The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-11-25
RoBEsoN, THE NAVY PLUNDERER'

robson, THE NAN1 ILONDTnH"
Robson, of New Jersey, who was
Grants Secretary of the Navy, has been
a successful plunderer. He was investi-
gated by . Congressional Committee, and
it appear d he was poor prior to and at
the time L 3 was appointed Secretary of
War, and in le IS than a year he had ac-
counts at thre, banks with half mil
lion of dollars or so, on deposit.
Annually during his eight years of
administration, Congress voted millions
to build good government vessels, but
never got them. The contracts were
given to plundering rings and the profits
were divided,
Robson is member of Congress from
New Jersey, and it seems, is trying 10
steal that State for Garfield. The New
York World, of the 18th, had the follow
ing
We invite the attention of business
men" who 60 in fear of their lives at the
least hint that fraud in New York may
possibly be found to vitiate the choice in
New York of Republican electors, to the
fact that a somewhat notorious eX-SeCre-
tary of the Navy, Mr.. George Robson, is
busily engaged just now in promoting
a readiustment of the election returns in
New Jersey with an eye to securing its
electoralvote for General Garfield. If
this be lawful in New Jersey why should
similar process be unlawful in New
York or in Indiana? Mr.. Robeson's at
tempt to hocus-pocus New Jersey is an
act of personal gratitude to General Gar
field, who did more than any Congress-
man in January, 1878, to stiae pending
investigation into the conduct of the
Naval Department by Mr.. Robson. The
CONGRESSIONAL Globe on December Is, 1877,
and Oh January II, 1878, showed that
General Gafeld on the first day tilibus-
tered and on the second day voted
against getting out the reportupon Robe
sons department, and at the close of the
session he was one of those who voted
against and aided in preventing a debate
upon the report after it had been pre-
sented. This was the report which,
among other things, unearthed the tale
of the Baring-Jay Cooke operation from
the cellars of the Navy Department,
where the story lay hidden away amid
the tons of old matter which incumber
the building used by that department,
the investigation Of which, according TO
the Tribune and the Times, would require
years. 1t will be remembered that from
President Madison's time to our own
days the naval account of the United
States abroad had always been lodged
with the Barings. whose worldwide
credit had always been at the command
of our officers. Secretary Robson with
drew it in 1871 from them and gave it to
the London house of Jay Cooke & Co.-an
arrangement which subsequently cost the
Government the use Of a million Of dol
lars and almost cost it the whole of the
principal. The reasons for this appeared
in a copy of letter which Secretary
Robson had addressed to Wall street
friend, which copy the investigating COM
mittee readily discovered. In that letter,
as reported by tile committee, of which
the vigilant Mr.. Whitthorne, of Tennes-
see, was Chairman, appeared the follow
lowing passage:
"This account l transferred about the
first of the present month to Jay Cookies
house abroad. This l did for the broad
est political as we'll as financial reasons,
looking to the good of the service abroad
as well as strengthening the party and
Administration at home. The house of
Jay Cooke & Co. has, as you know, large
and extended interests and influence
throughout the country. Their connec-
ton and influence with the National
banks; with the Pennsylvania Railroad,
which controls the State of Pennsylva-
mia, and which, absorbing the Camden
and Amboy Railroad, now controls New
Jersey, and stretches from its western
terminus across many Of the Western
States far towards the Pacific their in
terests in the Northern Pacific, and their
general interest in the country, make
them very powerful friends when ac-
lively interested in the success of the
Administration, and dangerous enemies,
in vital localities, when Indifferent or
unfriendly."
In 1880, as in 1871, Mr.. Robson and
General Garfield are laboring after their
kind "tO strengthen the party" by con-
ciliating and serving houses of large
and extended influence throughout the
country"