New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-07-26
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Military Orders.

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Military Orders.
Iienteuant James A. Buchanan, now al
Memphis as signal officer, has been ordered
to assume charge of the construction ano
operations Of The telegraph lines ordered BY
the government in Texas and the Indian
Territory, with headquarters at benson
Committee Work.
The legislative conference committee had
another meeting. The statistics tor the de
tails of the bill, on new trial, which, 10 lie
claimed, y i'll certainly lead to an agree
ment, are coming in rapidly. A result on
this bill will solve the difficulties Ia the
remaining appropriation bills Where nVe
DAYS preliminary work IS required.
The BANKING and Currency Committee
had another tfuititss discussion. Messrs
Gibson and Wike remain firm in opposition
to simple repeal.
senator s;ordon's Revenue Bill.
Senator GoIdons bill. introduced to-day
Cor reform in the revenue department., pro
vides that all appointments IN that depart-
ment shall be made to the lowest grades
upon competitive examination ana tnat Tue
higher grades she'll be filled by promo
ton, also upon competitive examlna-
ton. 1t requires board of examin-
ers made up from both political
parties, ard forbids the refusal TO examine
any applicant on account OF party aflia-
ton Also, that ali officers III the revenue
department shall be removed for lncompe-
teucy, Malieasance, neglect OF duty, pay ing
money for political purposes, or using
political influence therefor; Dut Tor no other
cause.
Qualified.
7. J. Brady qualified as second assistant
postmaster general.
Naval.
Commander Fred K. Smith Is ordered 10
command the Ashurlot on the Asiat!c sta
on.
The Report Oh Naval Affairs.
The COMMITTEE on Naval Affairs, after
quoting the testimony which the principal
officers of the navy have given IN relation
to the present worthless character OF that
arm of our national defense, says: 1T
appears that in 1863, when the present Sec
rotary took charge, the navy bore on its
register two hunCred vessels; thar by au-
thority OF law eight sloops of war
and two torpedo boats have been added |
thereto, and that by purchase, three more, !
TO wit: The Dispatch, the Rio Bravo ana |
the Sea Weed have also been added, max |
ing 2l6 vessels which should now appear |
on the register, but in fact, according to |
the secretary's last report. there are only |
l47 vessels, 60 tina: seventy one vessels have
disappeared, and counting up to the pres
ent time it is more because several vessels
have been sold since Decent Der last, and
have disappeared.
Your committee have therefore to report |
to the House the fact that the present Sec
Rotary of the Navy has expended in money
about SIG, 100000: has used or disposed of
the material OF more than seventy ships OF
war, besides other material: mas contracted
liabilities amounting to several millions of
dollars, and has to show az result navy
WHOSE condition is described in the testi.
nony of its chief officers, already quoted.
With their rapidly disappearing navy before
them, while they are painfully conscious of |
the amount of taxes which they have paid
for its support, the people may we'll
ask how these results have been brought
about. may we'll feel, that with the 2O3
vessels on hand when the present Secre-
tary assumed control of the Department,
and with the expenditure of $4,000 900 of |
heir money. since that time. the nation |
should now have navy in which it could
AXE pride; one adequate to the defense of |
ts commerce and its honor, and failing in
his, they may well inquire by what means
his great waste of their resources has o. !
urred, and exact of those who have had
harge of these interests faithful and rigid |
i
lemand that those officers, in the Ian ,
,uage of one of the popular platforms
f the day, "be punished with an unsparing !,
and" Believing, as has been intmated | :
q the testimony of the Admiral OF the
avy, that by wise and honest admins | ,
ration 100000 or S70,U00,000 of the | :
ums expended upon the navy during the | !.
ast eight years could have been saved; "
elieving that if, upon the other hand, the },
Inns expended had been wisely and econ !,
mically expended a navy could have been y
reated such as the country requires; !.
avy which would be now the pride of our .
eOple and the admiration, if not the | =
nvy, of other nations, as was once y
10 proud fact in the history of the
merican navy, and believing, further, | n
lat this immensen waste of the pub Y
, money and property has been lille :,
lilly if not criminally brought about,
our committee have now to submit to | :,
10 House the reasons upon which their | &c
Unions n this subject are based. =, :,
Then follow elaborate details under cap
,ns, "POlitics in the navy yards, Favor
SIN in contracts" brands and abuses" Vi
straw bids and the like" illegal pur- te
ases," Barter and exchange" "Corking L
counts" etc. "
The report concludes: "Whiie your COM W
ittee do not hesitate to recommend that &C
officers of the navy who have been con- dl
cted with any OF the frauds and corrup. ar
ms disclosed by this investigation shall
brought to speedy trial before court
artial, with view that, if upjustly 49,
arged, they may be indicated; and e
at, if guilty they may be speedily and o. .,
,orously punished. and the service re- al q,
we'd, yet they do find, in the case of III
3 Secretary, some embarrassment in re- ~
what shall be the measure A.
d manner of his punishment, arts o.
: from the present condition OF ~ ~
law, as viewed at least by g
portion Of your committee. The
W, IS it now exists, simply declares that
person shall be employed, or continued da
road 10 receive or pay money for the use IL
the naval service on foreign stations, Nj
ether under contrast or otherwise, who | ar
not been or shall not be appointed by
/ with the advice and consent of the Sen. at;
+. No punishment is fixed for violation da
this statute; SO in regard to the proyi-
rs of the laws requiring advertise
nts to be made: bonds TO be taken -,
filed; expenditures 10 be kept u
hin the limits of appropriations, "a
tracts and purchases to be in pursuance he
NV # 10 ipiu Of