Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-03-04
Abuses In the Navy Departmental
IN founding Disclosures.

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Abuses I'm the Navy Department-As-
IN founding Disclosures.
= The Investigations Of the Special Commit
tee of the House of Representatives on Naval
Contracts and Expenditures have brought to
light abuses and corruptions Of the most ex-
traordinary character. The Committee con
sisted Of two Democrats, Mr. PoeooK, of Vir-
ginia, and Mr.. GRoEsBEcK, of Ohio-two r.
publcans, Mr.. SHERMAN, of Ohio, and NJ.
RTCHIE, of Pennsylvania-aad one American,
Mr.. READY, of Tennessee.
Thus, both sides had fair opportunity to
be heard. The witnesses called, were ex-
amined under oath, and their evidence taken
down at the time and subsequently printed.
So that, there can be no question whatever,
as to the facts proved though there may be
difference of opinion as 10 some of the de-
ductions which may be justly and legitimate
~ drawn from those facts. az, for instance, to
what extent, if any, certain facts. which all
the Committee admit to have been fully
proven, go to incnlpate the Secretary of the
Navy,or' even the President of the United
States
On this point of deduction, and not as to
the facts of the case or cases, the Committee
divided, Mr.. READY, uniting with the Demo-
Gratis and constituting with them majority
of abe Committee This division resulted in
two reports--a majority and minority report
with resolutions appended thereto.
Our purpose to-day is to take up and ex-
anime the case of the Brooklyn Navy Yard,
aspreeented in both reports. The resolution
on that subject of the majority of the Com
mittee is as follows:
Resolved. That the testimony taken in this
investigation proves the existence OF glaring
abuses in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. and as
such require the interposition OF legislative
reform; but it is due to Justice to declare that
these abuses have been slowly but gradually
growing up during a long course of years.
aud that no particular Administration should
bear the entire blame therefor.
The minority resolution on the same subject
runs thus:
Resolued. That the distribution by the Secre-
tary of the Navy of the patronage in thf
Navy Yard at Brooklyn among members of
Congress was destructive of discipline, cor
rupting in its influence, and highly injurious
TO the public service.
Here, it will be perceived, there is no diff
ference of opinion as 70 the existence of
glazing abuses" in the Navy Yard referred
to-aH the Committee agree on that point.
The majority Of tae committee allege, we
know not upon what grounds, that these
abuses have been slowly but gradually grow
ing up during long course of years." and
therefore that no particular Administration
should bear the entire blame therefor"
The entire blamer' Then there is
"blame,'' if not "cntire," yet "blame" to a
considerable extent. according to the MAORI
tyaof the committee justly attaching to the
Sectary of the Navy, for the abuses in qnes-
ton! How much " blame?'' That must de-
pend upon the nature of the abuses. If they
were of such a character as might be prac-
ticed in secret and not easily found out. that
would diminish very greatly, if not entirely.
the responsibility Of the party in power. If
they were of kind that ordinary attention
and diligence would discover, there existence
brings heavy responsibility upon the exist
ing administration. But,if they were '.gltr-
ing" as the majority Of the committee ex-
pressly say the abuses at the Brooklyn Navy
yard were. then we ask, how can the Secre-
tary of the Navy escape the entire RESPONSE
hiiity for them. or, at least, to the extent that
il was in his power to remedy the evil
If it ,ras in his power, he is entirely RESPONSE
bic. If it was not in his power but ia the
power of Congress, as the majority of the
committee intimate in their report, and he
did not bring the matter before Congress, he
must still bear the "entire blame" Who will
dispute these propositionsf
Again: II the Secretary of the Navy coun-
tenanced and continued an obviously aud yiar-
ingly improper, vicious, and corrupt system of
carrying on the public work at the Brooklyn
Navy yard, no difference how long that sys-
tenn had existed before his time he is respon-
sible for all the abuses practiced under that
system during his term, notwithstanding the
specific abuses practced may not have come
within his own individual knowledge.
Isnot that so? Yet the resolution Of the
minority of the Committee does not go as far
as that. The resolution simply declares that
"the distribution by the Secretary of the |
Navy of the patronage in the navy yard at |
Brooklyn among members of Congress was |
destructive of discipline, corrupiing in it,
influence, and highly Injurious to the public |
service"
That this is undeniably true, is abundantly |
and incontestibly established, by the facts !
proven before the Committee aud Published |
by them-facts about which there is no dis
pute portion of these undsputed and I
indisputable facts, but only portion, viii be
found in the following extracts from the
report of the minority OF the COMMITTEES:
S EXTRACTS.
Shortly after the organization of the pres
ent administration, the patronage Of the
New York Yard having been previously con-
fined chiefly TO i'w OF the Congressional
districts of New York. an understanding
was entered into between the Democratic
members from New York. with the aequies-
cence OF the Secretary OF the Navy, that il
should. az nearly "a practicable, BE- equally
divided among them. In some cases thr
Secretary created new places Of master
workmen. Fle correspondence Of these mem
bsrs with thf department is her,'wifh reported |
and exhibits On its lace the evil effects OF the
system.
The division Of patronage among members
was well known in tue yard. Each master
workman understood to whom he and each
of bis fellows owed their PLACES. Thus, the
constructive engineer, the mssier plumber,
and the master block-maker. represented Mr..
Sickies; the master painter represented Mr..
Ssariag; the master spar maker. master
blacksmith. and timber Inspector. represented
Mr.. Maclay; the nast.f iaborcr, under the
constructing engineer. the master boat
builder, and the master ship-carpenter,
represented Mr.. Taylor the master eanlkrr
REPRESENTED Mr. Cochrane. aud the stone
cutter. represented Mr.. Ward. Unnl May.