Year: 1876

The decentralization of the times and
the government is forcibly illustrated in
the case of Mr.. Robenson, Secretary of
the Navy. The House of Representatives
only failed to impeach him for want of
time; for, in view of the approaching
elections and the hot weather, there was
no possibility of holding Congress to-
gether long enough to complete proceed
ings against him, or indeed for any other
purpose whatever. The searching, Wig
orous and truthful report of the majority
of the Naval Committee exhibited scores
of breaches fthe law and maladministra-
tions sufficient to sustain an impeach-
ment twenty times over. For various
reasons, however, this report was turned
over to the Judiciary Committee to report
upon at the next session. Robson con-
sidered the delay a triumph, and it was
boldly proclaimed far and near through
the press that the committee had failed to
find anything against the Secretary. The
House of Representatives, however on a
report from another committee, that on
Expenditures of the Navy Department,
passed a resolution of censure on the Sc
cretary, and demand on the President
to dismiss Naval Constructor Hanscom.
This was solemn act of one of the
houses of Congress, certified, with the eyi-
Idence in the case under the seal of the
Speaker of the House of Representatives
to the President of the United States. We
have heard of no action in the premises
by the President, although we remember
the avidity with which another resolution
of the House was seized upon and imme-
liafa action FOL n 70 canIipnr
troops to the South.


A few years ago itwould have been i'm
possible for Cabinet Minister to remain
in office under the ban of a resolution of
censure of the House of Representatives,
and impossible for one to exercise his
functions with such damning report
hanging over his head as that now hang
ing over the head of Robeson. 1t seems,
however, in these days, that the actual
conviction of crimes, formally and tech
nically, is requisite to render Cabinet
officer unfit to occupy his place. 1t does
not seem that total disregard of law, mis-
use of appropriations, contract brokerage
or that "cunning contrivance called Cat
tellism," sufficiently taints Mr.. Robson
to make it impossible for him to preside
over branch of the public service the
members of which are distinguished for
their probity and honor. With all these
blots upon his good name he is still per-
mitted to wreck his vengeance and deal
damnation upon the heads Of the tried
and faithful veterans of the navy. He
has, under false pretences, cut down their
pay and ostracized all those who refused
to conceal the actual abuses in the navy
and its true condition. A large portion OF
the appropriation intended to pay the Of
ficers and men of the navy for the present


fiscal year has been used to satisfy the de-


mands Of previous years and to conceal


this, ard for purposes of revenge, he has


resolted to the filrlough orders. On the
assembling of Congress this will no doubt


be investigated, and the law, under cover
of which, although by forced construc-
ton, he has done this wrong, must be re-
pealed. The right, the subsistence of our
officers and their families, must not be
left to the mercy of a Robeson.


We advise the President to suspend
Mr.. Robson until the House of Repre-
sentatives has decided whether to impeach
him or not. With Belknap as prece-
dent it would be hazardous to accept his
resignation, even if offered, which is not
probable, as his moral perceptions seem
TO be too Obtuse to understand his own
situation. 1t would be well also to re-
move those chiefs of bureaus who have
had money transaction with contractors
or who have received gifts or benefits
from them.-N. y. Herald,