Year: 1872

Apropos of the recent violent at
taeks of the New York San upon Sec
retary Robson, and the steps taken
by the House of Representatives to
have the matter investigated, Harper's
Weekly has this to say:


At time when charges of official
corruption are SO rife upon every hand,
and Investigations of every kind are
proceeding, the paper submitted by
the Secretary of the Navy to the COM
mittee of the House appointed to in
quire into certain charges against him
is well worth serious attention. In
series of articles in o New York paper
the Secretary had been denounced in
the strongest terms as q robber and
swindler. At the SecretaFy's request
the House ordered an investigation Of
the charges, and appointed commit
tee for that purpose. But the reso-
luton was drawn in remarkable
manner. The committee was author
lied not only to investigate the spe-
citic Irregularities charged, but :" to
inquire generally into the affairs of
the Navy Department during the in
cumbency of the present Secretary"
The committee invited the editor of
the paper which had made the charges
to appear before them. He appeared
with counsel, and the committee, with
out requiring him to begin by proving
the distinct accusations which had
been made, empowered him to sum
mon such witnesses as he chose, and
examine them with reference to any
Irregularities whatever in the conduct
| of the Navy Department.


1t was certainly an extraordinary
action. Charges are made against the
Secretary of the Navy; the author IS
summoned to substantiate them and
instead of requiring that he shall do
this, the committee constitute him the
public prosecutorOf the Executive of
| the Government of the United Statess
sustained by all the power and author
| ity of the House. That is to say, that
any body who chooses to make any
kind of accusation against a public Of
ficer, instead of being compelled by
Congress to prove the allegations, and
to state the degree of personal knoWt-
edge that he may have of the particu-
lar offences charged, may be delegated
by Congress to use its authority to
discover if there may not be other IT.
regularities which have not been
charged, and which might serve as
grounds of impeachment. Under such
q practice it would only be necessary for
the most irresponsibleperso to make
| the faIsest and most odious charges,
and the House, by its committee, would
/ at once cluthe him with adj it's powers
and prerogatiyes to proceed against q
Secretary as If he were a suspected
criminal or felon.


In any view of the case, what pos
lsible reason could there be for order
ing a general Investigation into tho
management of department except
that particular charges against Its
head had been proved9 I And II such
an investigation were desirable, ought
any individual, however respectable,
whose only relation to the affair Is
that he has made unproven charges,
tn he constituted for that reason the
prosecuting agentf The Secretary OF
the Navy insisted, but in the most re-
spectful manner, that he ought first to


be allowed to meet the personal accu-


sations against him, and that this IN


ouiry should have absolute precedence


of the other. After hearing the Sec


retary's clear and conclusive slate


ment, the eommitte construed their


own resolution of permission to tho


ad;tor +o anpear with counsel and to
examine witnesses as extending only


to evidence sustaining the speeitic,


charges made. It is fortunate tn that
the original action of the committee !,


was modified, for it is evident that the


business of the government would :. be
very seriously perplexcd If It were Il
! able to hostile exposure and inyesti'


CATION by every body who is wiling;
Justly or unjustly, to accuse its chie1
, officers. But there still remains tht


question why such an extraordinary
: resolution was adopted.