The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-08-13

WASHINGTON il necessary. Mr.. Jay telegrapheo to
Mr. Davis J1Iy Commission eose @y
10, simply OF evidence taken previously.n
In conclusion the Special Commission ind as
THE RESULT OF THEIR INVESTIGATION
that the Commission to Vienna have been managed
corruptiy and for personal purposes, 10 inc g1eae
violation of the American honor, and that such
corrupt management has not only lost 10 Tue couIi.
try an opportunity OF exhibiting the arr, lnaus. u
lions to the most intelligent representatives OF an
nations, in a manner calculated to enhance our
but that It has exposed us to national hunilia.iOn
at Vienna and throughout the word. iouc, nnr
taken IN Il by General William Mayer, the First As
sistant Commissioner, has been ehheI Openly
or distinctly one appear to have
been closely connected with the managedheenSS LII
New YORK, excepting Albert r. Stasny an re ~
II. Sarjeant or these Stiashy aiono "Ppe"'' "
have known that
MONEYS HAD BEEN IMPROPERLY TAKEN; ,o,
and there seems no to doubt his decaratlon
that he heard it by accident and proteste9 70
MAYER against 1t, and that he was excluded from
Mr conduct as commssoncr
the loading OF the Supply and Guard ana nls &c.
ment to report a at trieste for the the
vessel seems to demand explanation Inc eviuenoe
taking Of eS Van
and Mr. Mayer. In regard to General nastota van N
Buren,, the Special Commission 40 not hesitate 10
report that they dissent from his JUSTIFICATION or
the taking of $500 as loan from Hitzel under the
circumstances shown in the evidence; that they
Van Buren, touching the $1,000 which he received
from Messrs Bochm Wiehl; that they ma an
utter want Of lrankness and
AN INExCUsABLE DISREGARD OF EXACTNEss
in the statements made py him to the secretary OF
State in his letters OF the 18th and 18TH OF march,
in regard to the number OF concessions Tor bars
and touching the kilograms from Vienna reporting
the character OF corruption, and that the lnexact-
eminent into the belief that no Irregularities
had been committed demanding an investigation
the inquiry at vienna. AS to the justidcaion set
up by Mayer that all he did in the taking and ask
ing Of moneys was done by nim as suoSralaa a
missioner and as to the various questions OF We
raoity raised by the evidence between General Van
Buren, and General Mayer, touching the alleged
completely OF the former and the proceedings OF the
latter aud the sharing by General Van Buren, of the
second thousand deiars obtained from BOehme and
Wiehl the Special commission refrain from eX-
pressing an opinion for the reasons:-
l. That they do not deem the discussion OF these
points essential to General Mayer, since no such
approval OF the acts nor Partition OF the moneys
would, in their opinion, render the acts proper or
constitute valid defence for their commission.
3 That the testimony indicates that addltlonal
and more conclusive evidence On these points Is
attanable at New York than can be found in
Vienna.
8. That they do not conceive, for reasons to be
presently stated, That their Judgment ON THIS point
Is necessarily embraced in the scope OF their IN
THE DUTY OF THE CHIEF COMMISSIONER.
They hOll that 1t was the duty OF the CHIEF OF the
American Commission to exercise so wise vigil
lance in Che appointment OF each and all OF his
assistants, and especially OF his first and confden
tal assistant and so exact supervision of the
management OF the Commission as TO protect it
from the smallest faint Suspicion OF corruption,
and enable it to accomplish at Vienna a reasonable
success, and fifty to represent the integrity and
honor OF the government. We're the Special Com
mission to admit the justice OF General Van
Buren's defence for acts which he acknowledges
and were they to pronounce unproyen every charge
approved ' and shared his exactlons OF moneys moneys
there would stlfremain the charge-the gravest
save that OF corruption which could be preferred
against the chief of Commission appointed to
represent in an assemblage OF the nations the in
dustry, The culture and tue lair fame of our Re-
pubhc-the charge OF having permitted, through a
period of months, from want OF clear
sighted intelligence and due vigilance, the loose
management Indicated by the testimony, marked
by irregularities which have arrested the success
oil the Commission and brought
pIsHONOR ON THE REPUBLIC.
The SPECIAL Commission, therefore, without en-
tering at all upon the charges OF completely made
against him by Mr. Mayer are compelled to regard
General Van Buren, as responsible, as the chief OF
the Commission, tor the abuses OF authority COM
mtted by his confidential assistant; and, apart
| from charges OF corruption, they find the manage
| ment generally Of tie Commission, wliicn General
Van Buren, appears to have left TO his subordinates,
foresight, absence OF effective system and order
and looseness In contracts in Instructions and
in accounts calculated to insure the ruin or any
private business, and which in great national
trust, like that entrusted to General Van Buren,
was to the last degree discredtatle and int0lera-
ble as indicating
INDIFFERENCE OR INCAPACITY OR BOTH COMBINED.
While the injury to our country by the corrupt
and slovenly management OF the Commission Is to
a great extent irreparabe, a rare opportunity
having been lost and an exhibition having been
defciencies, as to have exposed us unnecessarily
to national humiliation, much has, nevertheless
been done by the prompt action OF the government
and the temporary and succeeding Commission
to arrest the consequences of the disaster
The order Of the President Instituting an
lection Of private considerations to the
national interest, suspending the Commission till
the enemies OF the Republic In Europe, That the
American people were so accustomed to- Official
corruption and SO insensibe to the national honor
ton the gravest charges against the Commission
appointed to represent American industries at a
| Worlds Exposition.
A COMPLIMENT TO THE PRESIDENT
The ready response Of the temporary Commits
sioners to the demand OF the President for their
services is happy augury, as showing the ability
| OF the Executive, in whatever crisis, to command
the services OF Americans in whatever land to pro-
| tect, at whatever personal sacrifice, the interest
! and honor OF the country. The organizing power
executive ability and untring efforts of these gen.
| tlemen went far to rescue the American depart.
nent from Its demoraliZed condition, and 10 intro.
duce order and arrangement. The labors of their
business skill under the Judicious lead Of
Mr. Schultz, have done all that could be
done to give an appearance OF responsibility
to our scaDt department, somewhat enlarged by
additional shipments from America and partially
redeemed by admirable inventions. The efforts Of
these gentlemen have been combined with those
OF members OF the Scientific and Artisan commits
sions to select proper jurymen OF skill and repu-
tatl0n, whose character Will dissipate all Tears of
further irregularities in regard to TIE importantly
OF American representations IN the distribution
OF medals, and they have secured from experts
the promise OF series OF reports on such branches
OF the Exposition as may be most important In the
United states.
THE DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION
appear to be performed judiclousy and with q
conviction OF grave responsibility; and the special
Commission report that the integrity and prudence
OF the present management are well calculated to
cause the past irregularities to be forgotten; to
restore general confidence In the American Com.
mission, and to encourage the hope that the art
and industry OF Europe may be fairly represented
at our own Centennial In 1915.
RECOMMENDATIONS TOUCHING THE BARS.
The Special Commission further report that
there have been established in the grounds of
the Exposition two American restaurants and
bars, in regard to which no corruption appears;
the one by Kune OF Chicago, the permit for which
was given by the Baron Schwarz-oanborn with
out the intervention Of General Van Buren,,
and the other Dy Tracy d Jewett, under au-
thority from the American department,