The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-07-29
Republican WITHDRAWING of Robson.

Inc navy DtIii Aih'hN h"'
I'm the nostrils of the country, and DIS
grace to the Government, ever since SEcoR
RoBEsoN became Secretary. III mas peen
run by a Ring of jobbers who, ia collision
with contractors aud aided by various
heads OF bureaus, acting in subordination
70 and i'm concert with RoBEsoN, have con-
verified the department into den OF
thieves; utterly dcmoralized the service;
made promotion and favor depend on SER
Witty; bauished all independence; on
cournged dishonor; and left miserable
wreck of what was once a strong arm OF
national defence and the pride of the
American people.
Over one hundred and sixty millions OF
dollars have been directly appropriated
bv Congress, during the last seven years,
for the navy. But this immense sum by
no means represents the actual money
which has passed through RoBEsoN's
hands. Many millions were received from
the sale OF ships, material of war; stores
medicine, clothing, and the like, not dol
lar OF which was ever returned TO the
Treasury. RoBEsoN invented a practice oil
barter and exchange, by which the Ring
contractors were favored to the extent OF
ten or twenty millions In order 10 increase
the fund for Addition, DIVISION aud ST.
lence.
Monitors and other ships were broken
up, and machinery which had cost mil
lions, some of 1t nearly new. was sold us
old iron to favored contractors, at prices
axed by themselves, and the quantities
determined by their own rapnc.iy. How
many millions were stolen by RoBEsoN's
invention. which is wholly in defiance Of
law, cannot be stated with exactness, be-
cause the Ring determined the figures in
their own favor. But il is estimated that
twenty millions were pocketed by this
process.
In order to multiply the jobs and in
crease the profits OF the Ring, worthless
hips were constructed upon atriflng relic
pf some old ship and charged TO repairs.
A few feet of old keel, or of deck, or n
par, furnished the pretext for this bare
fnced deception and costly fraud, by which
Roach and the middle men were able 10
flourish aud to grow rich at the public e--
pense. They divided handsomely. and
mat was all that robson and his confed-
crates asked.
All the great contracts went inevitably
10 a select circle, no matter how the bid:
were made; and all the special orders fol
lowed the same direction. The CATrELI4
we're the managers for robson, aud In
relations to them. in spite of mass of per
Jury, are revealed by his aud their banl
accounts, and by other transactions equal
ly conclusive of corruption.
The books of these Ring contractors ar
t.I md ia
figured by false entries, as is shown par
ticularly In the cases of MATTHEWS. F.. G
CArTELL, DELL NoBLIT, aud others, WIN
were compelled TO confess to these frauds
which rs between private parties woul'
involve residence in the penitentiary.
Fraudulent claims, which had been re
iected by his predecessors, aud therefor
were debarred by the law OF the depart
ment from being reopened. were allowe'
by RoBEsoN for no other reason than be
cause they were urged by known coufed
crates of the Rug, TO be shared as comino
plumber. A. G. CATTELL, SlMEoN JoHNso>
CHIPMAS, s. +. Brown, and other wei
known jobbers, with the aid of the thev,
Inside the departments, put through half
million Of these fabricated claims.
These are only samples Of the syster
which has governed the administration c
the navy under this veual aud hucksteriu
Secretary. Every branch of it is cith'
rotten or infected fatally with the poison
There is no navy in the true sense of Il
term. collection of hulks, some OF iro
and some of wood and long registry
officers represent to-day an expenditul
of two hundred millions of dollars in rouI
numbers in seven years
In presence of these facts three Repu
licans -one of them well known rs AN
MAS HAYs-have had the effrontery
tigu report, VIGOROUSLY prepared at Il
department WITHDRAWING this infamo
Secretary and commencing ms conduC
They declare there was " no fraud, co
ruption, or wilful violation of law Wi
the evidence before them Of constant, dp
ing, and deliberate violations OF law, (
the express purpose of carrying on the
rascalties. Mr.. HARRIS OF Massachuset
nnd Mr.. DASFoRD Of Ohio, with ANANI
HAYS, say they were not wlful!' y
BURLEIGH au honest Republican, join
the majority.
They assail the majority report becar
II exposes the truth ana produces the I
timony officially and orally by viii
RoBEsoN Is made TO appear as lie really
deserving impeachment and all Its pc
altles II the law has no restraint for
public officer. if he may take the peopl
money "a this venal Secretary did,
prop up the lettering aud bankrupt &C
Germ of JAY COOKE Co., in which he y
indirectly Interested, is il any wont
these iniuultlcs should have grown III