The Portland daily press., 1876-04-07

A LETTER was sent Wednesday by the
Secretary of the Navy to Mr.. Beebe of New
York, chairman of the house committee on
expenditures in the Navy department, IN an
sWer to letter of inquiry from Beebe as to
certain acceptances of drafts at four months
by the Secretary. The fact was recently pub
llshed that the Secretary had accepted certain
drafts at four months, and the presumption
was boldly put forth that his purpose was to
tide over present deficiency resulting from
the operations of last fall by drawing on next
years appropriations, "a clearly illegal trans
action. The Secretary's answer is full and
explicit. Concerning tine drafts in question,
The letter shows that they were drawn on the
oth and 10th of March by Paymaster-G -Gener-
al Bradford, at four months, in favor of Selie-
man Bros, the naval financial agents in
London, and amounted to nearly $3.50, 900.
1t is said that, though without special direc-
tlon from the department they were without
doubt drawn for the purpose of putting the
hrm IN funds to meet such drafts as may be
drawn upon them by paymasters on foreign
stations. They were drawn on time, as the
most convenient mode of giving to the de-
psrtment time to gather in and the ap-
preparations called ''pay of the navy" neces-
sarily scattered in the hands of its disburslng
officers, and to have adjusted and transferred
on the Treasury books such sums as NAV be
due such appropriation from other appropri-
ations on account of expenditures made
abroad from Il for their benefit. These bal
ances are part of the appropriation for the
pay OF the navy, but it is necessary to cover
them in and have them settled in the Treasu-
~ and transferred to that appropriation be-
fore being applied to the payment of the
regular demands upon it, In short, the Sec
retary says explicitly that these drafts are not
drawn against Eor payable out of any future
appropriation, but are payable and will be
paid out of the appropriations for pay
already made by Congress. The usages in
the payment of our navy on foreign
stations are fully explained the fact being
shown that this system of drafts has been in
existence ever since the department has had
fiscal agents abroad. "The alternative is,"
the letter says, "shall these drafts be paid
when presented, and officers and men of the
service wait until the balances can be col
lected ard adjusted in the Treasury, or shall
the department use its credit with its fiscal
agents as contemplated by his agreement and
sanctioned by the custom of sixty years, TO
avoid the difficultyP' In justi fcation OF the
course pursued in these matters the Secre-
tary quotes from the judicial opinion in the
case Of the United States against Mcdaniel,
as follows: "A practical knowledge of the
action of any one of the great departments of
the government must convince any person
that the head of a department, in the distr-
button of its duties and responsibilities, is
often compelled to exercise bis discretion.
He is limited in the exercise of his powers by
the law. but it does not follow that he must
show statutory provision for everything he
does. No government could be admins
tered on such principles. To attempt to reg
ulate by law the minute movements of every
part of the complicated machinery of govern
ment would evince a most objectionable ig-
norance on the part of the subject"