The Portland daily press., 1872-02-15

deficiency bill and the pension bill were con-
| CURED in.
The House went into Committee on the naval
| appropriation.
Mr.. Banks of Mass, paid high compliment
to the Navy and expressed belief that the
| Secretary would re-establish the Navy in the
affections OF the people. He condemned the
| system of bureaucracy and favoritsm which
until recently prevailed in the Navy Depart
ment and read from letter of the Commander
| of the kearsarge complaining of the system
and saying he had ceased to expect any atten-
ton to be paid to be paid to any request chiefly
because those who controlled affairs could not
forget that he had sunk the Alabama The
present Secretary of the Navy however was
fast breaking up that bureau system.
Mr.. Sargent of Cal, replied to the structures
and charges made yesterday by Mr.. Beck and
in reference to the sale of old material in the
navy aud said that the total amount from that
source for the last two years had gone into the
treasury. The amount received from that
source was less than 100000 He also con-
tradicted the statement of Mr.. Morgan yester-
day in reference to the expenses of the Indian
Department.
Mr. Nibleck of Ind, commended the econo-
my of the Committee on Appropriations.
The discussion was continued by MessrS.
COughlan, Beck, Sargent, Common and Cox =
The latter condemned the government for lack
of spirit as well as for the weakness of the
navy and longed for that old defiance of foreign
dctation which ensbled the Democratic admin
istration in the days of VIM. L. Marcy. The
Committee considered the bill by paragraphs
for amendment.
Mr. Hubbard of n. H., moved an amendment
providing against the employment of laborers
in the navy yards for political motives and
against their being subjected to political in
fiuences.
Messrs. Banks and Hale opposed the amend
ment as entirely unnecessary.
Mr. Slocum of n. Y, said if it was unneces-
sary in New England navy yards, it was GER
tainly necessary in Brooklyn. The Brooklyn
navy yard was run by political influence and if
the House would give him Committee of In
vestigation he would prove it. He would prove
that the Secretary of the Navy himself had
gone there and exerted himself against his
(Slocum's) reelection to Congress and that
gangs of laborers were put upon the pay rolls
who did not do days work in the navy yard,
simply for political purposes.
Mr.. Banks said it was not necessary to APP
prove of everything done in New York; (laugh-
ter) but he could see no necessity for this
amendment in regard to the Massachusetts
navy yards.
| Mr.. Butler of Mass, moved as substitute
for the Hubbard amendment, provision that
mechanics and laborers at the navy yards be
| selected by the heads of the various mechani-
cal departments in the yard without the inter-
ference of any naval officer. After discussion
the substitute was adopted.
| Mr.. Cox eff n. Y, then moved to amend the
| substitute by inserting Hibbards amendment
slightly modified and it was agreed to-
| The Committee rose and the Speaker laid be-
| fore the House message from the Senate re-
| guessing to be furnished with the testimony of
| the Committee of the House on the impeach-
ment of Andrew johnson, and resolution was
| adopted directing the Clerk to furnish such tes-
tmony for the use of the Senate in executive
session. Adjourned.