The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-07-27

division oil Inc Atlantlc 10 Tue DepuEL
ment Of the Missouri, to'report TO Gen
eral Pope.
NOMINATED BY THE PRESIDENT.
The President has nominated Green B
Baum, Of Illinois, Commissioner Of In
ternal Revenue vice Pratt, resigned.
REPUBLICAN, CAUCUS.
The Republican Senators held a lonI
caucus this morning on the general sub
iect OF the appropriation bills. No forma
action was taken but from the presen
tenor Of opinions interchanged by largI
number OF those in attendance II seem
probable that the river and harbor ap
preparation bill will be dropped or re
iected by the Senate, and that an agree
ment will be reached concerning 'th'
other bills the present week.
A Aselect committee Of the House ha
been in session all day investigating th'
numerous charges made by R. D. Massey
a member Of the Washington bar, agains
Justice Humphreys, Of the Supreme
Court Of the District Of Columbia.
M'DouGALL DECLINES AND GEN. Q. B
BAUM ACCEPTS:
The position OF Commissioner Of In
ternal Revenue having been to-day form
ally declined by Congressman McDolgall
was offered to Gen. Green B. Baum, oI
Illinois, and accepted by him ihls after
noon, whereupon his nomination was sen
10 the Senate. Gen. Baum is lawyeI
BY profession and about so years Of age
He served throughout the war in com
mand OF brigade OF the Army Of th'
Tennessee and represented the Cairo, llli
nois, district in the .FortietR Congress
His appointment is spoken Of as highl!
creditable one by his old Congressional
associates Of both parties.
TROOPS ORDERED 70 HAMBURG. 20.
, A letter from South Carolina says twt
companies Of the regular garrison lef
Columbia for Aiken, opposite Hamburg
on the 22d, and win remain there al
summer. This is done in obedience L
orders from the War Department. Two
companies have been ordered to Ham
burg. ..,
MINORITY REPORT ON NAVAL INvEsTT
. ... CATION. i'',
The views Of the minority OF the Com
mittee on Naval Affairs, signed by Rep
resentatives Harris, Danford and Hays
was presented to day in the House. The
minority severely criticize the majorit!
report, alleging it is unfair in its state
ment, fallacious in conclusions, is eyi
IDENTIFY promoted by partisan spirit, ig
nores entirely the testimony. favorable tt
the Navy Department and perverts othel
portions in such ways as 70 inilict gros
injustice on the Secretary and other off
GERS! In reply to the Icharge Of the ma
iority as to the alleged deterioration o
The navy under the present admlnistra
tion, the minority show that the navy il
to-day in more efficient condition thai
it has been any time since 1868, notwith
standing the limited means placed at th'
diposal Of the Secretary. The policy o
rebuilding vessels that would have sool
become useless is defended by the minor
ity as economical, prudent and judicious
and they say instead Of censure for this
as the majority propose, the Secre
tary deserves the thanks OF tn,
entire country. With regard 10 con
tracts and purchases for which th'
majority severely censure the Secre,
tary, implying corrupt action on his part
The testimony OF all the witnesses is con
current, proving thatin no single instanc
has the Secretary ever endeavored to in
auence any purchase or contract, eithe
directly or indirectly, by intimation o.
otherwise. The charge by the majorit.
that the Secretary had used government
materials and the labor Of the employee
for his own private use is pronounced b!
the minority as frivolous and unsupport
cd by testimony. In respect to the specu
lations Of L. G. Cattell, and his levyinl
percentage on the contractors, tn
minority show that these operations wer,
carried on without the knowledge OF th'
Secretary, and that as soon as h,
was advised Of such practices he inter
posed vigorously to check. them. What
ever abuses or frauds exist in connection
with the contracts for purchases for tn
Navy Department are the results Of de
iects inherent in system long establish
ed, and for which the law.making powe
and not the Department is responsible
and for which the majority suggest no I'D
equate remedy, although they have beel
engaged in the. investigation for si1
months. The minority say as to the po
litical influence exercised in the Nav.
Yard appointments, that the evils whicl
originated under it were fostered by AM
all previous Democratic administration
that tho only effort to check them ha
been made under the present Republican
administration, and that such politica
appointments are attributable chiefly 4
The opportunities OF members OF Con
gress and not to the action OF the Secre
tary and the respective chiefs of bureaus
The minority enter fully into the exami
nation Of the foreign navy account il
London, showing the action Of the Sccre
tary Of War 10 be entirely legal and 1t
results beneficial to the Government, n
not dollar OF the fund has been or can b
lost. The minority review The position @
the majority In order 10 show In man
places wrong conclusions drawn from,
not pervenionS OF the testimony OF tn
witness. The minority say the propose
Of the majority to refer the whole sIbjec
10 another committee for final dispositio
indicates either disposition TO cvade III
responsibility imposed on the Nava
Committee by the House or a consciou
inability to dispose Of the subject CON
mitted 10 them In satisfactory manner
Tho views Of the minority conclude wit
resolution declaring that no evidenc
has been adduccd during this investigi
ton tending to show that Secretary Rob-
son has been guilty Of any official mis-
conduct or corruption, or any WILT
violation OF law.
The minority say We find ourselves cor
fronted with report agreed upon by
maiority Of the committee OF 100 page
Of printed matter, elaborately prepares
and we arc compelled TO submit minor
ity report without an opportunity {
time for that careful preparation whic
The subject demands. This investigatio
has extended, over a period Of Bix month
during the first four Of which the secretar
and the subordinates Of the department
the persona likely TO be tho most effects
by Il were carefully excluded from Il
committee room and the seal OF scores
placed on the lips Of the members Of Il
committee. HlIndreds Of Mitnessea Rcl