Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-07-29
NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC TICKET.
A ROTTEN NAVY AND A CORRUPT
SECRETARY.

A ROTTEN NAVY AND A CORRUPT
SECRETARY.
Commodore Whitthorne has
submitted his report as Chairman
of the Committee on Naval Affairs,
1t is the result of eight months
hard work, and in a condensed
form makes a book of one hundred
and sixty pages. In the language
of Horace Greeley upon one occa-
sion, cit is mighty interesting
reading" Robson, the Secretary
of the Navy, is a fat, oily New
Jersey lawyer, who was selected for
the position by the President be-
cause he didn't know a schooner
from a frigate, and the Senate con-
frmed him because Grants word
was law. No questions were asked
six or eight years ago. Robson
made himself agreeable to the Chief
Magistrate of these United States,
and was never asked to hand in his
portfolio like Bristow, Yaryan.
Jewell and Dyer. He conducted
affairs in his own interest, allowing
contractors to almost control the
department, and often to remove
honest obnoxious officers from sta
tons where they might see and find
out too much. The Republicans,
on the committee and off, in the
House have done everything in theii
power to thwart investigation
They laughed at the idea of q
backwoods Tennesseean making
any discoveries in the navy depart.
ment. But he made up in search
ing investigation what he lacked ii
technical knowledge. 1t required
only m sense and courage t
find out that the people were pay
ing out millions to support anC
enrich a set of unprincipled Office
holders and contractors. The re.
port is exceedingly mild and tenn.
perate, considering that it dealI
with downright rascality. But tn,
Commodore was content to deal il
facts, leaving the people to draw
their own conclusions. He show
that since the organization of tn
navy up to the year ending Jun.
80, 1875, the sum of 1890, no,
925.67 has been spentf for naval pur
poses, and more than one-third 0
this has been spent since 1864. Ii
the last seven years Robson ha
spent $4,000 900, and yet, &C
cording to the testimony Of ADM
raj Porter, ours is one of the weak
est nayies in the world. He said
81 need scarcely say Ina the off
GERS Of the navy who expect to TAX
part in any conflict that may ari,
between our country and a loreig
power look with anxiety for an in
proyement in our ships, more pl
ticularly since the West India dri
made it apparent to the youngest
them that our combined force
vessels was incapable Of a success
full encounter with a fleet o%ne-fourt
as large built ON modern principle
Indeed, one such ship as the Bri
ish iron-clad Invincible ought TO Z
through a feet like ours and pl
the vessels hors de combat in
short time, for she could run the,
down or destroy them at long rams
with her rifle guns"
The report Of the committee flu
Their shows that out of the PIG We
sells on the register II have myst
riously disappeared. In additic
to all this there is positive eyidenI
that Robson has taken and above
to be taken at least $1,000, 900 p
annum TO corrupt voters and car
elections throughout the countr
The missing vessels have no dou.
been sold and the money used
this manner or divided out on
large scale. Snch are the fruits
Radicalism, and the crop is not
in yet. Under Tilden and a Dem
cratic administration all these gre
abuses would be uprooted and /