Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-08-18

Dfire'ed IN me Senate, AHgua Sd, 1891,
On the Naval Appropriation bill, and in deienc,
OF Commodore Moore.
CONCLUDED.
The committee of investigation of the Con
gress Of Texas took up the charges one by one
They were seven in number, with multiplied
specifications. After a long, honest, and labo
rlous investigation, they acquitted him OF the
charge of murder, of the charge Of piracy, OF
the charge Of treason, and of the charge OF de
falcation to his government. There, inthe public
records of the republic of Texas, are resoiu,
tons acquitting him on each and every one OF
these grave charges.
The honorable senator from Texas MIR.
RUsKl read to the Senate the resolution of the
convention which assembled to form State
constitution and it is of such character as to
show that they believed in no such charges
The resolution is in these words:
Resoi,ed BY the delegates Of the people IN conven'
non assembled That in closing their labors the
representatives OF the people, they respectfully
commend 10 the favorable consideration of the
American government, their gallant fellow citizen,
Post Captain +. w. Moore and request that he
may be retained and provided for in the national
service thereof-Jouynalo Of Convention, p. 3l2.
But, sir, the matter does not stop there.
After the Congress Of Texas had investigated
the matter fully and thoroughly, Commodore
Moore asked that a court-martial might be as
sembled to try him for the offenses charged
against him. The courtmartial was ordered,
and the trial was had, running, | believe,
through seventydays AT the end of seventy
days, what was the verdict of that tribunal
Out of all the charges preferred against him
he was acquitted upon each and every one ex-
cept tour specifications, out Of the six that
were preferred under the charge of disobedience
OF orders, and the testimony is satisfactory to
my mind that he could not have obeyed those
orders. This is fully made out in the commit
tees report. He was acquitted ofevery charge
affecting his character and integrity as a man
OF honor and gentleman. He was acquitted
OF treason. He was acquitted Of speculation,
because it was shown that, instead Of his being
deiaulter to the government, the government
actually owed him over $ll 900. The records
show II. He was acquitted of every charge OF
capital offence, and was found guilty of dis.
obedience of certain orders, when he alleges it
was impossible for him to obey these orders.
Does that affect his character, his integrity, his
honor as man? Who is not guilty of dis
obedience of orders Where is the officer in
your government who has not been guilty OF
dsobedience of orders The cases are hume
rous and multiplied
But, sir, it is said that he is defauter-not
only defauter 10 the government of Texas,
but to the government Of the United States
The resolutions passed by the Texas investiga-
lion show that he was not defaulter to the gov.
eminent of Texas, but that, on the contrary
that government was indebted to him.
COMMITTEE Room, Decem5er %, 1917
To ths honorable tie Speaker ofths
House Of Representatives.:
The select committee 10 whom was referred
the Report OF The comptroller Of public accounts
WIN the accompanying documents, exhibiting his
action under joint resolution Of the last legsla
ture, by which he was required ssto settle the &C
counts of E. w. Moore, post captain commandin:
the late navy Of Texas have given 10 the sub
lect their most mature consideration and now be.
leave TO report 10 the House the result of thei
deliberations
The account current made out by the auditor @
the late republic of Texas on the 9th of Apri
1874 and which is contained among the paper
submitted 10 us, shows that Commodore Moore i
charged at that time by the auditor with the sun
OF So, 726 a. of which the sum of SlS,SI2 "a i
charged in exchequer bills, and the balance in pa
funds. lie is credited by S2l s51 IS leaving
balance against him Of S50s75 SO which will ap
pear by reference 10 document A, accompanyin.
this report
The comptroller is stating the accounts Of Com
inodore Moore has arranged his claims agans
the government into FIVE classes. The first class
amounting 10 S35 l35 90, includes various kind
OF cash disbursements for The use Of the navg
the second class, amounting TO SSl3S so EN-
braces cash disbursements made in the enlistment
OF men, and bounty, paid them upon entering the
service.
The third class, amounting TO S2.iO6 "a, EN-
braces expenditures for the Of the navy which
were liquldated al the time they were incurred b,
the individual obligations of Commodore Moore
with the hypothecaton of exchequer bills al fiji,
cents on the dollar.
The fourth class is composed Of items of dis
bursemenls for the use Of the navy, OF which
S7,20g 80 were liquidated by the individual obi
cations Of Commodore Moore, and 81 ,ls3 30 were
paid in cash.
The fifth class amounts 10 81 22J 20, and in
cludes expenses incurred for the use of the navy
which were wholly liquidated by the individual
obligations of Commodore Moore.
An abstract Of the foregoing is among the ma
pers submitted, aud is made part OF this report
az document y.
The comptroller indorses all the voucher. for
claims Of the first class equitable and lust
except The two last. numbered It3 for $500 and
IA for 1855, which he submits Gas informal
vouchers TO be acted upon by The legislature
Your committee concur 10 the opinion expressed
by the comptroller that the vouchers of this class
are equitable and Just, and they perceive no dif
vouchers and that Of the preceding ones, and be.
lieved that there can be no good reason why they
should not be allowed
The disbursements comprised in the second
class are not Endorsed by the comptroller for the
reason "ibai they are not OF the Kind authorized
by the regulations of the service, though rendered
necessary by fhe emergency Of the times under
which they were incurred A bare reference ia
the nature Of these disbursements will suffice 10
explain the necessity which prompted the expen.
diture. The navy was comparatively without
men. aud ordered upon an expedition against the
euemy; the regulations ofthe naval service Of the
United States (which view as a fair criterion
IN the absence OF any positive law Of our own
allows bounty 10 seanen who enlist. and authori.
yes the employment Of persons for the purpose OF
procuring recruits. OF this character are all the
disbursements Of the second class Ii is 10 be
recollected that these disbursements were made
in the United States, then a foreign country and
was violation Of the neutrality laws Of that gov.
eminent; all parties engaged in the transaction
rendered themselves amenable TO highly penal
laws Under these circumstances il is not un.
reasonable 10 suppose that the cost Of enlisting
men would have been higher than in ordinary
cases. This, however, we do not find 10 be the
case; on the contrary, the committee are con.
WINGED that the cost incurred is less than that
which usually attends the enlistment OF men under
the most favorable circumstances.
The third class is composed Of five items Of dis.
burss ments made in the purchase of provisions
naval IL.