Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-12-21
RoBEsoN's RAscALIry.
1I'e report of the Committee on Nnval Af-
1atrs on Hfs Conduct While x,s Office,

IRE Report of the Committee on Nnyal If.
J"srs on HE Conduct While 1s Office.
The committee on naval affairs has made an
Investigation Of the administration of ex-sec.
Rotary Robson, and in report which it will
shortly submit it says:
In discharge of their duty your committee
say that for the existing Indebtedness of the
navy department, and that for the unlawful
sale and disposition of large amounts Of valua-
bic property belonging to the naval service,
and the unlawful disposition of large sums of
the public money appropriated to the naval
service, George NJ. Robson, late secretary of
the navy; W. W. W. Wood, late chief
OF the bureau of steam engineering;
Isaiah Hanscom, late chief Of the bureau
Of construction and repair and James II.
Watmough, late chief of the bureau Of pro-
visions and clothing, are chiefly responsible
There are other agents of the government
whose conduct in the public service deserves to
be inquired into by the executive department
and they are Chief Engineers Stewart, Fithian
and Henderson, whose hasty examination of
evince avery high interest or regard for the
public service; and Pay Director Russell, as
here1nbefore referred IT,. and also the conduct
OF the late Paymaster General Bradford.
| Il IS claimed and urged that the abuses for
which these parties are arraigned existed with
extenuate their conduct or form +, excuse for
their action. 1t is replied by your committee
that it is not shown that any of their predeces-
sors involved their government in liabilities in
excess of appropriations reaching from So, OOO,-
goo to S7,OO0.000; and since the acts of 1872
cthese acts required all naval property that
could not be used advantageously in the SER
vice to be sold at public sale after public
notice by advertisement and prohibited anv
sale In any other way; also, that all money de-
rived from sale of old material by such public
Gale, should be covered into the treasury, aud
not De used Tor the navy until specially appro-
priated by Congress therefor) these and but
these parties (those arraigned in the report)
have been in power. 1t is not shown that
under any former administration of the gov
eminent, nor can 1t be- that SO large an amount
or public property has been disposed Of at
private sale and by barter and exchange, and
the proceeds applied without the authority of
law, nor at any time under any government
claiming the protection of law such an utter
disregard of its authority.
Therefore, in the opinion of your committee,
that the law may be indicated and resp ect for
Its mandates maintained, it is the duty Of the
Hon.e to mark its condemna ton of the illegal
practices of these former officers of the navy
department. and to recommend to the execu-
tive department of the government the arraign-
ment and trial of the parties herein named
before the naval and criminal tribunals of the
couhtry, 10 Tue emu LnaI. IL upon such trial
they are found guilty they may be punished.
and accordingly your committee submit for
the favorable consideration Of the House the
following resolutions: -
Resolye0, That the acts ard conduct of the
late secretary of the navy, George NJ. Robson;
of the late chiefs of the bureaus of steam
engineering, construction and repair and pro-
visions and clothing, in the sale and disposition
OF public property, in their method of |
making contracts, and in involving
the government in indebtedness |
over and beyond the appropriations NJ AIDE by /
Congress for the support of the navy, deserve |
and should receive the seyerest censure and con-
demnation, and that. in addition thereto, said |
parties, as we'll as all others aiding aud abetting
therein, should be punished to the extent of |
the law.
Resol,ed, further, Thatit shall be the duty of
the clerk of the House of Representatives to |
deliver certifi copies of the testimony taken
before the committees on naval aft airs and ma
val expenditures of the House to the President
Of the United States and the attorney general.
with the recommendation of this House that
the parties shown by this testimony to have
violated the law, and especially in regard to
the unlawful sale and disposition of public
and money. shall be tried and pun
lshed as prescribed by law.