New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-03-25
The FaIsification Of the Naval Appropriation
RfII.

From the Harrington Jnion, March 81
The following communication from Judge Young,
Clerk of the House of Representatives of the
United States, utterly refutes and scatters to the
winds foul calumny put into circulation against
Speaker Cobb. We may add to this triumphant
vindcation the fact, that it was altogether mpos'
sible for Mr.. Cobb, if he had been so disposed, to
have perpetrated the act imputed to him. The
whole subject was in the hands of the Committee
on Epgrossment, and the Speaker had no IA re
control over their action than any other member
Of the House. We have seldom read more
shameless libel, and never have seen one more
completely exploded by the facts.
To The Editor of The Jnion:
In view of the very serious charge made By the Rochester
Democrat upon the authority Of The Nec York Tribune,
against the late Speaker of the House OF Representatives OF
having privately ntsrpOlsed the Navy bill by the inser
uon Of an amendment which was rejected by decided
majority OF the Senate" the following statement OF Jactss
Tpe NAVY bill passed the House of Representatives
the It OF March, 1851 and contained among others the
following provision the latter clause of which, in Italics is
Understood to be the one alluded to, viz
For the floating dry dock California hundred and fifty
thousand dollars and the Secretary Of the Navy is hereby required
modify the contract alleged TO have besn made on the seven
oangdock alone without the basin and railway provided the
December last and provided the Secretary
considers the SAID estimates fair ana reasonable and so much Of sad
repealed Frorded Tst6cfe @l.-s aa contract ts Sest
s ;si re "af i iccs "'' '' @'' ''
The bin was then engrossed (the foregoing provision
being upon pages and ~ Of The engrossed bi and on
the sd inst to the Senate On same day II was
returned from the Senate with sundry amendments which
amendments epgrossed and certified to by Secretary
Of the Senate The said amendments were then seversy
read aud agreed by the House pom reference to the
amendments certified 10 by the Secretary there appears
TO BIZ 10 Huton whatever TO the foregoing provision or
even to the pages upon which is engrossed Il may be
proper 10 sste that there is pencimsrk enclosing the
latter "provisO ana al The end Of the item, In pencil,
GBel TO strike out-sgreed' whch 10 Informally understood
TO Indicate that the Senate voted upon Mr.. Bells motion
10 trke out the said pTOvO. 10 The hurry of business
however he action OF the Senate overlooked by their
cleka and The House advised or II, ocaly or
otherwise before It's passage, so that notice could have
bee taken OF properly upon the nsl action that body
This provision having been incorporated in the original bill
hv vote of The House, and Official Information having
been received Of adverse action upon by the Sensebu
on The contrary, tho Secretary having implicitly certified TO
their favorable action upon IT, by inadvertently omlng 10
include It among the smendmeus made by the Senate
became duof the enrolling clerk OF the House TO re-
tain Il 10 he bin II consequently 50 retained and en-
rolled 10 psrt Of the law by the clerk and not as false
" charged, privately inlerposled by the Speaker
Such IL brief statement u the facts 10 reference TO
rrovison Of the Navy bl the effect OF which Is SAD
10 nulny contracts made by the Secretary OF the Navy
WbRtsha be ssd OF the author OF this foul calamny VINO
SO anopy asssils the character OF man so perfectly
Honorable and upright IN all his conduct as Howell COBB
qrosser SANDER was certainly never before perpetraled
than his grouRdeu charge against the late SpesnsI
''- - RICHARD NJ. YOUNG,
Clerk, House Of Representatives U. s.
Nh On 1881