New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-02-15

not to mird half an hours rakiDg and scrap
ng on a sunken reef or ugly sandbar. 10 fact
we scarcely know class of men whom we
would not sooner send down town to purchase
ysssels than cur prominent naval officers. "
is a service not at all contemplated in their
education.
To say that no person shall be paid over
81. 900 Der aunum for any service he may rem
der TIE Government in the purchase OF vessels
is to say very little TO the purpose. a Joooef
will drive q coach and six through that bar
rier. He may pretend to employ score OF
assistants and charge $4,000 per annum Tor
each, or he may charge for half years SER
vice in buying q dozen old tubs that never
really cost him Three hours effort or thought.
Wenmeant this provision doubtless is, but 1t
has very fumbling way of approaching it'
eud.
For what the House really mean by this
proyiso is to condemn the arrangement oil Sec
re.ary Welles whereby his brother-in-law'
George D. Morgan, was enabled to pocket
$40, 600 to 100000 Cor q light three months
wolk-yery greatly, Mr.. Weles thinks, TO the
advantage Of tho Government, but not az all,
we all know, to the satisfaction of the People
Everything that Mr. Welles or Mr.. Morgan
has TO say in their own Justification has been
said, printed read, aud considered; yet The
public is not satisfied. The very decidedly
preyalent belief is that Mr. Morgan has peck
eted at least 500 goo that ought to have been
left in the Treasury, aud that, If no does not
choose TO restore it, Mr. Weles ought to re-
sign.
Now Congress either concurs in this yiew or
Il. does not. If it does not 1t ought to soy just
that, and do its part toward indicating an abused
public servant. If it does, it should say 50 III
Language TO which but one meaning can possi-
bly be given. This is no time for Withholding
important truth in tenderness to any man :
feelings. We have country to be saved, and
lit is very certain that many peoples feelings
will get hurt before the process ls complete.
Mr.. Morgan is beyond the reach of Congress,
though We do not believe he is beyond the
scope Of q well brought, well managed suit at
law. Mr. Welles, on the contrary, is directly
amenable to Congress aud the Country. He
holds one of the highest and most responsible
positions in the Goyernment-one in which lie
cannot make grave mistakes without mourning
severe penalties. To say that he does not
know how vessels should be bought or hired.
is TO soy that he ought not to be Secretary OF
the Navy. And it is emphatically the duty OF
Congress to interpose between him aud popu-
lar camor if be has done right and TO CON
denim him if be has done wrong. Such cir
COMMUNICATION Of Pont-no.Polnt as this prOyiso
10 the Navy bill is unworthy Of Congress, be-
cause unjust either TO the Secretary or tie
Country.
II il common and growing complaint that
the newspapers NEEDLE with everything, and
are inclined to assume the functions oi Gov
eminent. We suggest in response to this I'M
putaton, that if the chosen rulers Of the coun-
try would only govern IT, the journals would
be content to record and approve. Journalists
govern when other Government fails. Usurpers
aud pretendcrs flourish only when legitimate
kings have become feeble aud despised. Why
should it be necessary for the Press 10 remind
Congress that q period of two months and u
half is quito too long Ia be spent in maturing
and passing q Loan bill for the relief of an
exhausted Treasury at such crisis a. this :
Every one outside of Congress feels that the
Loan b. should have been passed at least u
month ago. and the Tax b!ll itself before this
time. Yet Congress mounders on, and we now
bear that the Tax bill Will PROBABLY be through
By June Meantime, the business of the open
ing Spring aud Summer must be planned and
commenced bliDdfold, to the serious injury OF
many, the probable ruin Of some. Three weeks
Of constant evening sessions should have taken
the Tax bill cut OF the Committee Of Ways
and Means; but then, full.dress dinner parties,
fashionable soirees and Whlte-House receptions
would have had to be neglected. And so We
shall have sight OF the Tax bill by-and-by.
As to the Welles-Norgan business. We only
ask Members OF Congress 10 be- frank. They
know already what the popular Judgment in
the premises is, and it il their duty either to
ratiy or TO revise that Judgment. And one de-
cided vote Of both Houses that such family ar
Engagements ,ron'f do Will be worth more ~ q
bar 70 future peculations than n score Of mealy-
mouthed, roundabout proyisos. protesting to
lock the s'ablcdoors whence tho steed has
already been stolen.
xz1s-xszs-<-Nt2>@ss.s..sn
Tie Scottish american Jcpraai in an article
deprecating our ceDsure of the spirit in which
Great Britain and France have dealt with us