full and spontaneous O. po-
siIon toE0ugiess and the country, by tue Secretary
Of tie Navy, Of lis Views and proceedings in snet
matter; and II ny statement, 10 consequence Of The
promItness with which pr0dered j., shall be found
to have received ia any quarter nom Congress under
the pressure Of other beness less careful coasidera
tOn in all its details than might perhaps have been
granted 10 it, If il had been withheld Until regularly
called Tor, now reproduce il with perfect reliance
Sat by tue justice aI.d wisdom Of The Senate such
nhioriene Gu NY part viii be fully retrieved
THE POLICY or THE DEPARTMENT..
The re ate will perceive that the policy Of the
OeparlHeht, ia The purchase Of vessels, ss above
SCI lot'h emoraced four cardinal points:
rV le We'oI Thorough examination and test Of the
ono specially detsiIed Tor Lhs, duty
esounsd and sppoSed ts "a tho 'ssit hs ioa
e. ana WIN Tue eass possible expense charge upon