The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-08-01
hobeson's Lying and Law Breaking.

Robeson's Lying and Law Breaking.
IL Is impracticable TO lay before the pub
lie the whole mass of testimony collected
by the naval investigation during the last
yeven months. But the system by which
The immense frauds were perpetrated can
be illustrated by few striking examples
that are easily understood.
The foundation of this corrupt system
was bold violation OF the laws enacted to
protect the navy against venal combina-
tions, to insure rigid accountability, ana
10 prevent a diversion Of the public money
10 any other use than that for which IL was
)pecincally appropriated by Congress
Until the advent OF SECoR robson, the
navy was administered honestly, since the
eecretaries who preceded him were men of
honor. He introduced, expanded, aud sys-
iematized the present corruption, by which
The department and its bureaus have been
converted into a vast brokers' shop, where
contracts, jobs, and favortism are sold to
Ring of pluuderers, through intermedi-
pries like the CArTELIs and other conf
dants of RoBEsoN, for his and their benefit.
But perhaps the most daring of all his
acts is the SEIZURE and misapplication
rupt concern of JAY Cooke, MCCULLoCu
j Co. after the failure Of JAY COOKE y Co.
In 1873.
SEcoB RoBEsoN has put on record, in q
Ieandalous letter to HENRY CLEws his
private reasons for removing Barring
i,rotbers * Co. as the fiscal agents Of the
navy in London, and for appointing JAY
COOKE, McCULLocu & Co. in their stead.
Now, mark the history Of this agency, and
BEE how it started, The Revised Statutes
prescribe az follows:
~ $50 1850 No person sell be employed or conpusd
bsvsI service foreign stations, whether under CON
behste"
This mandatory statute was wholly
ret aside in favor of JAY COOKE, McCUL-
LocH Co. They were never nominated
10 the Senate by the President, and, OF
course, could not have been confirmed
In a letter dated May l, 1871, robson noti-
nes COOKE Il Co. that the department has
This day appointed Messrs. JAY COOKE, NC
CuLIocH & Co., of London, temporary spe-
rial agents. Under the above act, Barring
Brothers & Co. were appointed with the
ponsent and advice of the Senate in 1s44,
and SELIGMAN &. Brothers in May, 1876.
Why was this exception made, aud by
what authority did robson assume the
responsibility Of an appointment which
The President and the Senate alone had
the power TO maker
At all events, the law was palpably vio-
lated for some sinister purpose, aud these
agents, over whose heads bankruptcy was
Impending at the time, were allowed to
handle millions of the public money,
without any legal authority. That was
the first and most important step. ROBE
Bon has sought to make much of the fact
that he exacted a larger bond from this
rotten concern than had been taken from
The BARINos. He took 100000 security.
when they were receiving from the Treas
ury about S1,0o0OO0 every quarter. And
she bondsmen were A. g. CATTELL, E. G.
CArrELL, and JAY COOKE!
JAY CooKE & Co. failed on the 18th OF
September, 1873 ard at thai lime JAY
t"""E, MCCCLLocH & Co. were indebted
to the United States 10 the amount Of
R1GG, 032 2s., or say 1854, 900 in round num-
bers. McCULLocH fastened from London
to the United States TO confer with ROBE
son, and Paymaster BRADFORD, a confede-
rate in all their corrupt business, re-
manned in England to look after the
common interest Of these jobbers
McCULLocH and BRADFORD said that il
this balance was drawn. the house in Lon
don would fail, as that in this country hac
done. But in this condition OF things wha
was the duty of an honest Secretary OF thu
Navy OF course to secure the Govern
ment against loss, as far rs might be pos
sible, aud to see that responsible fisca
ngent was appointed Immediately to pro
tect the public credit. With tn
priority OF the United States as
claimant upon the estates of these par
ties, every dollar OF that large balanc
rould have been recovered. But RoBEso
had more selfish objects 10 promote. SO
instead Of insisting then and there upon
settlement, he took Sl,10O,00O more of tn
navy fund and sent il TO this totterng lrm
Dhts money pds loaned to them personally
II ,cds not applied to the use Of the nae
Mt ALL
On the LIST OF February last the Navt
Committee called on robson for an eI
PLANTATION OF this matter, and after d.
lay Of nearly seven weeks, he answered q
follows:
"The regular time Tor new remittance tine sara 10
eRn account usuA course, came about the LIST ~ q
tOber 1873, ard the department wa then applied TO
the representa- yes Of said nrm to MAKE sucn new
nittance, Dat declined To do 80 Al thn time though n
draf sim PAD In due course by said III
n our agents a. Aforesaid
'AbOu me middle NJ sdfd month OF Oofober 49,
however, IL became Necessary either I make ne0
sitfduceS 10 the sad account or allow our aseats
stop tAe pa uenls VI our drafts"
After nearly two months of though
and with all the records before him, Rob
Son made the foregoing answer, and Il
least that can be said OF it is, he wilful
falslied the facts to mislead the countI
md to deceive the committee. He di
torts the official accounts. III order to civ
deceptive colorng to his corruption. l.
says the new remittances" were mac
"about the middle OF October, 1873" l.
aus see about that. COOKE failed on SepteI
Der Is, 1873. Six days after, September Z
Paymaster CUTLER RENTED by RoBEsoN
order 100000 to JAY COOKE. McCULLo,
h Co.. through BRADFORD; on the 10Th
september he sent 10000 more; on Il
A..a