Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1859-03-11
DELAWARE OHIO, MARCH II. 1859
The Navy Investigation.

/ The Navy Investigation.
| The Sherman investigating committee
was composed of two democrats, two re-
publican and one southern know nothing
with administration proclivitves. The sub
I iect was the frauds and corruption in the
navy contracts The divisions of the com
nittee m ade different report, but this does
not detract from the weight OF those facts
on which they agree. These are thai the
management of the Brooklyn navy yard is
corrupt and full of abuses, requiring Con-
gressional interference, and that the secre-
tary of the navy has entrusted the fuel cons
I tracts TO Incompetent persons, resulting in
abuses which demand reform. What more
could Yolsexpect from democratic inves-
ngating committee in any case Ne dem
ocratic paper dare publish even the seper-
ate report of the democrats Of the conftnit-
tee. Party necessity requires its suppress
sion, and twas natural that the party ae-
cessiiy should operate the democrats Of
the committee, and that they should try 10
Fwhi,ewash characters which are so fully
implicated by their own report that their
efoKt is fBilles a2g saza54aa s.
Ii was. to be expected that at this point
the reports should diyerge and thai one
should be devoted TO covering np corruption
and the other 10 tracing it 10 its source
Both reports disclose certain glaring facts
which are damning to the odrrinistratioh; !;
then, one pursues the investigation to the
guilty parties; the other ceases TO investi-
gate and takes 10 whitewashipg over con-
cTusions which are Obvious from its own
statements. Both reports agree in the gem
eral result; but one gives particulars, and
instead of being discredited, is sustained by
the other. The reports agree except in
matters concerning which all are as com-
petent to decide upon the evidence as the
committee themselves. The democratic
portion say it failed to convict the Secretary
of the navy of completely. The republicans
give the evidence, and all can Judge. They
show that the coal agency was improperly
managed into the hands OF nephew OF Mr..
Toucey, who gave no attention TO the busi,
ness, while it was part OF the arrange
ment that a portion of the proceeds should
be distributed to leading poritieians in j.
Clancy Jones' district, and that this arrange
ment was known 10 the President
II is also undeniable that Mr.. Toucey en-
tered into a compact with the New York
members of Congress to have the patron
age ofthe Brooklyn navy yard divided e.
qually among them, and that offices were
divided and new ones created as party
emergencies required, and workmen to The
number OF eleven hundred were added SO as
to operate on the elections, and by this
means the election OF Mr.. Sickles was se~
cured. 81 al- .1r-#a
1t is incontestable that the live oak con-
tract vas fraudently given to Swift, who
gave SI6 600 TO aid the election of Buchap-
an, over bids far more favorable; that a
contract was awarded Merrick & Sons after
the President was assured that this would
secure the election of Mr.. Florence; and
that a con;ractzwas given he Reading Lorge
Company for the benefitsofJ. Clancy Jones,s
who received fsc per cent. on the same.
His sot expected that tthesesaiselasassessaf
the way democratic administration is plum
dering a treasury which its own incompe-
tency has made bankrupt, to corrupt the
elections and perpetuale rule odious and
hateful TO a vast m i0rity of the people,
will have any effect on the democracy
That is the olject of the democratic ofganiza-
ton. Democratic organs will endeavor to
hush up the exposure from The people, and
will even deny those fects to which their own
part of the committee agreed; but admitting
all that any party churges, it is only what
they expect as the Consequences of their
control of=tiIe7 government. PtundeFfng the
government for the benefit of the party. is
only legitimate deduction from the priuci
Pile recently declared here that the 'schief
Object OF democrat should be SHE good OF
the organzaton." Mr. Toucey may be
corrupt and unfaithful, but he ais no less a
democrat, and is guilty of no oHense against
the organization, and therefore there is no
cause for disnissai.-& State Journal