New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-07-29
WHOLE NUMBER 2878.

istration of the law by subordinates, where
by corruption, and system of corruption
has grown up in the administration of the
revenues intrusted to the control and direc-
ton of the Secretary of the Navy, which,
from the popularity of its character. and
the cunning of its cOntrivance, must here
ter be known as Cattellism. This system
of corruption, likely to affect the entire
revenues and credit of the government,
shall be checked, and in the most vigorous
manner rebuked, in vain else would be all
our previous legislation.
Your committee while they have we'll
found opinions of their own on the ques-
tiOns, yet in view of the vast amount of
proof taken and the numerous legal ques-
tiOns involved have no desire to precipitate
the discussion and determin alton of SO
grave question as the Impeachment of q
high officer of the government upon the
consideration of the House. without having
full examination of the Law full facts which
| may be involved therein, they therefore
submit to the House the folio wing resOlu
ton and recommend its adoprion:
Resolted, That these legal questions to-
gether with all tue proof taken by this
committee be referred to the Committee on
Judiciary, with power to hear additional
testimony and argument if they see fit, to
examine and report whether such viola
lions OF the law as are referred to herein.
der the constitution, and if 80, then they
shall report articles of impeachment against
George NJ. Robson, Secretary of the Navy,
but If they shall find that under existing
laws such acts and doings of the said Secre-
tary are not impeachable, or otherwise pun
ishable, then they shall report what addi-
tional legislation, in their opinion, is neces
sary to make said laws sufficiently punitive
TO protect the public service
W.. WHITTHORNE,
BIB. LEWIS,
r. Q. MILLS,
B. A. WILLIS,
F. JONES.
j. ROBBINS,
j. WILLIAMS.
1 sign this report, as believe it is in &C.
cordance with the evidence taken. and
substantially just 80 much of it as is of q
partisan character 1 have no sympathy
with. j. 81. BURLEIGH.
The constructions of the minority report
are as follows: We concur with the ma
jority OF the committee in the opinion that
there are errors in the system upon which
our naval affairs are conducted, and had
earnestly hoped that well matured plans
for correcting these errors would have
found place in their report. One or two
suggestions of change in the existing laws
oAO uouC, OuU Iucy HEo uclUuoT TduIC6l uOE
exhaustive, and some of them are limited at
and suggested as possible measures, the
adoption of which might be wise rather
than those actually recommended, but the
majority propose to avoid responsibility for
all measures of reform in law, and to call
to their aid mixed commission of persons
of experience in naval matters who may
have wisdom enough to examine into our
system and point out its defects aud errors,
nd "a o6o fo
evasion OF the duty imposed upon the COM
mittee, and q confession of the ma
jolity that they are unequal to the
task upon those subjects which seem
to have political Importance. The ma
jority take the responsibility with alac-
rlty, while upon measures requiring
patience and non-partisan inquiry and in
ship and wisdom for their proper
solution, they are unwilling to as
sumo any. We feel that under such
circumstances, having pointed out all
the errors and abuses, whether arising
from the imperfections of our system or
otherwise, and devised proper measures for
their correction, they should have declared
the proofs that they have found no grounds
for personal accusation. In view of this
action on the part of the majority and Of
our own settled convictions, after full ex-
animation of all the testimony, we recon-
mend the adoption Of the folio wing resolu
tions:
Resolced, That in this investigation no
fraud. corruption or willful violation OF the
law has been shown Or appears to have
been committed by Hon. George NJ. Robe
son while in the discharge of the duties of
Secretary OF the Navy, and we find no rea-
son to censure or find fault with his con-
duct IN the administration OF the Navy De-
partment.
B. II. HARRIS
CHARLES HAYS,
l.. DANFORD.
After speech by Mr.. Lewis. of Alabama.
in support of the majority report the mat
ter went over without action.
AdjOuruad