Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-08-31

Ffsm hs Ya,aiastGn Ua;sa, Aug %
HEheHBY ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OR
III kEpUBLIC On THE LATE SECRETARY
hSON-A CANDID STATEMENT.

Secretary Ut the Navy, N tnS coiunus u. 'no
Republic. the accredited organ 0! The admins
,raiiou. We have repeatedly caaea upon me
conductor, Of that print, and the high persouagss
behind Inc scenes who have iasiisatcd The as
sanlts oil their organ, Tor specifications OF Inc
! charges which they have by covert and furnre
iusinuation and inuendo made against Inc ia'c
Secretary, aud ior The iacls aud proofs upon
whichlhey were founded. But we have feceis.o
Z Ee. The calumniaoIs Of The late Secies'y -
Although challenged 10 do so, have no. ua.ea 1oss
n make direct, tull. explicit, and many eaaiseS
against im; bu. have con con 1;blIous insnus.
fion.f Ne canno. pursue these reViiers ,ul'hei
ond uS now address ourselves 10 Inc caEoor dhu
Sns,;c9 n. The A raericau people Therefore, wan
,ha, uiew we now proceed 10 stale, IN as p'ei
nsnuer a possible, all the circumstances con-
neckd with the DENLY case when nave any re-
lauSu 10 the late Secretary OF Inc Navy, anu
shsil submit them 10 the judgment OF an imPa..
tia aad tru.h-oviDg public. IL we nave ~,
.Scceeded in making on, Iuil, complete aud
Triumphant vindcalion pt the laie SECRETARY
from the wicked and atrocious calumn'es OF
which he has been the victim, II Is Roi eecaIss
the facts do moi exist which would render sucn
a vindicaton triumphant and conclusive, pul
because, as our readers well know, We nave moi
access to them. They are 10 The hands OF 'he
on nv who can give or withhold them az DC
niaa~ea We ate, however, willing 10 submit
the case TO III. judgment OF the puoiic on sucn
Evidence as we have, confident that The popular
verdict will be a complete vndication OF Inc ia1e
Secretary, and The disgraceiul and isnom'nioas
conviction # his calumnialors oil one oil lne
bassst offences which can be COMMITTED against
individuals or society SUBSCRIPTIONS anu 'u"-
lienanl warfare upon private reputation.
We have observed with me SURPRISE .na
while the calumniacrs OF Judge Mason deal
-. rnoet dor Ory suSDiciOnS anu tUueu.
does. they have never published those documents
which can alone enable The pubic 10 form
;ndgment on the official misconduct imputed 10
Inc Iate Secretary of the Navy. we nave care
fnlly examined the publications on Inc suoltct,
and referred TO such public documents as were
accessible 10 us, and do mol hesitate 10 say 'na'
more erouncless accusations were never maze
against a public man, nor more wanlonness
ey.nced in accompanying them by insinuaons
against his private character.
Wien Mr. Mason became Secretary oil The
Navy in 1874, the Navy Department had Tenn
porary agencies at London, Mar;eilles, Lima,
st. Thomas, and Mazatan. The object Of these
agencies was to provide the means for tue con-
veniens supply of our squadfons on foreign SER
vice OF funds for the payment OF oflcers aud
men, and other legal expenses OF the ships OF
war so employed
In the Mediterranean sea, as on other sta
lions, American coin has never passed current
nj its nominal value; and il was the acknow-
lodged right Of those in the public service to
receive the pay allowe1 by law at The place
whero the service is performed. To tolhl this
public Obligation these agencies wero estao.
iished. They had existed for long time; ard
whatever might have been the legal authority
for THAR establishment, the question was put
at rest by the 4,h section Of the aci oil June
l7h, l644. That section is in these words
"and be IL further ena;t.d That no person shall be
employed or continued abroad, 10 receive ana pay
money for the use OF the naval service on oIe'sh s
lions, whether under contract or Otherwise, OF W pc
form the duties usually performed by navy agents,
who has not been or shall not be- appointed oy anu
with tho advice and consent OF the Senale
This section Of tho law was adopted 10 con-
sequence of petition of the former agents al
Marseilles; and the nature of The agency, The
terms of the contract, and the policy OF The De-
partner, were fully understood By Congress
The President nominated to the Senate at the
same session suitable persons, in his judgment
to be temporary navy agents at the several places
named; and Messrs. Barring, Brothers & Co., al
London; Messrs. Furniss s. Co., st st. Thomas;
and Me.srs. Mccall s. Co.. at Lima. were con.
irmed The other nominations we're not acted
on.
