Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1859-03-11
Extract from the Minority Re-
port on Abuses in the Navy
Yard.

present Administration, the patronage of
the New York Yard having been previous
/ ly confined chiefly to a few of the Con-
gressional distri,ts of New York, an un
derstanding was entered into b tween the
Democratic members from New York, ~ith
fthe acquiescencc of the Secretary OF the
Navy. that ii should. as nearly as practic-
able, be equal, divided among them. In
some cases the Secretary created new
places of master workmen. The cor.
respondence of these members with the
department IS herewith reported, aud ex-
hibts on its face the evil effects OF the
system.
The division of patronage among mem.
bers was well known iH the yard Each
master workman understood 10 whom hO
aud each of his fellows owed their places.
| Thus, the constructive engineer, the master
plumber. aud the master block maker, re-
presented Mr. Sickles the master painter
represented Mr. Soaring; the master spar
maker, master blacksmith, and timber in
spector, represented Mr. Macly; the master
laborer, under the constructing engineer,
the master DO builder, and the master
Ship-carpenter, represented Mr. Taylor (;
the master caulker represented Mr. Loch-
rsne, aud the stone-cuter represented
MIR. Ward. Until May, 1855. the master
labOrer, under the constructing engineer,
represented Mr. Clark, and the master
carpenter represented Mr.. lIaskin, aud so
with all the heads of the d partments OF
labor in the yard at Brooklyn,
This system, added to the abuses pre-
I -. Al
yard to mere political machine, where
iileuess, theft, insubordination, fraud, and
gross neglect of duty prevailed to an
alarming degree Members Of Congress,
officers of the yard both naval and civil,
master wOrkmtn, contractors. aud labOrers,
/ have all testified to many abuses.
The incidents aud details of these abuses
are shown by the testimony, and the very
v0luminous correspondence of the Depart
ments with Commander Rootes and Mr.
Graham, the constructing engineer. Most
of the members Of Congress went to the
yard during tue hours of work to look
after their interests. Each was anxious
to have his friends in the yard, and most
Of them in person frequently pressed flesc
applications They had controversies with
each other, with the officers OF the yard,
and with the master wurkmen, about Ie1e
division of patronage. Several cases OF
this kind are testified to by the master
workmen. aud are shown by the corrcspon
dence. Pressed by laborers begging for
work as reward for partisan services,
members sent them to their master work
men in some cases to others, with letters
of recommendation, in many cases with
out proper inquiry as TO their fitness ar
! ability to do work. The master workmrn,
themselves appointed for partisan services,
often yielded. In some cases, when they
refused, threats of their own removal We're
5 Mt to them; aud when compelled to
choose, in soue cases they preferred pack
ing tie yard with id and unskiiliul work
men or liborcrS to risking their own
places. In one case, the Hon. John
ca, hrane believing that Lawrence Cohane,
the master carpenter, did not fairly divide
the patronage in his department, wrote
COhane thus:
New YoRK, June 13, 1857.
Mr.. CoHANE: Mr.. Cullen tells me that
you are to take men on Tuesday; now |
ask you to take him on, aud the others
have asked you to take on. | will have
my proportion Of men under you it you
do not give them will lodge charges
against you. You have turned away al!
the men but one from my district already
or this have complained to the Secretary
aud now unle-s you rectiiy tins injustice,
will make application that you be turned
out. The bearer will bring me an answer.
Yours, &c,
JOHN COCHRANE.
The testimony clearly shows that.
through the master workmen, nearly ali
the workmen in the yard were selected by
members Of Congress, and mostly on ac
count of political services. One 0f the
master wOrkmcn testi6es that when unfit
men we're pressed upon him by members
of Congress, he reported it to the Naval
Constructor, MelanO, aud the reply was,
"Ile was surry for NE, hut he could not
help it," lie informed Capt. kootes, who
said, "lle saw it, but could not help it.
l. was reported in the yard, and the report
was acted upon. that it was the order ni
the Secretary, that rhe patronage of the
different departments was 10 be divided
aud distributed among the members OF
Congress.
That this report was well founded, the
following correspondence will slrsv;
, New York, July VI, 1853.
"My dear Sir II have applied to Mr..
Fraganza. master joiner Of the Navy Yard
to give employment to few men, good
workmen aud worthy persons, in my dis
trict. Although he has 1870 men or there
about in his shop, hs has not done so.
II have only sent one letter of recon
mendation TO him, but no attention has
ben paid to il. beyond the answer that
when h, put an additional numbrr Of men
, to work he would then see what he could
d..
II appeal TO you to vindicate my district
= from this Unjust and partial discrimina