Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1862-03-06
PURCHASES nv GO VERNMENr
AGENTS.
SPEECH OF HON. SOLOMON FOOT
IN rms srSArE OF rnnu is.

The Senate resumed The consideration Of
the following resolution, reported hy MIR. Hale,
rom the Committee on Naval Affairs, on the
27th of January:
Resolred, That the emplovmen, of an agent
TO make purchases for the Government, with a
compensation depen 'ent upon the extent and
Costumes OF his purchases, is unwise and mex.
pedeni, and ought moi TO be tolerated in any
branch of the public service.
The pending question being on the amend
ment offered by Mr., Wilson, of Massachusetts,
to strike ont all aher the word Resolved and
insert the following:
THAT the empl yme-' of an agent 10 make
Purchases for the Government, whose compen-
sarions depends on commissions upon the pur-
chases made, is unwise nd inexpedent, and
shonld never be res"rted 10 except in cases of
the most impcrious exigency'
Mr. FOOT. When this resolution was be.
'ore the Senate, on SridaY last, | did desire at
that time 10 express some views upon it, esDe.
cialy as | had not concurred with nv col.
leagues in the Naval Committee in all the
views contained in the report and expressed in
the resolution. gave way. however, TOR the
consideration OF nm appropriation bill So long
tim" has int" rvenrd that have become com
paratively ind fferent, as it is entirely unm-
poriant whether say anything upon the reso.
luton at This time or not AS mem Der of the
Commirfee on Naval Affairs, however, it may
be expected perhaps that should say word
upon this resolution and upon the subject-mat-
ter 10 which it has special reference.
The resolution itself declares particular
mode of compensation TO Government agents
that is, by commission or percentage upon
the amount of purchases to he unwise end in
expedient, and one which ought not to be toler-
ated in the Government service. The oil jec.
tion opposed 10 that mode OF compensation is
that it holds out an inducement to The agent to
pay more than TIE actual value Of an article for
The purpose Of ENHANCING his commissions. A
dishonest man would he likely to be Influenced
by such consideration. An honest man
would not he influenced by it, An agent who
would defraud the Government by paying an
eaorbitant price for an article beyond its actual
value from the paltry consideration OF enhaD-
cling his oSn con missions, would be very likely
to deiraud the Government in some ~ay under
any other mode Of compens alton while an
agent who would not defraud the Government
under any other mode of compensation would
rot he likely 10 attempt to do it Under this
mode.
1t depends altogether upon the character of
the agent. and not at all upon the mode of his
compensation. A knave will cheat YOU, if he
| can under any mrde of compensation while
an honest man will not attempt 10 do it under
this mode or under any mode, and under no
circumstances of temptation. The s,f.iy aud
protection of the Government sgainst th,s.
frauds ard reculaliors is in the honesty and
| fidelity of It's agents, and not in the mere mode
| or manner of their conn ensation. In this
| model mean the commission mode-an hon .
| est agent will make bis purchases at the lowest
| possible price, and rass them over TO the Gov
! ernment at the same price, retaining only his
| awful commissions Under this or any other
mode o. compensation, a dishonest agent will
purchase an aItlce-a ship, for instance-at
| the lowest possible price no doubt, say ten
twenty. or iftv thousand dollars, and then pass
it over TO the Government at a grestly enhan
ced price perhaps twice that sum, and will
swear himself and produce the affidavit of the
seller that he actually pa d the higher price,
al will laugh you in the face while he pockets
| the difference This is no Hypothetical ca.e.
| This very thirg has actually been done. This
| verv fraud, and in This very manner, has actual
| " been practiced upon the Government. And
| can yon prevent it--can you gusrd against it
| by any mere rnode OF conn ensation to these
agentss Certainly not. l repeat, then, that
the safety Of the Government. the security OF
| The Government, is in the character of the
agent, in his capacity his honesty, his fidelity
| huu 10 It's oHiN sfCuTHV any mOue Ol
| compensation whatever. In honest hands you
are safe enough under the com mission system
in dishonest hands you are not ssf. under any
system you Can adopt The practice of frauds
| upon ibe Government, ther, furnishes no argu-
| ment against any particular mode OF compensa
ton 10 these agents; but it does furnish most
potential argument for the exercise of specia
care and vigilance 10 select honest men fel
| these important trusts
| The solution, therefore, does no. point Il
the real evil, nor to any sffeciua remedy Tor al
existing evil, and hence is OF no practical i'm
portsnce. If the rrs luton involved no otheI
consideration, and it it had no other meaning
| and no other gnEcince, ths as a mere gene
raj expression of our opinion in respect to tn,
expedIency or the inexpediency OF any par,icu
lar mode OF cuml lensation 10 Governmen
agents, should regard it as of little Moment -
J should regard its passage or its rtjection h
quite in matersl but, SIR. il is not 10 be de
bied it is not 10 be disguised that this re. ol,
ton has another and more significant iparpos,
than this. 1t is the obvious, indeed msy ray
it is the admitted intent and purpose of tiis res
clnrion 10 Cast cen ure upon the Secretary of III
Navy and tak zen in connection with the n pof
which accompanies it, aud especially taken il
connection with The speech made by the honora
Bile chaii man OF the Commttee on Nava
| Audlrs, It's adOpuon must necessarily he tbkel
as an emphatic and deliberate expression Of on
want of confidence in the iategr,tv. as we'll a
in the judrment Of the Secretary Of the Nasv a
public ,ficer The resolution has no othe
meaning, and no other consequence !, can re
ceive in the public mi&d no olner interpretation
and in that view Of it | am not prepared 10 vot
for it.
Ia the first place, sir, if the Secretary of tn
Navy has done any ing which reuticrs him I'd
noxous to pubic censure would rot give
by indireetion. l would not give it by infer
, ence or by implication would give il jir,cI
ly. ! wcud express it IN pain end expici
, reyms, 20 tha; he aud ,he country aud ali III
world might know exactly what was meant b
it Ia the second place AS al present advised
l am not as yet prepared, by any vote OF min,
to declare thar the Secretary OF the Navy. i
the administration of his high office, has don
anything which calls ior cundema alton or .,
buke, OF which impsaehes his integrity as
: public officer see noihIng, indeed, in the n:
ture or The character Of the transaction n.e
. which has been made the subject OF 20 nuc
severity of remark and of criticism, whIc