The sun., 1872-03-02

WORK dOno WWdCr TNU dIreCTIWn OF Inc UNVHTT-
ment. or for variation in the work caused by
him, and the class of compensation covered by
Mr.. GnINrs-Therc is no difference, sup
pose. In tho character Of the work. This bill Is
intended to cover some labor that was not paid
g. iC0,N0 ~ claims that were presented before
this Board. the Board have awarded about
s&VWN. The Committee ON Naval Affairs
thought that the best way to dispose uf the
question wls to pay this S.,OOn, and then they
could Gc' rid Of thc whole ssnhiegt,
Mr. GHiMES n riG ~ for az irr ar concerned,
aud SO (ar az tho Plttcu y contrdci9lS 90 con-
Board of Our own creation, among the high-
ct officers of the navy. have taken tho state
tract ors, and after examining them thoroughly
have decided that OF these s2h1Uto Of claims
that have been presented before thcm, there are
tIOONl that ought 10 hc pald
Mr IirSurrs0H I should Ike to ask the
80. - "a. ,ro " "''""S "o"ru d'd not report
Mr. CrNir- The previous n1ard s'inrly took
the statements Of the pnira"tors as submitted
ou-lly. "a understand. This Board have tal.g N
The statements made 10y the contractors a. well
n the statements made 10y the Navy Department,
aud have thoroughly aualYlcd the whole thing,
sifcd II down, and furnished ~ with a tabular
statements showing the amount that, in their
opinion, the labor was enhanced hy the action ~
Congress or the Department, for this enhanced
price and in thcse particular cases the amount
that they believe stlll 20 bc due tu the contract
ors. lSee Congressional Gioh, Furticth Congress,
"a OF Septomher' pages l,li'bi.J
The objection having been made 10y Mr..
CoNKLISG that these contractors might
again prefer claims against the Govern
mcnt, Mr.. HENDRCKs moved to amend the
bill 10y adding these words
which shall he In full discharge Of all claims against
nc nllgd Ststrs or 9ccnuni OF The vessels upon which
the act OF March eighteen hundred and sixty
This amendment was agreed to, and the
bin rs amended passed the Senate June IL,
lSGS 1t went to the House of Representa-
| tivrs, and was passed July II, 1868, and OH
July 10, 1864, il received the approval Of
the President and became law. In nc
cordancc with this law, the parties named
in this bill. and among the rest SEcoR &
CO., PERRtNE, SECoR & Co., and ZENo
| SECOR, were paid through the Bureau of
Construction by the order Of the Secretary
Of the Navy, Mr. wELIEs, and receipts
| IN tW taken from them for all claims
against the UHitcd states, as per act Of
| Congress; and thee receipts are on file in
the Navy Department
In the face Of all this record, and not
withstanding the fact that the Board OF
1867 had refused to make any extra allow
anoc to the SE,oUs and that thcact OF July
| H. lsGS, proclaimed thai they were paid in
fun, and in defiance Of their receipt on Hlc
in the Navy Department, acknowledging
payment in fun for all claims against the
United States, as per act of Congress 90
RoBEsoN, operated upon through persua-
sion and by appliances which we may here
after describe, determined TO steal ninety
three thousand dollars from the Treasury
under prctence Of paying il rs an adli-
tional allowance upon the vessels built by
the SEcoRs. He s,nt for JouN LENruAII,
then Chief of the Bureau Of Construction,
and AN honest man, aud directed him to
reopen the SECoEs' account. with a view
20 making them such additional pay
meuL Mr. LENrnALL declined, say
ing that the proceeding was untcarl of,
aud that no reason could reproduced in lis
support. lie produced the act Of 1865, and
held up before the robbug Secretary the
receipt in fun for all claims, as per act Of
| Congress. Fortified 10y thcse documents,
LESTHALL prot, st,d against the pluulcr
contemplated by his official chief saying
that If such a payment should bo made, il
would hc impossible ever TO explain or jus
! tify il. Besides, he suggested that even if
the act of 1868 and the receipt wcr, not in
existence. tue Secretary had no authority
to pay away money without the authoriza-
| ton of Congress aud special appropra-
ton for the purpose.
RonEsoN, however, was determined, aud
would listen to no eXhortation from sub
ordinate officer lie ordered LLSrHAII. TO
make out the rcqui-ition upon the Treas
uIy which he desired. Tho reply was that
| if the Secretary should give positive
command 10 make such u reQusition, he,
Us subordinate, must obey; but he could
not receive such an order except in writ
ing. A written order, bearing the sigma
given, and the requsitiou on the Treasury
was demanded Immediately.
The sum of which Robson had resolved
| 10 plundtr the Government was as we have
already stated, precisely $93,OOO; but the
| written oldcr directing the rcquisition ou
the Treasury was not received until a late