The sun., 1872-05-24

From ',s q iH1 F.'.
The report Of the House Select Commit
tee on the charges against Secretary tubcsOn
was presented yesterday. The Republican ma
larLy. nR9gt~g lAgT.9 usual. Ipglll.I u hat The
administration Of his depart rtment reflects great
credit upon the Government; that he has been
active and faithful In his trust, ana that the
charges against him are a 'ue OF lies.
The minority report is Of a less partisan and
more manly kind Both MIR. Blair and Mr.
Archer eXonerate the Secretary from all charges
of corruption, and connnc Themselves to the
real gst OF the accusati iOns-his gross and wan
ton violation Of law and precedent.
In the Secor case $4,000 were paid 10y the Depart
ment to private individuals on account OF an Old
claim, about which-to put II IN the most favor,
able light-there was grave doubt whether II had
not been already paid in full. This was done
by Illegally taking the money from the appr9-
rriatiOL fC. ,he current Cyp"nscs pt the year. "
was also done In violation of u wholesome rule
Of the department that the accounts OF one ad-
minstration shall not be reopened by succeed
ing administrations. In the case Of the Tennes-
see the Secretary Is proved to have made a con
tract with one Roach TO take out the old en-
gines and put IN new. without advertisements OF
any publicity whatever Mr.. Blair says that no
doe. not know from what source The Secretary de;
boilers Of the tennessee Tor another set might be
with equal reason have traded lhe hip seftoT another
10 regard to the contract foT the repair Of The steamer
boats. They we're made WITHOUT adyertisement. and
.Yf,if p ~. -' 80 - - -, fs's - ~
competition had been invited.
The upshot OF the whole matter Is. that the
administration Of the Navy Department : be-
garded strange precedents are made, and al
though no corruption has been proved against
the Secretary HIMSELF II Is very clearly proved
| that he has done his best tn produce state Of
affairs which Is but one step this side of corrup-
| The history Of the Navy Department since the
election Of gen, Grant furnishes a striking evi-
dence Of his unhtnes' ior a p9S,iil9h oi wnicn
| of subordinates purely military departmeht
Vail fRF
| the position of Secretary was Mr.. Borte, whose
| sole qualification was that he labored under no
constitutional or legal disability; and his second
was Secretary Robeson, who is generally under
stood to have used the ONCE as a political mill,
and Is now distinctly proved TO nave ,hnteuapt
ment of the department No wonder that Mr..
| Blair Is able to say that
1t l an acknowledged fact all over the country that
pride 20 1as people nas as OF late SSAi, 5spSy a5
Sums OF money have been expended and nil ne navy
the most npsnswerabe charge against the adninisra
on OF the secretary. 1t barnacled all over and Il its
the people o. this country are hkey to be brought to
shame Ou its account
From ne Tribune.
| Mr. Blair In his minority report on this case,
TGftFS T,rra -1Icr rrt r Irrr-ss; 1ia1@
| ment Of the Secors in ls6S, Nunly impor-
| tuned to reopen their case and We tud hat
| the senate Committee on Naval Affairs, refer.
ring to these cases, May u, 1870, said
On the i3h Of Jgy iss an aGt Vas passed drse'Pe
which act il vas declared hat these payments should %,
" I'm fu0 discharge " all claims against the Unite,
States account Of the vessels upon which the HOARD
made the allowance, per their report under the ac
of March p lS6l Under the stress Of AN o crpoNtru
necessity they allege these parties received thus
amounts. That In Law such receipt H. complete bar e
all further recourse cannot le denied, hut SIN th'
Y me hsr5 Gficr drbcratc idcta1i6ni htc'
are of opinion that Il Is not Ia tncir Judgment th,
Government ought not upon grounds OF trrhrl, A. 'H
deny equitable rtcf IL cannot aAuld 10 ut uuJaht
ID ought never 60 refuse to be just
But Congress did not allow the addtiona
claim; and Secretary Rubesun. knowing all the
antecedent facts in the case. did In lN'u after
! another investigation Of these claims 10y Onicer
I'M his department he paid the Secors fpiUh
| out OF money appropriated for the maintenance
Of the navy This was clearly Illegal, and tn,
| majority Of the committee cannot justify II
| they do not even attempt this, except 10y IN,
! plea that some lawyers think II was legal :,
the Secretary violated the rules uf the depart
! closed by previous administration, and tha
! without the production NJ any new testimony
lie violated law by paying ON the three iron
! cladS SH3,HA, In the face of an act Of Congress
| which declares that the $ll5,hNOl paid in 1865
"should hc in full discharge Of all claims aguins
| the United States on account of the vessels
upon which II was paid lie again violated law
! hy taking Sg3,oN from the money Appropriated
! nv Congress for the maintenance of the Nav
/ Department fur the year ending q uuc 30 lS10
/ and paying Herewith a claim six years old /
! any of the supcrseryic cables can cOntruver
these statements, we shall be glad to see 1
! done. The Secretary, ignorantly or otherwise
assumed for the time the powers of Congres
was law unto himself, and Adiudicated q CLAIM
over which he had no more legal control than
page in the Senate chamber.