Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-03-03

ca the committee to the conclusion at which they ar
rived Toe recol upon these parties, under the able
ana agtute OF the Secretary was
errble II ID observable, from peIusal OF the printed
vork that his vlndcaiion was most complete and his
rosecutors mott COMPOUNDED where constructive elabo
raons we're resorted to- in order to build up case OF
rult These afforded him opportunity 70 reiute ana
s1nain When Any gratui.ou statement on his part
tonchnr the matters embraced in this species Oh tesu
mouv would be deemed unnecessary and supernuou''
IT, other words the measure Of his triumph was 10
nronotton to the latitude which the inquiry was haae
10 assume by his prosecutors. This patent upon tue
mast casual reading OF the testimony
The investigation dlscloees an unremtang scar
on the Fart OF Mr.. Mallory In the perform,
snoe 81 6js duty, descending sometimes to personal
;nsneoou of the outside mechanical operations OF his
Department, before and after Office hours. with view 70
nrge sxoedon upon bis employees. he DID not trust
10 subordinaes in this matter bus went hnseu ana
fered every uducemsnt that could stimulate xsa, e1Pe
dtion and energy He seems TO have serly
adj combinations OF personal convenience in his zse
IN nromo "A the public Service and TO haTo induced sm
sacrifices on the part of others whenever the exgen-
ces of the service required It. de choss, Tor operatons
t distant 60 nts whose energy was piopo.uoned 70
the emergency The death OF operatives and material
Gar hs construction Of naval veeses was found Ct all
times 20 be serious source Of embarrassment 10 MIN
vet despite of these dssdvantAgee be Is found pusn
an wof with degree of despatch SCARCELY Ia,aeled In
the history OF Iayal opeiafons. Will mere,
BY way Of llu station, quose few extracts
from the testimony OF gentleman named
Jobn Raw. of New Orleans who a. one time archi-
tact under General Beiuregard snd engaged a. dneht
times In the construction oil vessels for the Government
In reply to a question to rhetnor he knew anything
of the difficulties in New Orleans in the way OF con-
structing such a vessel as the Mississippi, hefad:
rThere lie very great difficulty 10 contructing
suoh vessel vessel on the pan OF the Mississippi
was never constructed there before, and everything Wss
these gentlemen (referrlng to the hessrs
Tiff who we're felt there to construot tho tesse when
they came there. myself got up plan Of yessel,
not similar but of The same character bat Ailed to
do what they did, though had been 20 years in New
| 0slegns"
Ia rsplv to another question as to hos the work was
pros aud how be was impressed with the energy
zeal and ability displayed by the hessrs Tilt he said =
IL. was prose cued With rspdity in my judgmen-Nith
aston shoV rapidly, might say. thought they were
astonshingly successful 10 this work Thar energy
was ~ satisfactory SO far aI could judge, and theif
success such a. to have excited in someHhst al
oas lea ling"
"In f4ct re had done as well for ourselves as they
die We never would, in my opinion, have lost New
o leans"
The work teens With evidences of the eItraord nay
energy and .al displayed by the men chosen ny tho
Secretary OF the Navy to construct vessels at different
points of the OoufederAcy.
la the testimony of some OF Mr.. halorys prosecu-
tors 1t was a.ed that acme delay occLsoned in the
construction OF vessels at New Orleans for wanl OF
fundI Toe committee in their report refer to this fact
but exeulpste the Secretary from all blame IN the
premises, he having drawn lis acquisitions on tho
Treasury Immediately upon recap; ofthe funds
Let US see how the record stands in this connscton-
In letter to the Secretary OF tee Treasury, dated
February 22d, 1852, Mr.. hSll1 says:
"Eaclosed Eorewiti you will receive copy OF q tee-
gam received from NAvJ Agent VIM. b. Howell, ct
New 0rleana
9Th. operations OF this department are much en-
bras,ed and the credit OF the Government damaged by
de aga incurred in placing fulds in New Orleans to meet
expenditures
"Fbe reaustol to which Mr.. Howell refers, VAS made
on the 29n utmo pay existing liabi'iIies and on
the l7h inst he received 1t seems half thu amount in
bi and draft payable 10 Richmond, AMI in bonds,
for the other halt which TO him H. for the present. use
our agents endesvor to sipulats in all contracts for
part payment in bondr and suggest that ne bonds be
sent upon the acquisitions of the department uRless
80 ,ciay asked for upon their face aud you can send
tnem the money instead of the drafts upon Rohmc nd,
vhioh they cannot negotiate at New Orleans without
loss and which entail delay OF two weeks in reaispg
the funds our operations would be gIeIuy facilitated
In another letter TO Mr.. hemmnger dated April 4:s,
Il lsO2, he says:
Il am aware, of course that in meeting tie requisl.
tons of this department. yon are compelled to pay In
bonds and notes. but the general chArAc or OF lie ex
penditurss do noadno the use OF bonds to any great
extent and they must BE- paid in notes. or NOT paid al
dH
"a ANAL proportion only Of bonds to no;es-nos
more Renei ally than one-h, th--cAn b3 paid out This
"a what have frequently aud 30 earnestly urged, aud
have done 50 from the conviction that the credit OF
the department. and It's ability TO build and equip Ves'
H. and conduct its operations generally have been
crippled by the practice OF the Treasury Department IN
sending to our dsbursing officers bond which they could
no. use and to pay debs fos which notes we're sPe-
cially n quired on the face Of the rsq1stons."
Thus Is will be SEEM tba. tie embarrsssmeuts o. the
Secretary OF tie Navy, did not only proceed from tho
nsculiar difficulty under which he Sbored In pre-
chr me- operatives and material for chip building, but
from Ihs mpossibiiy it wouli seem, OF Obtaining
/ money to pay for them, in due time and form. de
vas b, set with culIes At home and abroad; but tie
report Of the committee goes to prove tina. he achieved
L wonders in spite OF all.
His operations in foreign countries formed no part OF
the il quir5 motives of policy fo bidding any develop
ment OF them msy be permit to state, no FEVER,
upon what deem good autho y outside OF the dspA t.
m Mt that they will be found in due time TO display IN
amount OF efficiency and energy, fully in keeping with
those of which the committees report bea such Hitler
| leg testimony.
The Truth ls fear the old hackneyed and disgusting
habit 90 prevalent undsr the old regime, of setng up
rubc men as targets for SANDER and ABUSE, il slowly
iusnaatog Itself into our society. Toe right OF JUST
criticism ia respect to pubic msn is 10 be cherish
| ed As dearly as he magma sharta itself. One in
| fact. Is q contingent of the oher; but We should
r,cosn no these moral limits which high culture
and refined social standing prescrba. have not as
YOU know never ha', and never expect to have any
connect with the Navy or any other Department OF
| the Government and can therefore speak unii III
| enced by any motive OF sycophAncy. l know enough
OF Mr. Mallory TO say of him, that purer or better
man does net live. He 10 man Of superior mind, and
an Inelec. which 6s him for any position, however IL.
ated or responsible. do not Ike to diaW inyidoua
distinctions bstween m mbes of the same Cabinet, but
Il II i'll pV testimony n l.
per, Dr. Judge than presume to BE- in regard 10 the
r aivs mental calibre OF the composing the pres
emit Oabnet and that ~ at NJ Mallory is gifted with
moro thoroughly practical business mind thI1 any Of
them Whet that is 80 or not, it IL ceran that they
ara all doing their best for the interests OF the country
i They cau Of course, have other motive They have
eysry motive to 10 So for all they held dear on th;
earth life property family endesrments, aye, and even