The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1845-08-28
CORRESPONDENCE.
WAsHIYGToN, Auous, 9


Dear Sir-ln my last, of the Sth. | merely
opened the door of the Light House System and
let you peep In. ill now throw it wide open
To public gaze, and show its cnrruplions, misman-
agemenis, and useless extravagance LIST. then,
let me refer you to the able report on this subject
"f Captains Perry and Keaney. These officers.
since high in command, totally condemned the
whole system, and recommended a modification
Congress next passed an act directing an eXami-
nation into the Light House system The off =.
GERS selected under this act were Capt Rossrau.
Leurs. Holland, Plat, Romans, Manning. Por.
ter and Bache. These gentlemen, after careful
| examination and personal inspection, condemned
the whole system, and again recommended
modification. L beg 4 careful perusal of these
important documents, and call on the head of the
Light House Establishment 10 produce the iol.
lowing documenis-Cap Perry, Sluat and Kear-
ney IS repori-the controversy between Jesse Hnyt
and the above gentlemen on the subject of the
Light Houses. also refer you TO the able and
eloquent speech of Mr.. Profit on the Lioht
House System. With these documents befnre
you, ii would he impossible to doubt that either
the system was filed with corruplions, or mis-
arrangements.
In my last. did not positively assert the head
of the Light House establishment To be whip in
prInclple--6mt do IL nOlo. | will 90 step far
Their, and state that all the clerks under his con-
tool with but one exception, (Mr. Ricketts,. down
10 the messenger, are whigs and that it is impos-
Slble to obtain correct information from this de.
parment, unless kicked ont of IL by an act of
Congress. by reference to the reports of Ten in
elIgent Navy officers, who felt no further inter
est IN the system than to have it well organized
we find some of the Light Houses have tunabIed
dorm, others built of stone have had To be covered
with wood to preserue them, properly called
'c0Oden stone Light Houses while others, with
out regard TO utility. have been placed at the
mouth OF bitches and insignificant creeks. (Ma-
hers Ditch and WispalIian Creek)
1T has been asserted by the head of the LIGHT
House System, that it is better conducted dit.
and cheaper, than the Scotch or English system.
1t this was fact, how did it happen that the sn
Perinrendent of the Light House a, Havana. after
careful examination of the rattle trap lirhtino
apparatus at the Dry Torngas, and Key West,
should have imported from England lenticular
apparatus, or why it found necessary to i'm
port from Europe catadinplric apparatus, at a
great expense, 10 snpersede the miserable appara-
tns on the highlands off New York or. if this
system is so very perfect-why are two Navy of
lirers now on their way to Europe to obtain in
formation IN relation 10 the Light House System
of Europe2 or why is it Navy officer, Mr.. Cos
tin, Is employed. at the present moment, altering
Inc lighting apparatus on the Delaware at an
expense of one Thousand dollars for each Light
House? These facts fully prove the American sys-
tenn OF the Fifth Auditor is not quite equal TO the
European.
Could any sensible Democrat be made to he
lIeve that snch Department as that of the Fifth
Audliors-wilh whig clerks-whig keepers for
the Light Houses, Boats, &C., would not be used
for political purposes-when the whole party were
engaged in tabrlcating Roorbacks and distributing
Black Bread throughout the country! Bah-te
it TO the coons, the loco's won't believe it,:
Yours truly.