Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-03-07
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP


The SHERMAN CHARGEs.-So overwhelmed
with copy" have we been for some hme past
as to compel us apparently to lose sight Oh the
shameless use which a considerable PORTION o.
the Opposition press arc making of the garoilng'
of the testimony taken before the late House
committee to investigate the charges preferred
against various officers of the Navy Department
executed by the minority of that committee.
More open and barefaced perversion of the
truth wa, never esssyed than that of the paper
presented % the House from that committee by
Messrs. Sherman and Ritchie-an achievement
in its way quite equal TO the never-to- be-for-.
gotten report or speech Of Tablespoon Charley
Osle, which was not more giaringly based upon
fictitious premises. The idea of endeayoring
to cast censure upon the President because he
sent to the Navy Department, to be there filed.
the letter from Mr.. Patterson, will be reeoy-
nized by those who understand the method of
transacting such business in the Department
here. The chances are one hundred to one that
the President saw no more of the contents Of
that letter than he sees Of at least a hundred
letters per diem, which, being addressed to him,
are, soon as sufficient of each is read to ascer-
| tain to which Departments business they ap-
pertain, Immediately folded, endorsed over,
and sent there. Nothing is more common than
for such letters, when received from a person
in whom an Executive cOnfdes more OF less, to
be forwarded, without being read, TO the De-
partments, with n single line from that officer
calling especial attention to them. Were the
President to attempt to read 1.-THE of the let
tiers addressed to him he would have no time
to do aught else. Indeed, twenty -four hours
per diem would be too short time i'm which to
accomplish that task
OF these attempts to msrepresent the testi-
mOny above referred to, the Pennsyirantan
pertinently says:
- Among the charges made is that of gross IA
vOritsm and corruption I'm the awarding Of con
tracts by the Navy Department, and the allegation
is that both the Secretary Of the Navy and the
President have overstepped the limits of an honest
discharge of their Official duties in connecto with
certain specified cases. One of these cases is that
OF Merrlck Co. of this city. What are the
the facts on which this charge rest? These gen
temen Were bidders for a Contract for mac hinery
Among the letters written in relation to their
claim for consideration was one from William C.
Patterson OF our city, high-toned. honest uI-
right gentleman. in which he suggests the impor-
sance Of awarding the contract 10 Merrick 4 Son
II the same can be done rithOit prejudice TO the
public serrice This is the point of the letter and
the fact that II contains certain political illusions
does not render il liable to a construction different
from what the writer puts upon its face. This let
ter the President sent to the Secretary OF the Navy
with simple endorsement calling his attention 10
its contents and vet this act Of the President is
made the subject OF column after column OF abuse
/ IN the Black Republican journals. Ii the PreSi-
dent has accepted letter containing suggestions
of an objectionable character. and concealed that
letter and these cOnduced To influence the SecrC-
tary Of the Navy that would have been a cause for
just complaint. But he acted as any honest man
would have done. He received the letter from
Mr.. Patterson endorsed it, sent il to the Secretary
OF the Navy, where it would be placed Oh the
files OF the Department. open for public inspection
There was no concealInent in the whole matter
no attempt 10 nslead the Secretary There is not
even an allegation that the President spoke to
TO the Secretary of the Navy upon the subject
The contract was awarded upon the merits of the
bids. and neither the President nor Secretary
Toucey is shown to have acted in manner not
entirely consistent with the duties and response
bilities of their high positions
The letter of Mr.. Baker. Collector Of this Port
is also produced as evidence of d desire to infiu-
ence, IN an Improper manner, the Secretary OF the
Navy in awarding contracts. This letter like
that Of Mr.. Patterson most distinctly asserts the
principle that the pull iHteIes's TO be first re-
garded in the awarding of all contracts and when
that is DONE then the claims of party men may be
considered. What is there in this position that is
objectionable! Neither Mr.. Baker nor MI. Patter-
son urged upon the Preside mt or Secretary Toucey
10 award the contracts to certain men because they
are Democrats if the public interests will be pre-
JUDGED thereby. But this is the inference the
Minority places upon the letter, and they attack
&. Mr. Buchanan and the Secretary of the Navy from
that position. But the whole attempt has proved
failure. and the Originators of the VILE disrepu-
table political scheme have received the scorn and
contempt of all honest men.
1.-The fact is there is nothing proved so far rs
we have seen, showing that in any of the con-
tracts the interests of the Government have been
sacrificed. On the contrary the contracts Were
given 10 responsible parties at fair prices and the
political opinions OF the different persons engaged
In them demonstrate that this consideration was
secondary, and not paramount as is charged in the
Report to which are alluding.n
The TRAvEL.-The travel both WAYS, To-
from and through this city, is just now very
large. The usual Spring caravans of South
crn merchants going North for goods, are daily
passing over the Orange and Alexandria and
Potomac and Richmond railroads. They seem
TO journey IN large parties, and are a very Jolly
set OF fellows, indeed. Ayropos-The story of
land slides in the mountains upon the great
Southwestern line is made of whole cloth 1t
was doubtless manufactured TO injure the bust
ness Of this great and important line Passen-
gers who have just come over it from New Or
leans to Washington City, assure us that no
other railroad line in the world can be in better
order or moro agreeable to travel over We
may say as much for the gre 1t Southern line
via Petersburg and Wilmington The rivalry
OF the Southwestern line has spurred up the
companies composing the Southern line to the
point of avaiing themselves of every improve
ment in their reach likely TO induce travellers
to choose their route. The consequence is that
nowhere else in the United States are there
two more splendid and delightful great lines of
railroad connection. To Washington city this
Is a matter Of great Importance, as il is rapidly
resulting in drawing the through travel from
the New York and Illinois lines the PennsyI-
vania lines, and, indeed, from the Baltimore
and Ohio line, through the Federal Metropolis.
The TREASURY EXTENSIoN-No part of the
SINS OF omission or commission Of the defunct
Congress is more regretable than their failure
to appropriate for the continuation of the work
on the Treasury Extension. There can be no
doubt that the pressing requirements of the
metropolitan business Of the Treasury Depart
ment absolutely demand for its convenient and