The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union And Confederate Armies. Series 3, Volume 2. Page: 194
viii, 1007 p. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this book.
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CORRESPONDENCE, ETC.
ingly offered. The "middleman" then-evidently with other rea-
sons, for the purpose of increasing his fee-urged that $22.50, instead
of $20, should be charged the Government for the pistols. This was
declined, the manufacturers stating that the pistols were not worth
more than $20, and that at this rate they had been previously sold to
the Government. The price to be paid him for his services was fixed
at $2 per pistol, or $10,000 for the 5,000, for which he agreed to secure
the order. He returned to Washington, and " in a week or two" the
manufacturers received an order, bearing date November 28, for the
5,000 pistols, being again the same that a few weeks before had been
pronounced " unserviceable " in answer to their own personal appli-
cation to manufacture them. This order, from some unexplained
cause, was not submitted to Congress and is not found in House
Executive Document No. 67. It was, however, referred to us, and
was confirmed with a reduction of the price to $18, with the assent
of the parties. This change in the price has given rise to a contro-
versy between the broker in Government patronage and his employers
as to where the loss thus occasioned should fall, or whether his influ-
ence and services shall still be estimated at $10,000, or be reduced to
half that sum.
In the first case referred to the commission was offered to the
United States Senator because the manufacturer was assured that it
was usual to pay for similar services, and he expressed to us under
oath the opinion that the assurance was true, and that in a majority
of cases he believed such compensation to have been made. The
public are very sharpsighted in such matters, and when they are
found employing, at high rates of compensation, the services of this
class of men, there is no hazard in assuming that they have ascer-
tained it is necessary for them to do so. One of the saddest conse-
quences of this course of administration is the tendency of the public
mind to press its imputations of demoralization beyond the mere
broker in patronage, who, probably having little to lose in this way,
is indifferent to criticism or reproach, so long as he is permitted to
put money in his purse. Men are prone to believe that an influence
which hawks itself about in the market rests on foundations which
could not be safely laid bare; or, in other words, that what is thus
openly sold has been possibly bought. Of course, no such reflections
could arise in reference to a member of Congress who should feel
himself justified in making pecuniary profit out of his position, in
the manner suggested, since the origin and character of his influence
over the administration of the executive branch of the Government
are well understood. Whatever use may be made of it, its source is
pure, springing, as it does, from the genius of our institutions, which
gives power everywhere to the representatives of the people, in the
generous confidence that it will be loyally exercised only for their
protection.
For the names, dates, and other details connected with these trans-
actions, reference is had to the written testimony which accompanies
this report.*
Another deplorable consequence following the substitution of a
system of private contracts for that based on advertisement and open
competition is the indiscriminate condemnation which, in public
journals and otherwise, such substitution has brought in its train* Omitted.
194
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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/m1/203/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.