Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1862-02-03

aECRETARY WILEY O8EENCs'
Report q sAs sssese nave, Committee
- the Deso0sst.
Senator Hale he's read before toe
Senate . report Of the Naval Comm"
tee on the letter Of Secretary we'cs
concerning the appointment OF "eo'ge
D. Morgan, OF New York, 70 purchase
vessels for the navy, by which sPPo'o.
ment Morgan for lew month"; s o"a
light labor pocketed the SUN OF s!o'ooo
being the amount Of biz commissloo d
Two and . halt per cent on the s"ou"'
OF money he expended. We make 'oe
following syoopsis Of NJ. Hsle's report
1.-THE report says It 10 'mPoss'o'e 70.
the committee to conceive how the mos,
ingenious and subtle soPhistry could
make it appear sh't the compensation
If Mr.. Morgan camc from Any otne,
source than the Treasury OF the Un'ted
States. They say that the making
Government agent for purchases depend
snt Upon the seller for bis compensation
and making that CONF eusat'on DE-
pendent upon the exteot and Costumes
OF he purchases, is immoral and corrupt
,ng, and tends to extravsgance, to col
lnsion and to fraud And although Mr..
Morgan, with $7O,oOo in bis pocket,
thinks it 10 . wise system, 1t unfortu
nately happens that the universal jndg'
meot Of mankind 10 Of different char
acter. They ask If the system Of paying
two and . half per cent. to Govern
ment purchasing agent on the price
would not be proper in buying horses
They submit that the very announce
meut that an agent was 10 the markette
buy vessels tor the Government, and
that BIO was to be paid two and halt
per cent. on the amount paid for the
purchases be might make, would sug
gest to every seller that here there Wa
arare opportunity, where the interest OF
both buyer and seller united in fixing
the Target price that could be demanded
ard paid without shocking the moral
sense ofthe community.
"The committee do not attach much
weight to the certificate of Mr.. Samuel
l.. M,tchill and eeversl other gentlemen
who have given to the Secretary of thu
Navy certificate that these vessels have
been purchased at lower prices THAI
have usually been paid by the Gov
crnment,' especially ss it appears from
the report of the Secretary OF the Navy
that more than four hundred thousand
dollars (&400, OO0) of the amount dis
bursed by Mr.. Morgan was paid to the
firm of S. l.. Mitch,ll IL Son.
"They say that two and . halt per
cent, instead of being, as stated by the
Secretary, the least possible expense or
charge, is the very highest ever ssnc
toned or recommended by the Cham.
Der Of Commerce. They have no doubt
that there are and have been numbers OF
patriotic merchants 10 New York, EN-.
ioently qualified for the duty, who
would have cheeriulIy performed this
work for the Government without any
charge whatever. But the committee
repudiate entirely the idea that com
missions on sales or purchases, or dis.
bursements constituse proper mode OF
compensating an officer or agent of the
Government for his services.
"When q purchaser employs a bro
ker to buy q vessel tor him, it is for
the interest of the principal to procure
the vessel for the lowest price, and il
would be the height Of absurdity, in
such case, for him to make it for the
interest of his own agent TO be unfa,thtul
to him, and to compensate him mcs, lib
orally Tor buying at the highest rate"
The report of the committee concludes
40 follows:
"About the time this immense sum
was paid to Mr.. Morgan for these trif.
ing services, or Immediately preceding
it, several Of the most prominent, patri
otto and public-spirited men Of New
York, Of great experience and high rep.
utation, had organized themselves into
Union Defence Committee, and TO,
days aud weeks, il not for months, the.
devoted their time AID talents TO supply
the wants and necessities Of the govern.
meot, without ever having received or
asked, a. your committee have been 10.
formed and believe, single dollar for
their serviccs; and there can be nc
doubt but that there are and have heen
numbers of patriotic merchants in New
York. emineotIy qualified in oil respects
for the duty, who would cheertully have
performed this work for the government;
without any charge whatever.
"1t IS said to be necessary, not only
that justice should be done, bu: that the
public should he satisfied that it is done !;
and, in this view, your committee regre
that in the city of New York a man
could not haze been found to transact
this business for the Navy Department,
ont OF the family connection Of the Sec
rotary; for, however pure and honest
his purpose may have been in the selec
ton, it cannQt tail TO give rise to suspi
cions that other motives than . SINGLE
purpose to subserve the public interests
may possibly have influenced the choice
that was made.
"The time, too, at which this ar
rangement Was made, by which such .
vast aud d'spropor tomato amount of The
public money was paid for 30 incons,der
able service, was peculiarly uutortu
nate. The country was engaged in ,
war in which its very existence was .,
stake. The nation had been aroused
and was contributing men and none,
without stint to defend the national life
vindicate the national honor, aud restor.
the r'ghtful supremacy Of the const,tu
ton and the laws. The energies and