The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-04-23
45, distributed this morning and laid on the

desks Of Senators:
"The system sought to be overthrown has
been in operation, as before stated, for more
than half . century, and, in the opinion Of
well calculated TO effect the object sought to
be attained, namely, supplying the Navy
at reasonable prices with the best articles
demanded for the service.
"The committee are not aware OF any in
conveniences to the service by the opera
ton OF the present system that can be rem
edied, or even ameliorated, by the proposed
change"
undertake to say that If any gentleman
on the Naval Committee saw this report,
and saw that which ] have read, only one
member Of the Naval Committee saw il
except the chairman Of the Committee.
What was the bill that introduced, and
what IS the present system? At the pre-
sent instance of a friend Of mine, MEN,
Der Of this body, undertook to draw up
bill which thought would obviate some
of the troubles in connection with the Ma
w Department and abolish some of the
corruptions that l knew were prevailing
in connection with the furnishing of sup
plies under naval contracts. ! called to
my assistance those men in the Navy De-
partment and out Of il, with whom ! had
conversed before and at the time that
drew 1t, who, as knew, had the most ex-
sent to prominent merchants in Boston,
New York and Philadelphia, and from
them received replies and suggestions in
regard TO amendments.
There WAS one point in connection with
that bill upon which there was diversity
of opinion among those with whom con-
versed, and that was whether the purchase
of naval supplies should be confined to ma
val officers, including officers Of the line
and the staff, or whether they should be
made as they now are, through navy
agents who were political appOintees.-
Some of the gentlemen, and among them
the Chief of the Bureau Of Yards and
Docks, were in favor Of appointing civil
ians to these Offices, but connecting them
with the Navy Department as the naval
constructors are now connected with it. ]
did not concur in that view. ! believed
that the safest and best way was to appoint
naval officers of some grade, either of the
line or staff, TO fulfill these duties, and
reasoned from analogy as well AS from ex-
perience. What would he thought of Sc
lecting quartermasters and commissaries
to supply your army from civil life alone,
not making them military officers at all,
giving them no commission, not making
them responsible before military tribunal
for any OF their conduct? And what, pray,
is Navy agent but a quartermaster, and
what is a naval store keeper but an ord
nance or military store-keeper, each of
whom is subordinate and subject TO mill
tary law for their conduct?
There being a difference Of opinion on
this subject between myself and those
with whom consulted, concluded in this
respect to carry out my own view. But
that was the matter of smallest conse-
quence in the whole bill. The eighth Sec
ton of the bill is in these words:
THAT all laws and parts of laws re-
l~s< In tvN o10s <,f ri
cles of supply, or that require all of the ar
ticies enumerated in class to lie accepted
as an entire bid, be, and the same is here
by. repealed"
Under the present system bids are sub
miited in classes. Suppose the Govern
ment wants a large quantity OF various de-
scriptions Of iron. An order comes from
the Navy Department to the commandment
Of the yard To know how much and what
descriptions Of iron will be needed at that
ward for the next year. The coInmandant
saws to the master blacksmith, ''Fill out a
schedule OF these articles and a description
of them" The contractor goes TO the
master blacksmith, and corrupts him. He
bribes him. and gets him to make sched.
ule certifying that he will need, for in.
stance, thousand pounds Of one inch
square iron, and ten thousand pounds O
two inch square iron. The contractor
tbereupon bids for the largest article tht
smallest amount: for instance, quarter O
a cent; for that Of which the smalles
amount is to be furnished he bids eigh
cents. the average price Of iron being foul
cents, Having this perfect understanding
with the master blacksmith, when the CON
tractor is required TO fill his contract, ant
to go on as they are required to do, and I'LL
in addition 10 the amount originally stipu
lated IN the contract. any more OF that de
scrip.ion Of iron that is required, only
very small portion of this quarter cen
iron will ne called for, while enOrmou
quantities of the eighs cent iron will b
called for. Thus the Government i
defrauded. So il is in regard to Lumber
and 80 il is in regard 10 every article G
supply that is furnished to the Navy De
! par!ment.
Why, Mr.. President, have had an or
, portuni;y within q few days OF looking int
This subject. have seen how these navs
, contractors, under the present system. col
) rupt the officers Of the Government
mean the subordinate officers Of the Gov
ernment: mean the master wOrkmen i
, the various navy yards Of this country b
7 presents and by promises. / have seen,
: the handwriting OF contractor, q state
r ment Of the amount that he received in on
single item Of copper, where, by cOllusiO
!, with the master mechanic, the GOvernmeI
q had been charged an overweight by whic
1 there was received upward Of 81 600, an
= = that was divided into three parts betwee
! the men who were in collusion to CORFU
: the officer and to cheat the Governments
But the chairman Of the Committee on n,
. val Affairs reports to the Senate that the
: IL no necessity for any change of this d.
4 scription Of dealing. This bill goes on
!. declare: s'
e "That If any contractor for naval suppl,
= shall defiaud, or attempt to defraud, Il
n Government by false count, measur
e weight, or quality Of the article to be su
h Piled. or procure, or attempt to prOcur
n the same to be done, or shall directly or ],
directly give, or offer to give, to any of
70 Ger, employee, or servant Of the Navy D
- partment connected with the purchasin
!" inspecting, and custody of naval supple
- or TO any member Of the family Of al
- such officer, employee, or servant, al
- bribe or present Of any kind or descriptio
- for any purpose whatever, or shall .offt
- promise, or threaten to procure the rem
nt val, transfer, or promotion OF any su
~ :. officer. employee, or servant, he shall,
~ ~ conviction before naval court martial,
30 imprisoned at hard labor in some penite
80 80 tiarv in the United States for a period n
= exceeding five years, and fined In . su