The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1876-08-10
More Corruption Exposed.

One by one Grants Cabinet falls, Belknap
and Babcock has been sent to the shades of
private life, covered with shame and infamy.
Now, Robeson the Secretary of the Navy is
held up in his true colors to the public gaze
and will evidently be impcached. The fol-
lowing is the summing up of the majority of
tho committee:
Upon full review of the facts, your COM
mittee present to the consideration Of the
House that in the administration of the naval
service during the last seven years, tho law
has been disregarded and violated in the let
ting of contracts, in tho purchase of supplies,
in tho destruction and sale Of property be-
longing TO the naval service, IN the failure ID
cover into the treasury the proceeds Of sales
of property, in tho expenditure and disburse-
ment OF tho appr opriations made for the sup
port of the navy, in the application of the
sums appropriated for that branch of the
public service, in exceeding the appropria>
tions made by Congress for given fiscal years,
in involving the government for the future
payment Of money in excess of the appropra-
| tions made to that department, in making con-
tracts and purchases, the 1ame not being au d.
thorizcd by law and no appropriation ade-
quate to their fulfment being made, in the
| employment of laborcrs and mechanics upon
other considerations than skill and q necessity
for such labor, in the assessment of employ
ecs for sums ofmoney to be used for political
and partisan purposes, in failing to exact
bonds from contractors and failure to enforce
the penalties of such bonds in cases of de-
! fault in the employment of persons to receive
and pay money for the use Of the naval serv
ice on foreign stations, in the illegal DISPOSE
ton of the public funds, in failing to make re-
ports to Congress rs directed by the law, and
iii failing &c exact fidelity in the execution and
administration of the law by subordinates.-
Through this NAL administration system of
corruption has grown up in the administers
ton of tho revenues entrusted to the control
and direction of the Secretary of the Navy,
which, from the popularity of its character,
must hereafter be known as "Catteiiism. -
This system of corruption, likely to affect
the entire revenues and credit of the govern
ment, should be checked, and In the most
vigorous manner rebuked. In vain else would
bo all our previous legislation. Your com
mittee, while they have we'll formed opinions
Of their own on these questions, yet, in view
Of the vast amount of proof taken and the nu
merous legal questions Involved, have no de-
sire to preoipitate the discussion and determ =
nation Of so grave question as the impcach-
,nent of high officer Of the government upon
the consideration Of the House without having
full examination Of the law and facts which
may be involved therein. They. therefore,
submit to the House the following resolution,
and recommend its adoption:
Resolved, That these legal questions, to-
gether with oil tho proof taken by this COM
mittee be referred TO the committee on the
judiciary with power to hear additional testi
mony and arguments, If they see At, to exam
inc and report whether such violations Of tho
law as are referred to herein constitute and
are impeaohablo offences under the oon>
stitution, and il so thoy shall report articles
o!!mpeaohment against George NJ. Robeson.
Secretary of tho Navy; bat II they shall find
that under existing laws such acts and do
ings of tho said Secretary are not impeach-
able or otherwise punishable, then they shall
report what additional legislation in their
opinion is necessary TO make said laws suifi-
cionty punitive to protect the publsc SER
vice.