The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 3, Volume 2. Page: 192
viii, 1007 p. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this book.
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CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.
evidence came before us, we became satisfied that, for any amount
over 25,000, $16 per gun would afford a fair profit to the manufacturer.
A contract for 40,000 of these muskets at that rate has been recently
taken by an experienced and responsible firm, Messrs. E. Remington
& Sons, of Ilion, N. Y. And it should be here stated that to Mr. S.
Remington, of this firm, we are indebted for the first trustworthy
information received touching the actual cost to private manufac-
turers of this arm. His public spirit, in frankly and voluntarily
making this disclosure, is worthy of all commendation, and should it
result, as we believe it will, in fixing the price of this gun at not
exceeding $16, his action will save millions to the public treasury.
It should be added that the holder of one of the contracts for 50,000
Springfield muskets confirmed by us consented, as a part of the con-
ditions of the confirmation, that 25,000 of the guns should be paid for
at $16 instead of $20 each. A similar reduction to $16 was made on
the proposal of another contractor for all the guns embraced in his
order over 25,000.
Thirdly. The neglect to obey the law of the 3d of March, 1809, and
the stringent regulations founded upon it, which provide that all con-
tracts for army supplies shall, except in cases of emergency requiring
and admitting of "immediate delivery," be preceded by public adver-
tisement inviting proposals, has been prolific in evil results. Indeed,
it is to the persistent disregard of this law, which for more than fifty
years has been the guardian of the integrity of the contract service,
that speculators and "middlemen " are indebted for the saturnalia
of success they have enjoyed since the commencement of the'war.
Nor can such disregard of law and duty be excused on the plea that
the pressing exigency of the case afforded no opportunity to conform
to the provision in question, since in all the contracts for domestic
arms the deliveries were fixed at distant periods of time.
That better terms might have been obtained for the Government is
conclusively shown by the fact that when, a few weeks since, under
your direction, proposals for the manufacture of arms were thus
invited, responsible bids for the Springfield musket were put in as
low as $16, while almost all fell below the price of $20.
In October last E. Remington & Sons solicited an order for the
manufacture of their revolver-acknowledged to be in all respects
equal to Colt's army revolver-at $15, but could get a contract for
only 5,000. At the same time an order was given to Colt's company
for an indefinite number of his army revolvers at $25, and under
this there has since been delivered 31,000. That company, under the
recent advertisement, proposed to furnish this revolver at $14.50, and
a contract at that rate has been executed, thus proving that the
charge made and submitted to was $10.50 in excess of the worth of
the arm, and showing that in this single item of pistols alone there
has been paid to that company within the time named at least
$325,500 beyond the full value of the arms received. The proposals
for sabers indicate a still more marked reduction in price-a respon-
sible offer being made for the best cavalry sabers at $4.12, for which
$8.50 has been heretofore paid, and an offer of $5 by the very party
who has been, under the private contract system, receiving $8.50.
But an enforcement of the law in regard to advertising would effect
more than a mere reduction in price. It would cut up by the roots
an abuse which during the present war has threatened, in this branch
of the administration, serious injury, alike to the interests of the serv-
ice and to the public morals. Contracts based on private proposals192
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The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Additions and Corrections to Series 3, Volume 2. (Pamphlet)
Errata sheets for the Records of the War of the Rebellion include additions and corrections to the text and the index for Series 3, Volume 2.
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United States. War Department. The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 3, Volume 2., book, 1899; Washington D.C.. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth139264/m1/201/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.