is investigation
proves the existence of glaring abuses in the Brooklyn navy yard,
and such as require the interposition of legislative reform; but
it is due to justice to declare that these abuses have been slowly
and gradually growing up during a long course of years, and that
no particular administration should bear the entire blame therefor.

"2. _Resolved_, That it is disclosed, by the testimony in this
case, that the agency for the purchase of anthracite coal for the
use of the navy has been, for some time past, in the hands of a
person wholly inefficient and grossly incompetent, and that reform
is needed in the regulations which exist on that subject; but there
is no proof which traces any knowledge of such inefficiency and
incompetency to the responsible authorities in Washington, nor any
which shows that the need of reform grows especially out of any
act of theirs; but, on the contrary, it is expressly proven that
the supply of coal for the naval service has been purchased during
this administration upon terms relatively as favorable as ever
heretofore.

"3. _Resolved_, That while we could never sanction or approve any
arrangement, on the part of an officer of the government, which,
under pretense of making contracts for supplies, was designed to
confer especial and exclusive favor upon individuals, yet, in the
contract entered into in September, 1858, between the navy department
and W. C. N. Swift, for the supply of live oak to said department,
it is clearly proven by the testimony that, if the Secretary of
the Navy did contemplate any favor to said Swift, he did not design
to bestow it to the detriment of the government, but that in all
he did in this matter he kept always in view the good of the public
and the interests of the service.

"4. _Resolved_, That in the letting of the contracts for the
construction of the steam machinery for the vessels of the navy
during the present administration, nothing has been shown which
calls for the interposition of the Congress of the United States;
but it is manifest that the present head of the navy department
has displayed a very laudable zeal to secure the greatest amount
of speed and efficiency attainable for said vessels.

"5. _Resolved_, That nothing has been proven in this investigation
which impeaches, in any way, the personal or official integrity of
the Secretary of the Navy."

The minority report was made by Ritchie and myself on the 24th of
Febru