The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-05-16

VIVA, Washington Correspondents Learn
VIII There or VIII There Not De an ~"

This from A., Washington special to the
Baltimore Sun Is another chapter III p.~on
dori's complaint: The letters wnic" IN
Representative Dezendorf, oil NlrG''l'', nss
written TO the President, several nienlo ,',,
OF the Cabinet. and Mr.. Eaton, OF theNNIr
Service Commission, alleging improve
use Of the Federal patronage IN tne lii'e,
rest Of General Malone and violations OF
the ciyil-service laws, will not, II Is sup
posed, elicit any formal official rephes OF
action. IL seems somewhat singihr TIA.
at this very timc-and, indeed, ior soihe
time past-friends OF the Readluster cause
in Virginia have complained that tne Au-
ministration was not doing enough ior zen.
Malone. IL may be that the feadlusers
expect too much, because no otner Nirginii
politician appears to have any influence Oh
consequence In the distribution OF Ihe
Federal patronage in that state. The Pre-
sideut l. said to be very sensitive to crlti-
cism. hut in this matter his reputation for
sensitiyeness is not sustained. for he, to all
outward Appearances, Is entirely lnsenslOle
to the structures passed upon his a'liahcc
with Malone by almost, without eXcep-
ton, every reputable journal OF Ms OWL
party. The plantiye wall OF Mr. DeZeh-
dorf over the fact that men IN virginia VINO
voted for Garfield and Arthur are pro-
scribed and denounced, while men VINO
voted for Hancock and English are honored
bv the Federal Administration ana invested
with power and patronage, is most aiect-
ing. ,,..,.;r.
ton correspondent says: While certain
subordinate officials in the departments
show disposition to snecr Mt the charges
made by eX-Congrcssman DeZendorI, there
Is reason TO believe that there will be an
investigation. Some OF General Mahone's
warrest supporters in Washington have
been so indiscrect rs to justify the acts
which, it is alleged, have been done ut
Norfolk. and have thereby indirectly cor
roborated Mr.. Dezendorl's statements.
Nobody can truthfuly say that his
charges were not explicit. For example,
he asserts that more than 100000 has
been expended in repairs on the ron tug
Pmta. and that she Is now unfit for the
service expected OF her. The last assertion
has already been officially admitted by the
Navy Department, from which an order has
lust issued, putting the Pinta out OF comniis-
sion. The records OF the Department show
that S22, 900 had been expended on the
Pinta's machinery up TO the middle
of November last. Mr. DezendOrf asserts
that the naval constructor has spent more
than so, goo for repairs on the same tug,
and the Bureau OF Equipment $4,000,
making a total OF 100000. He also As
scrts that a bureau chief in the Navy De
partment informed him that better vessel
than the Pinta now is, fully equipped for a
VOYAGE around Cape Horn. could be
bought for less than $4,000.
The charges relating to the Pinta appear
TO be sufficiently explicit. So also docs
the charge that political assessment
under the guse Of .'voluntary cOntribu-
ton has been levied, and is being
eXacted from Government employees in the
Norfolk navy-yard, custom-house. and
post-oilice by Senator Mahone's political
managers. Mr. Dczendorf asserts that the
navy-yard assessment j. managed by one
Thomas NJ. Hodges. and Is TO be collected
by him on May 18th on "slips' signed by
all the navy-yard employees.
One OF General AIahone's indiScreet
friends suggested to-day that this is yiO-
latIon OF no law because the ciyil-scryice
act does not become operative until July
10Th. The same person declared that
.'this Administration j. committed to the
support OF MahOne," but h. may be mis-
taken in thinking the President or any
member CT his Cabinet is 20 fully "com-
mitted" that be viii wink at violation OF
law or attempt to exercise it on 80 ilimsy a
prctcXt rs that mentioned.