The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-05-24
THxRTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS-.
FIRST SESSION.

THxRTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS.
FIRST SESSION. N1
Senate.
WAsHiNGrok, May %, 1854.
DRAFTED TO RKlEArD ONLY ON PROCURING suBsrI-
Mr.. MORGAN, (rep.) Of N. r., introduced bill to pro-
hibt the release Of drafted persons from draft by the
payment of money, viz:-"That much Of the ast
titled act for enrolment and calling out tho national
forces and for other purposes approved March g. 1885,
and acts amendatoy thereof authorize the discharge
OF any person from military service by reason Of the
payment Of $500 for the procuration Of substitute or
otherwise, be, and the ia hereby repealed: pro
vided that nothing contained 10 this act shall he
sruei to alter the provisions Of the existing laws rea
tive to persons actually furnishing substitutes"
THE BILL IN RELATION NAVAL SUPPLIES
On motion of Mr.. GRIMES. rep.) Of Iowa, his bill in
aton to naval supplies was taken and he addressed
the Senate for hours in the adverse
report made thereon by the Naval Committee He gave
a history OF the manner Of obtaining naval supplies
since the organization Of the navy, to show that
under navy agents, who origin ally were not legally All
thorzed officers system had grown up by collision
with contractors and master workmen and that the sys
tenn proposed by his bill would remedy these abuses He
Tended the Chief OF the Bureau OF Yards AID Docks for
his efforts 10 detecting the defects Of the old system He
said that the rdntes and not the department
contracts heretofore
under bids fr supplies showing as examples instances
where Scotch iron had been bid for at dollar per ton
and American iron at twenty and thirtysx dollars per
ton and OF the large amount advertised OF the
only nine ten tons delivered while of the latter
double treble the amount would be furnished aud
ceived The low figure at which Scotch iron WAS fur
nshed the contractors knowing by collision beforehand
what amount would be required, were thus
enabled to secure the contract against bones!
Tie pos.rac system being las He 0 couendsu
that hss things showed colusIon between contractors
N fho ,coA
among contractors Smith Brothers Co., Bos-
ton who had since 1861 furnished to the amount of
81 ,0i0 900; schnhold Co, Of New York, to about
similar sum. aud another firm in New Hampshire the
amount Of 81 1872 652 also Joseph l. SAVAGE, OF WASH
amounting in the aggregate 10 81 $751; he being the lowest
bidder OF those whom Mr. Grimes presumed 10 be merely
his conodcrates The prices Of the articles actually fur
Eshed wcre double their market value for Instance,
At 81 co. the market price OF which was seventnve
cents. aud many other articles IN proportion Mr
Grimes showed Also from their books. that Schohed
Co.. under court martial, that In September last
they had furnished brass screws costing 81 400
and forty eight sheets of copper costing one hundred
and tweaty three dollars at forty hundred and thirty
four dollars and fifty cents leather costing 81 s68 0l3
&c Mr. crimes explained at length the necessity OF his
bill remedy those abuses. He said IL would provide
that these matters OF supply would be confined TO regu
lar officers OF the navy, instead Or temporary political
Apo ces and prescribed such severe punishment aud
penalties as would diminish TO larger extent the cor
ru,,i'ns and frauds which were now practiced
Iowa entirely that the frauds aud gross ourages perpe
traicd upon the Navy Department were erroneous but
responsibility great lie had no idea that the sweep
ing charges made by the Senator against navy agents
and working whom he proposes by one fell blow TO
sweep from the navy true This assault the navy
agents aud master ~orkmen and mechanics Was solely
because they had IN many instances tne govern
mcnt the attempts az fraud on the part Of those who
partsans of the heads Of the bureaus IN the Navy
Department who sought 10 be enriched at tho public ex
pcnse He instaneed where navy agents had
while cndeavorng protect the government from fraud
part of favores of this heads OF bureaus incurred
their dspleasure One in point was the supplying
Navy Yard, when the Navy Agent refused to pay
the enormous price OF seventy cents per pound, when
everybody knew il could be bought for nIty Mr. Hale,
in defending the firm Of Smth rothers Co., said that
they had been among the rs, to expose tne manner IN
The COMMITTEES ON Naval Affairs. In dischargng their
dutv had como to the conclusion, after partial in
vestgstion, that this bill, though containing many
excellent features, upon the whole at this time
wise and inexpedient They regarded II endeavor
to cut Off from the public service ard pass sentence
OF condemnation upon those who the faithful
officers In the United States service though tboy were
epanetted gentlemen lie Ind rs high regard for
naval officers as the Senator lie thought them 40 class
honest and upright as any other officers but he was
10 this wholesale onslaught the mechanics of
the country who Ind shed much blood and performed
much labor In defence OF the national life. He
considered the bill itself standing libel acainst the
honesty OF our hardy sons OF toll He hoped
the senator wouid press his Investigations until
every rogue ana every one who connived nj fraud
and corruption would be brought condgn punishment
but after all he would End that the guilty cuprts
cscw here. Mr. Hale held that with all the wisdom that
could be brought TO bear IL would be impossible TO keep
ourselves intact from depreciation until We could md
OF perfect integrity to administer our affairs Until
could find such men the Senator should not look too
highly upon epauetted officers In the navy lie said he
had been arraigned for his cenuucson of fraud and
rption and proneacy opposed to this mnstration
His support Of the administration could not be appre
catcd by the thieves and punderers that chung around
It. They would tny appreciate the administration as
long they could rob It, Such men in his opinion
only less criminal than those In against gov
eminent 80
to-day had disclosed remarkable state Of things The
Chairman OF the Committee on Naval Affairs had int-
mated again and again an extent Of pronigscy and
ruption In the departments OF the government
alarming than The enemy tho ned Near the close Of
his speech he had conceded that the Naval departments
and the government generally infested with thieves
and robbers lie (Mr. navs) supposed this TO be
but was not strange that the Chairman Of the Commit
Tee on Naval Affairs OF exr ercnce aud aawyer by
profession should not organize bring these
criminals to punishment, instead OF combining himself
TO general denuuciaons and Leaving the matter thero
3! more corrupt government on earth. He was
ssonshed that the Senator had introduced
Of reform II he knew OF any thieves in the department
whv ds he mot hold them up to public punish
ment9 These admsions 10 vague and insufficient form
| amounted to nothing and corrected nothing.
| rpR PACIFIC RAILROAD rasssD.
Mr. DoolrrTrz, (rsp) Of Wis, here desired 70 speak
m ~ which ny Ssd SeoS
/ uniformly deferred for this discussion.
Mr.. SUMNER, (rep) Of Mass, wished 70 say word IN
defence Of citizen Of MASSACHUSETTS VINO ma oesn ~
Mr.. cosrss and Mr.. DAVE both objected
The consideration Of the pacsno Railroad bill was then
| resumed and Mr. DoonrTiR after brief reference TO
tho pending amendment fixing tbe route OF the road
through Kansas required TO the Naval supply ssocc1
M CorSas trepl'of Cal, asked what that nAe 70 40
| with the -raIlroadf
MI DooLnlLE said the gentleman Was out Of order in
nterrupting him. and 70 say shat 20 BAD been
engaged for weeks a. q mcnDer OF the Naval Committee
IN connection with the gentleman from New Hampsrns
the subisos Of fraud and corruption In the Navy
| Department He he'd listened W bis specsi
today, anA as yes hs had not beard hiu
| menuoo gullty ma Implicated in these onirsscou
wansaossssa Why did nos tho Senator name one man
Because, - he mr. DUolNrs9 undsrtook emphascsiy
say, there was man IN ~ Navy Department, no hsa