The mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1863-1943, 1865-04-08
Hon. John p. Hale ON the Corrup-
tiOns OF the Navy DeparIm&N4.

SuoS "ueu haJOtIty III tue CeHdte Is pO-
litically opposed to the Administration a
majority Of the committee shall be select
ed from the majority part in the Senate.
Mr.. Hale, Of New Hampshire, said the
subject bad come upon him Unexpectedly,
but he had said on Saturday that he was
utterly opposed to tho creation Of any
more committees on fraud until the Sen.
nte took some action upon cases already
brought to its notice and fully investigat
ed. He held in his hand long report Of
select committee Of the Senate, appointed
last year, from which he would read the
conclusion to which the committee came
The committee say that an examination
Of the subject satisfied them that there
was as much fraud upon the government
by purchases made by the Chiefs of Blu.
reaus as in any other way. TO illustrate
this fact he would call attention to one
single instance, q contract for sperm oil
Mr.. Hale here read at length from the re-
port of the special committee on frauds in
the Navy Department
Mr. Hale continued The principal wit
ness against these frauds was, as said on
Saturday, arrested by order of the Navy
Department. His store was taken pos
session Of; his papers and the private pa
pers Of his wife were seized, and he was
sent TO Fort Warren, and kept there, de-
MED intercourse with his family, with in
structions not to release him under bail of
less than 100000. lie was kept there
until Indignation began to be excited in
his case, and the attention Of the Presi
dent was called to it. Then they consent
ed to take off $4s0,O00 of the bail, and to
release him on $4,000. ] was asked by
the honorable Senator from kentucky If
Mr.. Smith was arrested because he gave
testimony against the Navy Department
1t is impossible for the to scan the motives
OF men it is enough for NE to deal with
my own motives, and standing here under
all the responsibilities which attach to me,
jealous as aEy man Of the little reputation
that belongs to him, careful of my own
word rs most men, aver before my coun.
try and before my God that have not
the shadow of doubt that the cause Of
this mans arrest and incarceration was
that he gave evidence on that investiga-
ton. In that connection have n remark
able statement to make of the man who
ord, red this arrest and committed this
out re in Boston, compared with it the
inquiSltion is tender mercy. Being re.
moustrated with on some occasion of this
sort against sending these cases to naval
and military courts martial, why he did
not take the ordinary Courts of Justice,
he made this remarkable avowal. that civil
c)urts'are organized to acquit, but we or.
ganize courts to convict.
Mr.. Davis-That's too true.
Mr. Ilale-If there was some friend o
the individual referred to here to dav
what say think could flash on every
mind, concerning its truth. will tell
you how it is done, for while am on this
| want to expose it. You know that by
the retiring law which We passed, and |
voted against it because knew it was
calculated to promote favoritism by this
law retired officers who have no employ.
ment except at the will Of the Secretary,
are put on these cOurt.martals.
Mr.. Hale read the names Of the officers
constituting the court that tried Mr..
Smith. Of Boston, and said they were all
retired officers. These officers are anxious
for pay, for employment, and if they make
themselves acceptable to the Secretary OF
the Navy they can get it; if they don't
they can't. This court being thus organ
lied the Secretary Of the Navy appears as
prosecutor, and the man is prosecuted -
1t being known that the Secretary wants
conviction, there is nothing else for them
to do but convict.
Mr.. Hale here read the protest Of the
Massachusetts Legislature in the case Of
Smith. characterizing the proceedings as
unwarrantable and illegal.
Hale, of New Hampshire, said that il
any Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
had ordered the incarceration Of any man
until he could find five hundred dollars
bail he would be impcached. lie QIale)
would 60 out Of the Senate as he came
into it the uncompromSing foe Of robbery
and oppression. He knew he would have
the hounds on his track, but he did not
care. They have been there before, -
There was a reason, and that reason had
been assigned: am not in accord with
the department. lie wished that to be
recorded. lie was proud of it. lie was
CAD to have it said of him. He differed
with the Navy Department in the begin.
ming of theWar. HIS reason was this -
In the beginning Of the war, when the
country was in a condition which all
could remember, when he saw the Secre.
tary of the Navy employ his brother in,
law to purchase ships and paying him a
than NaSA ~
the President, Vice President, and Cabi,
net, all combined; when he saw the Sec,
rotary of the Navy put bis hand into the
public treasury, and dealing out its con-
tents without stint to his brother in law,
he (Hale) was not in accord with him. -
lie had been accused of severity in his
remarks about the Navy Department, but
he had never been haW severe enough on
it. Every officer in the navy who had
distinguished himself and illustrated the
national fame on the deck of his vessel,
had Immediately fallen under the dis
pleasure of the administration of the Navy
Department. Admiral Strineham and
Admiral Dupont had been laid on the
shelf. II they had been felons prcying
uioI the treasury Of the country, they
could not have been more abused. What
was that for? Why we have remarkable
genius at the head of the Navy Depart
ment. lii meant the Secretary Of the May.
lie used to be past midshipmnn, he belev.
ed. lie never got any higher in the navy.
About the time Of the siege of Fort Sum-
ter, his genius beamed upon the world in
ono .of the most ridiculollS and absurd
ideas for the relief of that fort that was
ever heard Of. 1t was thought that man
who had brains to conceive such absurd
ideas must be genius; and he was next
found the practical first lord of the Ad-
mirality. Pretty soon it became neces-
sary to build some twenty iror-clads.- -
The Naval Committee recommended that
| - 4 L. -L...Ii = L. 4. 4 L.