offered. The "middleman" then - evidently with other reasons, 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 manufactures 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 service 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 manufactures 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 application 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 controversy between the broker in Government patronage and his employers as to where the loss thus occasioned should fall, or whether his influence 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 case he believed such compensation to have been made. The public are very sharpshighed 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 ascertained it is necessary for them to do so. One of the saddest consequences 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 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 works, 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 transactions, 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 trains

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*Omitted.

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