The New York herald., 1874-11-21
POLITICAL CORRUPTION.
Abuses at the Boston Navy Yard During
the Late Campaign.
Developments Disgraceful
and Damaging.
Congress To Be Appealed To for
an Investigation.
BOSTON. Nov, 20. iefA.

The HERALD's correspondence from this quarter
mas already intimstcd something or the corrupt
practices employed at the Boston Navy Yard just
previous to the late election. The corruption was
80 barefaced and transparent that even the ad-
minstration papers here were forced to notice it
In terms or severe condemnation. In the midst or
the general excitement and Indignation the Boz
ton Labor Union appointed special committee -
investigate the matter, ana have been favored
with an advance copy OF their report, which b
shortly to be presented. Tho period covered by
the alleged abuses they ind 10 be at least
TWO WEEKS PREVIOUS TO THE DAY or ELECTION,
before which period the numDer OF workmen IN
all the departments was about seventeen hun
dred. They find that at this time the approprla-
tions OF Congress to meet the expenses or the yard
were insufficient Tor paying the wages OF the nor.
NAL number OF employees, and that In consequence.
several OF the regular hands had been Suspended:
also that the suspension mad been countermanded
by the authorities at Washington, as though to
give color 90 or to justify the sudden employment
of great number OF additional hands. which im-
mediately took place. They hnd that there was no
emergency or necessity Tor pushing forward tne
government work that required any addition to
the regular force OF wOrkmen, and that had there
been such necessity the hundreds Of lresn hands
set TO work were entirely unqualified for the ma
ture OF the work that they consisted OF men Of
EVERY VARIETY OF BUSINESS AND NO BUSINESS:
that they were distributed in oil the departments.
mechanics and iaborers In udicrous disproportioA
20 each other and to the work required to bs
done that they we're employed At every descrip-
tion OF make belief work, or at no work at ALL ana
frequently c,owded aside into unirequented places
for the sake OF Appearances.
AN INFLUX or VOTERS.
The committee mud that during these TWO weeks
no less than 75O men were thus poured into tho
yard from various districts In and around Boston.
and employed OF an expense to the nation or
81, 500 per day at The lowest calculation. ana that
they rendered-to the nation at all events-IO
equivalent for the outlay. They have no reasOa
Whatever to doubt that this great influx OF uN-
skilled and nondescript worEmen had no other
purpose or object than to influence bJ large
number OF vO:es
THE ELRCrON OF CERTAIN CANDIDATES
to cfnce and tuat they believe that the candidate
10 whose favor the votes wero required was Mr.
Oo0ch. Should any doubt exist as TO the purpose
for which these fresh hands we're employed, 1t v
only necessary to say tnat on
THE DAY AFTER THE ELECTION
no less than 500 Of them were discharged. They
ind also that this army OF voters were hired BY
the foremen OF the various workshops on tho
REcoMMENDATIoN OF Nh. GoocH.
ANA tucy have evidence that, In some instances at
BY the task imposed upon them AS an instance
OF this 1t was stated by reliable informant that
the foreman %, the workshop in which he, our
Informant. was employed, stated 70 him. that
siSs ws's family D'' aepenied upon him % for sup
port ne would not .. % rema,n %, 10 !l. the Nayy
ton to TINS shameful abuse OF ofciai patronage IN
hiring, certain OF the regular and Competent me
lol no reason whatever than that they mad Ia .
quiet and unexceptlona6ie but public manner.
porting and voting Tor such candidates Tor public
once as their conscience and political opinions
preferred.
The committee add that It mas Just come to their
knowledge that all the Inen employed IN the con.
structi0n department OF the Navy Yard have now
been indefinitely suspended or discouraged, and
are waiting for their pay. This Includes 6y lar tho
paftment. THE The committee ieei that The their work
win be only halt done II they do not endeavor to
THE RESPONSIBILITY poR rHEsE DrsaRAcEpUL PRO-
CKEDIN0S
es n s,cSs the II metsod and Of na
d!schargin0 workmen. The work OF the yard II
divided into departments, @ such & g. the eonstruc,
SO on, each having its separate head and all sub
ject TO- the commandant or commodore OF tho
Shops each shop having its foreman. When addl-
tional help needed any shop the foreman Of such
Der Of men needed and the names OF thc persons
he proposes to hire. He then hands the requtsi-
4 70 ne me eaaces Tho uSos ss:
or substttates other names st his discretion.
The requlsition then subrnltted 70 tns oommand-
Il no approves OF 1t. The foreman tnen hires the
men n accordancS with 5he S requisites, I dn,ss e
signed BY his superior officers.
This 10 the normal course OF procedure, ana
be.ore US It has been subject to tho grosssst
abuse Names OF men not needed for aLy proper
M y 70
foremen, and have been BY them filed into rcqut.
stions. which nave probably been duly sgned-
commandment OF tho yard.
1t Is impossible TO come to any other conclusion
the commandant. the neads OF departments, and
al the ioremen ol WORKSHOPS are responslp!e n
But tho committee can have no besltation ID
expressing their conviction that these oficiais,
however morally 5ssp9nsppl9 are not do the prime
manipulate 50 many persons BY Ills own private
influence. II Is then
70 WASHINGTON
that We must look for the secret spring tnat has
set the machinery IN motion, and where tho
ultimate responsibility must lie. Tie cciam!ttee
further mud tnat the whole ol thus un.ustldaole
ess ss
::..nn Generalization or the commaui,y. Tuat
and have become publlc scandal, ID ordcl 70 pre-
vent repetition or 8nch acts aad 70 punlsh yne
perpetrators IN TINS Instance. y y "5vv3'"y tdss
tho subject should not he allowed 10 rass iny~
oblivion ~ "a nlne days wonder" but should be
made the occasion o: thorough official inrestlga-
ton, with view to the substan ua!ion or reluta-
ton OF tue charges, aud the nxing OF the criin,.
nality on tue parties really responsible.
The committee recommend that the c0unoi ex-
tend their powers, 80 that tney may supuHt tna
ABOVE statement through The representatives Ia
Congress OF tEe state vi assalhusetts, 70 The
Senate and House oil Representative o; the United
states, praying those august bodies 20 appoint q
special Commission to inquire into the alleged cor,
rupt and cisgracefu practices.