The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-23
The Majority Report.

Iae kNepOESs
The committee refer to the terms Of the resolu-
ton as requiring, first, an investigation into the
public charges affecting the personal character Of
the present Secretary; and, next, an inquiry gen.
orally into the administration Of the affairs of the
Navy Department during his term OF office. In
view Of the instructions of the House the
committee deemed the first branch Of the inquiry
as OF paramount Importance. The report then sets
forth In full the various articles in the New York
sun, in order to illustrate the thorough and COM
plete vindicatiOn Of the officer implicated as dis
closed by the testimony submitted. The committee
say, with view to the prompt investigation Of
these charges Charles A. Dana was invited to at
tend the sessions of the committee, with counsel,
10 conduct the investigation in his own way, and
have the utmost latitude in the production OF
papers and the examination Of witnesses upon all
matters relating to the Navy Department until the
seizure upon the temporary absence of the chair
This he was, however, not allowed to do without a
personal examination upon oath at the request Of
the officer charged, when he disclosed the fact
That he had neither any knowledge
NOR ANY RELIABLE INFORMATION
upon which any of the articles in his paper could
be founded. The report says the committee do not
deem 1t necessary to cucumber the report with a
detailed reference to testimony relating to the as
and the integrity Of his administration It is enough
avan himself Of the privilege of appearing
was allowed the utmost freedom as to the extent OF
his investigation, yet he totally failed to produce
slightest degree to maintain any of the charges he
had made or to throw even doubt or suspicion
upon the personal character Of the Secretary, and
NOT A SINGLE FACT WAS ADDUCED
which would have any tendency to show any such
thing. The committee further say that it would be
supernuous to attempt to state the testimony as to
the various charges, or to show in detail the con-
elusive manner In which each and all OF them have
been refnted. Not single Witness even pretended
mony out Of all the mass appended to the
report has any tendency whatever to
show any fraudulent act or design on the part of
testimony at all upon this subject in detail it would
no, Ss fSS any Of refuta0n but only to
{ MALIGNANT AND wANroN CHARACTER
Of the libels which gave rise to the Investigation
charges, all Of which were shown, not only by the
most searching examination, but from the testi-
mony of the accuser himself to be utterly devoid Of
any semblance Of truth were printed in paper Of
large circulation, published in the chief city Of the
gay 70 s n
that OF their author himself had shown their false.
hood, the committee feel justified in denouncing
them In the strongest terms as the
MOST EXTRAORDINARY LIBEL EVER PUBLISHED
In the country against public officer, and shame
lay that these personal charges were obviously the
ground upon which the House Of Representatives
deemed 1t proper to Institute the Investigation;
that the general inquiry authorized was mani
graver personal accusations. There appearing
general inquiry into the administration Of the de-
partment was In effect trial and judgment to
the manner In which an executive officer has exer-
DISCRETION REposED IN HIM
% such. Such an inquiry might manifestly be ex-
who make the laws which it is the duty of the exc
cutive officers and the Courts to construe
GERS the Supreme Court Of the United States has
decided that the head of department In the dis
trbution OF the duties and responsibilities or the
government Is often compelled to exercise his dis
cret0n that 1t s not necessary to show statutory
provision for all he does; that no government
could ever be administered on such principles;
that there are numberless things which
must be left to his discretion, and that
of necessity usages have been established
have become kind Of common law, and regulate
the rights and duties Of those who act within their
ever, the committee with the assent and assist
ance OF the Secretary, have investigated all the
a1as aes of Sn any w ssSrs would
sny any t1n 5ae the
Most of the matters which have been even at
tempted to be criticised In this prosecution have
been the acts OF bureau officers following
THE ROUTINE LONG ESTABLISHED
under former administrations and decisions upon
statutes made by former Secretaries, such officers
acting with the best OF motives and for the In
tercsts Of the government. In relation to the
Sc e f mot Of %
exonerates the Secretary from oil suspicion of any
bad faith or improvident contracts, but shows a
laudabe effort on his part to utilize public property
by taking valuable ship, rendered useless through
defective machinery, and converting her, with
the least possible expense, into first class
and efficient vessel ofwar The committee adopt the
conclusions stated In the interesting testimony OF
John Roach, contractor a for the machinery, and
and other witnesses. 1t appears that the present
machinery, though costing some $4,000 Is like
much other now In the navy-worthless in the ship
or out Of Ii for any purposes other than old ma
teral John Roach to put In the new for $780, 900
only besides the old material, which he is to remove
from the ship, and which he estimates and adver-
tises to sell at ,o00 The contract price to be
paid Roach Is considerably less than was computed
by the Acting Chief Engineer OF the Navy as the
cost OF the work included in the contract. The ma
chinery Is to be the compound engine now almost ex
cluslvely used In England, aud which, IL IL Thought
WI soon In this country and elsewhere snpersede
all others. Roach has the only works In this coun
maze to manufacture these engines having
and experiment with view to their introduction
Sou 1e may and and the merchant marine Of
and cheaply at the present time by such contract
tnan IN the navy yards more especially as the
Roach -' engines is an experiment and
BINDS HIMSELF TO PRODUCE CERTAIN RESULTS
OF most satisfactory character or forfeit the COM
pensatian to be received That there il reasonahle
expectation upon the success OF the experiment
e that millions Of dollars worth
rendered valuable at comparatively small exnen az
and put In practical use.
machinery should have been advertised for by the
testimony that the statute upon the subject OF adj
ment been construed to apply TO machinery.
or machinery ~ be manufactured, and the state
ment OF the Secretary making II apparent that i'm
matter OF this kigd different Interpretation would
have been inapplcabe and impractcable.
In relation to the payment or
NINETY-THREE THOUSAND DOLLARS UPON THE CLAIM
OF TIE SECORS,
the report carefully examines all the ground GOV.
cred by the volum;uovs testimony. and discusses
the cfuim in It's legal as well "a equI-
table aApects, citing presidents and anthori-
ties to sustain ts position. The committee
ind that the SecOrs, IN an exceedingly prompt
energetic and satisfactory manner, performed their
contracts with the government; that the govern
mont vrithouf faulf NJ the Speora cnuooI shop,