Committee Findings
The committee submitted its first report to the House on December 17. The report covered nearly 1,100 pages and stated the committee had found "many frauds had been exposed, the government relieved from many unconscionable contracts, and millions of dollars saved to the treasury." To that end, the committee proposed a resolution that:
he practice of employing irresponsible parties, having no official connection with the government, in the performance of public duties, which may be properly performed by regular officers of the government, and of purchasing by private contract supplies for the different departments, where open and fair competition might be properly invited by reasonable advertisements for proposals, is injurious to the public service, and meets the unqualified disapprobation of this House.
This resolution was never passed, the House refusing to old a yea or nay vote on it.
The committee performed made two other reports, on July 17, 1862, and a final report on March 3, 1863, the last day of the 37th Congress. Through its investigations, the committee identified as one example of fraud violations by the executive departments of laws requiring them to advertise contracts for proposals, and award those contracts to the lowest bidder. However, according the committee, the department secretaries made contracts with their friends for the furnishing of supplies, on the grounds that such procurements were urgent and in the public interest. The committee did offer an amendment condemning this practice, which was passed unanimously. The resolution was especially aimed at the Navy Department, which the most peculiar contracts appeared. Other suspect contracts were found in the War Department, under the administration of President Lincoln's first War Secretary, Simon Cameron.
All told, the committee's three reports covered more than 3,000 pages and identified innumerable frauds in the purchase of supplies for the Army, including arms, food, clothing, shoes, horses, and equipments, and even in the charter of Government transports. The report also showed an utter lack of moral or legal responsibility, on the part of a number of the contracting officers, and a readiness on the part of the contractors to take advantage of this circumstance.
Read more about this topic: United States House Select Committee On Government Contracts
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