The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-05-11


Navy Department. In one place he called the
attention ofthe Senator from Illinois, chairman of
the Committee on Military Affairs, and that of the
Senator from California, chairman of the Commit
tee on Naval Affairs, TO the consideration of things
properly belonging To their committees. He called
upon them TO look into the condition of then re-
spectiye Departments. In another place he spoke
of transfer being made by g these Secretaries,
without discriminating, Now, il so turns ont nat
the Secretary Of the Navy does not possess the
same power as the other Secretaries, IN regard 10
the transfers OF appropriations. The act OF 1912,
10 which | have referred, was passed on the 26th
of August; five days after which bill Was passed
for the reorganization of the Navy Department.
The former bill was reported by the Committee on
Ways and Means in the House, and The other by
the Committee on Naval Affairs. The Committee
on Naval Affairs so framed their bill as 10 deprive
the Secretary of the Navy Of the power which
otherwise would have been conferred, or which
was conferred on him, by the act Of the Goth OF
August, 1912. We know how that was. We
know that very large appropriations had, for long
of years, been made for the increase and
pairs of the Navy Aud we know that it was
charged that great abuses had prevailed, by divert
ing those funds 10 other objects not contemplated
by Congress. When the Naval Committee of the
House, therefore, reported the bill for the reor-
ganization Of the Navy, the object was 10 put an
end to those abuses forever, by depryng the Sec
feldTV OF the Navy Oh llt power Oh lTtlliSltTS IL
was done by that act.
| know that the Senator from Virginia did not
intend to charge that these transfers had been made
by the Secretary Of the Navy; and still less did he
intend to charge that they had been made in vio-
lation of law; yet il might, perhaps, be inferred
from his speech, because he did not discriminate,
am making no complaint of ii al all. ann merely
stating the fact: because otherwise it might be in
ferred by those who do not understand the law,
thatthe gentleman intended to charge the Secretary
OF the Navy with making illegal transfers. Neither
the present Secretary Of the Navy, nor his prede-
cessors since 1912, have made any transfers of
any sort, from one head or class of appropriation
to another. He has not had the legal authority
so to do. ! do not know of any abuses in the
Navy Department which require strict examn-
alton by the chairman of the Committee on Ma
val Affairs. have not heard of one. ! believe
that there has not been n solitary contract made
by that Department during the administration Of
the present Secretary of the Navy, or his imme-
date predecessor, in violation of law. | am in
formed that both the Secretary Of the Navy and
the Secretary of War challenge investigation in
regard TO the making of contracts. They ehal-
lenge the production of single instance in which
any contract has been made by them III violation
Of law.
Something was said by one of the Senator's from
California about the act Of 1920, which gives au-
thorty TO the Secretary Of War TO make certain
contracts without appropriations, and without spe-
cal authority, for the Qnartermaster's DEPART
ment. Now, understand that the Secretary of
War has been so scrupulous in the exercise of
that power, that he has never used il when Con-
gress was in session. The Navy Department has
not the same authority as that of War, aud say
it without fear Of contradiction, that not an in
stance can be given where the present Secretary,
or his predecessor, has made contracts or expend-
lures IN advance of appropriations.
Mr. IIIfNTER 4 ma a ,St,cb oh inst
the Secretary of War. On the contrary, pro.
duced the law TO show that he had authority 10
make these contracts.
Mr. PEARCE | am aware ofthat But there
was something said by the Senator from Califor-
MIA in regard 10 this. | recollect that there was a
difference of opinion between the Senator from
Virginia and the Senator from California on that
subject. | believe that the Senator from Virginia
did rather defend the Administration from the
charge which the Senator from California seemed
disposed To make. ! affirm that there has been no
violation Of law in the making Of contracts by the
heads Of either of these Departments: and the Sec.
rotary Of War is, AT the present time, refusing to
exercise the authority which he possesses under
the act of ls2O, because, while deficiency bill il
pending before Congress, lie thinks that it might
be ndclicate, If not improper, in him to exercise
that power. There are troops now IN Philadel-
phla, route 10 Oregon, that want horses TO carry
them on their journey, and the Secretary of War
refuses TO make contracts ~ advance of the appro
priatons which he isnow soliciting from Congress
ann not eager 10 carry the war into Africa;
but cannot avoid at this time mentioning the
very last instance that have heard Of an improper
contract in the Navy Department, or under The
authority Of that Department. | nndersiand that
in the year lSiS, during the presidential cam
pagn the Navy Department was supplied with
large quantity of cheese for the Navy, enough
for the consumption Of three wears. Yet a gem
IL xrelt Lnnu.f, 10
tryed, somehow or other TO effect a contract
during the autumn of'lSiS for four years supply
OF cheese for the Navy, al eighty thousand pounds
per annum. The consequence was, that great
deal of the cheese thus accumulated in the hands
of the Navy Department, did not exactly take
wings To itself, and fly awny, but great deal 81
il took legs 10 itself, and crawed away Laugh
ter. Some of II was much damaged, that the
Department was obliged TO sell it at great sacri-
fee. That Is the last contract of an improper
sort made by the Navy Department that have
heard Of. am bound To say, however, that
have no information that that contract was made
with the knowledge of the then Secretary Of the
Navy, Mr.. J. Y. Mason.
II seems TO be thought a great evil that the ac-
counts in the Third Auditors Office should be so
much behind, and 80 II certainly u.s. But let us
see the cause of these arrears.
In October, lS46, several months after the COM
mencement Of our war with Mexico. the business
Of this Office had necessarily accumulated 80 much,
that the then Third Auditor, Mr.. Hagner, warned
the Secretary ofthe Treasury Of the danger large
arrears Of unsettled accounts. IN about n wear
more November, lSi7) the accounts Of disbursng
officers had swelled from two hundred aud seven.
teen 10 two thousand one hundred and nine, and
relief was again asked, but not given. Nor was
u ti April, lS4-, nearly two years after The war.
that ten additional clerks were given. Afterwards
two more clerks were allowed: but IN lsi9 six 81
the twelve were dropped by Congress. Expert
enced accountants are very necessary in this
Office, but in lS45 and l-i6 six Of the most prac.
ticed clerks were removed. In February. 1850.
nine clerks were added by law. But then the
mischief was done, and the arrears had become
too formidable to he speedily reduced, because Of
the immense mass of war accounts with which
the Office was incumbered. The Senate will re-
member that during The war, we had ten more
regiments Of regulars, and more than seventy
thousand volunteers added 20 the army, and that
the disbursements and accounts were therefore
largely, and perhaps proportonaieiy, increased
Besides which, the inexperience Of many volun-
teer officers. not acquainted previously with army
accounts, made these accounts more difficult of
settlement. Besides all this, pos,ponement of
the settlement Of the accounts Of the regular dis
bursting officers was rendered inevitable by the
necessity of first settling those Of officers going
of fta 4 HI,