Year: 1872

II


There is story, resting upon very good


authority, of local politician of some influ-
ence who was sent to one of the Navy I ards,
under the present Administration, with an


order for his appointment as foreman IN the


ordnance shops, in place of thoroughly


honest and efficient man who, unfortunately,


could not command aDybOdy's vote except his


own. The new conner, questioned by the OIL


Ger in command about his previous experience


in the technical and scientific duties of such a


place, replied that he didn't know anything
about ordnance " he had drove a hack" And
indeed, while Navy Yards are managed on the
present system, we see no reason why driving
a hack should not be as good school for the


wielder of AIDES and maker of rified cannon
in the Government establishments as any
other pursuit. A letter from the Kittery Navy


Yard published on Saturday explained the
process of manufacturing votes at that in
stitution, and at all the Yards the system is
about the same. In expectation OF the election,
the force of workmen is suddenly raised from
500 to 1000. The employees are selected with
due regard to their political principles, and no
regard at all to their capacity. Greeley men
and decided Grant men are both rejected.
The places are given to the hestating, brought
from all corners of the State to be converted
at So a day with proportiOnate rates for the
boss converts), and on the day of the election
good care is taken that they all vote accord
ing to orders.


How it is possible to find work for such a
large force, in time of profound naval mac
tivity, may puzzle the uninitiated. AS gen
10 ho coid bot tho Hn
work. They only vote and draw pay-occa-
sionally spelling a few timbers for the sake
of appearances. At Kittery it seems there is
an old unfinished frigate rotting ON the stocks,
and when politics are particularly lively few
hundred men are detailed to "repair the Hi
"nois." Under the stress of repeated cam
paigns this useless hulk, which never has
foated and never will float, has been entirely
rebuilt, and at present thirteen hundred men
are employed in tearing it to pieces, so that it
can be built over again in November.


Our readers will remember that the recent
Custom house Investigation showed a similar
state of things at the Navy-Yard in Brooklyn.
Places in that establishment Were filed and
emptied in accordance with the political neces-
sites of Mr.. Tom Murphy, and the last things
consulted by the appointing powers were the
needs of the naval service and the require
ments of the national treasury. That the
Administration means to get large vote out
of the Brooklyn Yard this year is perfectly
notorious, and every man in public life knows
just how it will be done. We published also
on Saturday part of a speech delivered in the
Senate last May by Mr.. Casserly, on the man
agement of Navy-Yard votes in California.
Mr.. Casserly showed the process by which the
workmen at Mare Island were compelled to
pay for their places by voting according to
orders, and the extraordinary precautions
adopted by the Administration to destroy the
secrecy of the ballot so as to be sure that the
laborers fulAlled their share of the compact.


Can any honest citizen read these stories
without blushing for the Administration
What is the suffrage worth if it can be bought
What security have we for the perpetuity of
our institutions if the men in power can use
the public money to organize gangs of voters |
two or three thousand in single town, and |
drive them to the polls like slaves, not to ex-
press their own wishes, but to deposit the |
ballots placed in their hands by their mastersf |
Is it wonderful that a President who holds |
this power should daily outrage public senti- |
ment and defy the public will 7 Is it strange
that when such use Is made of the peoples |
money even the strongest supporters Of the |