Year: 1879




document to print After that long and tedious in
vestgation the minority reported a resolution
That no fraud corruption wilful violation of the
law has been shown or appears to have been commit
charge OF the duties of the Secretary OF the Navy
and we find no fault with his conduct in the admin
istraton of the Navy Department


The majority. however, presented resolution
which adopted by the House. referring the whole
legal question TO the Judiciary COMMITTEE TO exam
inc. and if they found ground for doing report ar
ticles of impeachment against Secretary Robeson Or
IL not impeachabe. to recommend any additional
legislation that might be necessary. The Judiciary
Committee at the next session, adopted resolution
that fraud corruption wilfu violation of law
shown. and having reached that conclusion took
no further action.


Notwithstanding this substantial vndication of
Secretary Robson in the Fortyfourh Congress the
Committee Naval Affairs in the present Congress
have gone the ground. and. as result. the
evidence taken again utterly fails to establish single
allegation fraud corruption wilful violation of
NV. The minority says:-


In the light of the facts clearly affirm that the
administration Of Mr.. Robson rs Secretary of the
Navy, far the cv dcnce discloses s not soiled
with q single act of fraud or personal corruption.
The minority then take up and review each charge
made. and the evidence in support and rebuttal OF
the same reach the conclusion that the charges





case.


In relation to the exchange Of old material for
and its application in discharge of contracts for work
done on the double turretted monitors 1t is claimed
to have been shown by the evidence that such
disposition OF the property was highly advan-
tageous to the government. The question re-
mains, however. Has section 1.s4l Of the Re
vised Statutes been wilfully violated
claimed That section authorizes and directs
the Secretary to sell at public sale such ships and
material ''as cannot in his judgment be advanta-
geousiy used" What then was an advantageous
of old material? Not pound Of old material ought
to be sold that could be advantagcousy other
wise used in the navy The minority, after carefully
going the ground reach the conclusion that the
use made of the old material was according
to the letter and the spirit Of the law,
and of the soundcst business principles and 'an ad-
ysntageous use of old material" Tho matter is,
happily free from any question OF fraud personal
corruption There is not the slightest evidence that
the old material disposed Of corrupty for less
than its fair market value.


The minority fully concur in the opinion adopted
by the Secretary of the Navy md sanctioned by the
Appropriation COMMITTEES OF the House. Admit
ting, for the sake Of argument, and denying for
all other purposes. that the construction given
the law was mistaken one, they are





be reasonably claimed that there any wilful
wrong about the matter which ought to be
made the basis of any legal proceedings. The de-
partment was bound to execute the laws and was,
therefore, in the absence of any judicial opinion OF
binding authority. compelled to construo its mean
ing and having done so in good faith, with
lawful purpose or interest. with cautious inquiry
and careful consideration and with the assistance Of
the opinions of intelligent and experienced men, also
acting in good faith and with only the purest nten-
tons it seems idle at this late day to attempt to dis
tort it into an unlawful and criminal offence.


After noticing in detail the specific charges Of
wrongdoing and violation Of law the part of the
late Secretary of the Navy and chiefs Of bureaus,
which the majority pretend to have found evidence
to sustain. the minority pauses to call attention to
certain statements made in the majority report of
sensational character" They say


We believe the statements to be pcrversion of the
truth and unworthy Of committee Of this House
claiming to be governed by o desire to do exact
conclusions and assert and' propose to show that
they have whether Intentionally otherwise. and
whether compelled by all overmastering desire to
censure and condemn or otherwise, misstated the
facts which their conclusions are supposed to
sations Of crime made against high public ofhcor


nd ready credencc in willing ears and too often
vince honest men who have not the means Of testing
them by the facts and because OF the respectabity
| of the source from which they emannte.
The accusations it is asserted. have been made by
the committee, and industrious has been taken
by the chairman to give them circulation through
the press. The majority report has not been printed
and the minority have not had it in their posses
sion and have only heard read with lightning
rapdity and cannot therefore quote its precise
language They. however adopt the language
Of faithful abstract Of 1t made by Its
author and published in the New York press.
They notice il there stated that $1s2 496 0s3
appropriated during the eight years Of Mr.. Robeson
management for the navy. The official figures show
the total appropriations were e1s941s.ls7 and the
total expenditures sl55. .5645c0 Tho object Of pre-
senting these figures they say is manfestly to lay
the foundation for the inference that large
pcnditure should have given greater number Of ef-
cicnt ships Of Whether such an inference can
be drawn will be shown by IN analysis Of this great
| total OF il there went for:-


| Pay Of officers and men, the Marine
corps and Naval Academy. $73. go 561 ~
For yards and docks 1878 66l %
Equipment and recruiting. 1888 s0s 05