At the next session of Congress Nr Denby
was nominated By President Tyler aud conhrm
cd by the Senate. Tho Navy Department en-
ployed him by contract. That contract has
never been published by the papers assailing the
s er of ns ssnea a liz I"
subject.
Mr. DENLY was required TO give bond ual
security for its faithful perform ince. Bond
was given and retucGed with the endorsement
Of The Judge Of tho Eastern District of Virginia.
ia these words: Il certify, upon proofs salts.
factory 10 me, that ths sureties to the within
bond are sufficient To secure the am unit for
which they are bouud.' Inc amount was two
hundred thousand dollars. This certificate was
The evidence Of tho sutficiency Of the bond which
the law required; aud the Secretary could have
had no susp ciou that the Judge was mistaken
10 his opinion. MIR. DeUby announced to The
department that he had selected Dir. G. T. o..
borne oae of his securities, and duly authorized
him 10 act for him IN the United States, and rc-
ceive money pald uader the contract.
The objscs OF The contract was 10 secure to the
ships OF war ia The Mediterranean such coin as
was current t.ele, where The service was per-
formed, for pay o. officers aud men, and for their
ordinary expenses. The med. Of accomplishing
this object was TO pay 10 Mr.. DENLY, by his
agea, 10 the Uniled States American dollars,
with h1ed permanent rate OF pfsmium Of ex.
change OF tour ana lhrce.quariefs per cent tina
10 10 say, for every SUN OF uns hundred and forr
dollars and three quarters, paid in the Uniud
States in American dollars, Denby was 10 pay TO
the pursers OF the snips-ot.war a. Marseiiles, for
disbursement in the public service, one hundred
dollars, in Spanish pillared dollars doubloons
and French fve-fraac pieces, at their value in
Span.
To give the agent the opportunity OF efec,'Dg
the exchange and remittance som. time between
payment by The government here add payment
by the agen, al Marssl;es was indispensable
aad il was agreed that six months should be al
lowed; ina. is TO say, il in the judgment Of The
Secretary SO mach wouli be wanted for the
squadron, one hundred thousand dollars was IL
be advanced here six months before payment
was 10 be required tiers. As The exchange and
remittance were TO be made by the agent from the
Uoiled States 10 Marssilles al his own risk aed
cost, it was 10 be done according TO his jutg>
ment. II the government hal undertakes 10 dl.
rect the mode of ef.cling H. or OF controlling the
money alter II passed out OF the treasury into
the hands OF the agent, MIR. Denbys S eurittss
D,ntd not haze besn bonn. Tue Ii IS in slch
case would nave fallen on the gov ,nment
the contract with Denby correspondel In its
provisions with lha. OF his predecessors, which
had been in successful operation for more Than
ten years. Thatit was lawful al lis date, no one
doubts But Il seems TO be supposed tba, sub>e.
quent legislation by Congress has had the eflec,
10 aorogaie the contract that the contract is with
Ia and forbidden by The provisions OF The act of
Congress Of August 6. 1886. commonly called
the sub treasury act. The suojec. would require
q more extended discussion than we can give it
here. We do no, propose TO examine j, with any
view to The responsibilities OF Mcssrs. Denly and
Osborne. Legal proceedings hav, been insitu-
ted against them, and We leave The decision to
The courts OF justice, without desiring 10 excite
prejudice against them, or to d,precate such
judgment as the law and The facts may warrant.
Tue late Secretary OF the Navy. 10 his official
conduct, did not regard the con,rac. as forbidden
By the provisions OF the sub.,reasury law, and
our object Is to eaqlre il he construed the &C,
correctly. The Isl section of the ACT FIXES
with precision what is The treasury of the