The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-07-26


early this morning by a FIRE In the
Western Union telegraph office at Phil
The Naval Committee.
The Naval Committee will give Sec
rotary Robeson another opportunity for
defense % conclusions reached In rela-
ton to the transactions with Jay Cooke
Il Co. The hearing will be private.
Military orders.
Lieut. James A. Buchanan, now AT
Memphis as signal officer. has been or
dered 10 assume charge OF the construo-
ton and operations 81 the telegraph
lines ordered by the Government In
Texas and the Indian Territory, with
headquarters ut Denison.
Committee work.
The Legislative conference committee
had another meeting. The statistics for
which. II Ia claimed, will certainly lead
to an agreement. are coming In rapidly.
A rnsuIt on this bill will solve the diiIi-
culties IN the remaining appropriation
bills, where five days preliminary work
In required
The Banking and Currency Commit
tee had another Ruthless discussion.
Messrs. Gibson and Wike remain firm
Ia opposition to simple repeal
senator Gorst0n's Revenue Uilt.
Senator gordon's bill, introduced to-
day. for reform In the revenue depart
ment. provides that oil appointments in
that department shall he made to the
lowest grades upon competitive ex-
animation. and that the higher grades
ANAL DO filled by promotion, also upon
competitive examination. II requires a
hoard of examiners, made up from both
polttjcal parties. and forbids the refusal
To examine any applicant on account OF
party afliliation. Also. that ell officers
In the revenue department shall be re-
moved for incompctency, malfeasance.
neglect OF duty. paying money for po-
lttjcal purposes, or using political intlu-
ence therefor. but for no other cause.
4. J. Brady qualified M Second Assist
ant Postmaster General.
Naval.
Commander Fred Il. Smith Is ordered
to command the Ashuelot on the Asiatic
station.
The Committee on Naval Affairs. after
quoting the testimony which the prin-
cipal officers of the navy have, given In
relation TO the present worthless char
mcter of that arm of our national de-
fcnse. says. at appears that In 1869,
when the presents Secretary took charge,
the navy bore on ita register two hun
dred vessels. that by authority OF law
eight sloopa Of war and two torpedo
boats have been added thereto, and that
by purchase three more. to wit. the
Dispatch. the Rio Bravo and the Sea
Weed have also been added. making 216
vessels which should now appear on the
register, but In fact. according to the
Secretary's last report. there are only
l47 vessels, no that scventy-one vessels
have disappeared. and counting up to
the present time Il Is more. because sew
eral vessels have been sold since Decem-
Der last, and have disappeared.
Your committee have therefore 10 re-
MORT 10 the House the fact that the
present Secretary OF the Navy has ex-
pended in money about $iT0,oO0. 600. has
used or disposed Of the material of moro
than seventy ships of war, besides other
material, has contracted liabilities
amounting TO seseval millions OF dol
lars, and has To show IA result navy
whose condition Ii described in the tes-
timony of It's chief officers, already
quoted With their rapidly disappear
Ing navy before them, while they are
painfully conscious OF the amount OF
taxes which they have paid for its sup
port, the people may well ask how these
results have been brought about, may
we'll feel that with the 203 vessels on
hand when the present Secretary as
sumed control OF the department, and
with the expenditure of $l70, 900 of
their money since That time, the nation
should now have % navy In which IL
could take pride: one adequate to the
defense OF It's commerce and its honor;
and failing In this. they may we'll
inquire by what means this great
waste Of their resources has &C.
Cured, and exact of those who have
had charge OF these interests "A faithful
and rigid account of their trust, and II
IL be not given, demand that those OH
GERS, In the language Of one OF the popu-
lar platforms of the day, che punished
with an unsparing hand" Believing, as
has been intimated in the testimony Of
the Admiral OF the Navy, that by a wise
and honest administration SCI, 000, 900 or
$40, oO0. 900 OF the sums expended upon
the navy during the last eight years
could have been saved; believing that
II, upon the other hand. the sums ex-
pended had been wisely and economi-
cally expended navy could have been
created such as the country requires; a
navy which would be now the pride Of
our people and the admiration, II not
the envy, Of other nations, as was once
the proud fact in the history Of the
American navy, and believing, further,
that this immense waste ofpublic money
and property has been illegally IL not
criminally brought about, your commit
tee have now 10 submit TO the House
the reasons upon which their opinions
on this subject are based.
Then follow elaborate details under
captions, Politics In the Navy Yards.
'Favoritism In Contracts, Frauds and
Abuses" STRAW Bids and the Like"
illegal Purchases" Barter and Ex-
change. ""CoTking Accounts" etc.
The report concludes: While your
committee do not hesitate torecommend
that all officers of the navy who have
been connected withany frauds and cor
ruption disclosed by this investigation
shall be brought to speedy trial before
courtmartial. with view that, il I'M
Justly charged, they may be indicated;
and that, II guilty, they may be speedily
and vigorously punished, and the SER
vice relieved, yet they do find. In the
case of the Secretary, some embarrass-
ment in recommending what shall be the
4 IA h