The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-08-08
COMMUNICATIONS.
roa rus MApBoslAs.
THE NAVY.


continued in that Of the I'd, under the bead oil M
Secretary Diekerson and the Mary" there appeared
an article containing one of The most wanion, IN
warraniable and cod-blooded assaults upo6 the Ma
Wy that could possibly be penned.
The discipline and character Of the Navy are
stated in that article TO be at very low ebb'" de-
fects exist" In the Navy, which, If not speedily
eradicalcd will lose Ii the affection Of the nation,
and also make Il the scorn and contempt OF the
world" "We believe that there is io,1i want OF
esprit dn eorps"-"a mean and piiful jealousy per-
yades all classes Of officers" " II Qhe Navy con-
tains within itself the seeds Of its moraliy or
fi exists at all must dwndIe ou life of contempt
and insgnifcance." This is the language in part
of The article.
In these extracts there is contained sweeping de-
nunciatons against the Navy and all It's officers
without exception and, without any qualification
whatever.
The article asserts that in many instances there
is disposition " to skalk from service" that an
alarming epidemic RACES among the officers which
can only be cured by a soourn Of month or two at
the White Sulphur Springs" To some Of themihe
term "lasy louts" is applied, and then the writer Of
the article asserts:
"Wilh such spirit, or rather absence Of all sPi-
rit, deeply rooted and daily gaining ground In the
service, neither Mr.. DicKERsos nor any other man
living can bring back the Navy to the high water
mark OF glory, where it once foaled the admiration
Of the world. II is impossible TO make heroes out OF
men who adopt the maxims and principles OF cob
blers and tinkers."
Who is he that thus ventures 10 condemn BY
wholesale that branch of our nations defence, TO
which the whole people look with pride and graft
udel Who ventures TO sligmatize men who have
devoted their whole lives to the service of their
country; have poured out their best blood in its de-
fence men whom the nation delights to honor
While the articles appear edtorialy in the Off
cial organ moments reflection will satisfy any one
that the conductor Of that paper would never have
ventured on the responsibility Of making such an
assault on the Navy on his own motion. In fact the
whole Of the two articles bear the stamp Of aItaor
ty and the impress of o6cial.
In my opinion there can be no mistake in attri-
butng the authorship of the articles to the SECRETARY
OF THE Navy HIMSELF. That they must have been
either written by him or sanctioned by him, is to my
mind clear
II il shall be asked what could have been his OBJ
ject, will answer-To degrade the service, and de-
cry the character and discipline Of its officers 10 the
lowest possible ebb, entering on the duty OF the
station he has just been placed in; that he may some
two or three years hence. come forward and claim
the credit of having, by his course Of measures
stored il TO the highest standing it ever had and in
lroduced discipline, order, and regularity.
II will naturally be said, that no high-minded and
honorable man could stoopso low to be guilty of
| such mean device 10 elevate himself. answer
tha, the individual who could be guilty of making
the allegations against the Navy and its offices which
have quoted, could be mean enough TO do any
thing to advance and CRAFTY his ambitious feeling.
Who is the Secretary of the Navy Some years
ago he was clark TO the Navy Commissioners as
understand Then he was appointed Navy Agent at
New York, where he continued many years; and
from thence was transferred u the elevated situation
he now fills. Why, such transposition from SO
humble station TO one so exalted, is enough TO turn
the brain of a man not strongly mentally endowed.
There are but few who could bear i without having
their feelings operated on by the change; and more
particularly, ifthey had rendered no service whate-
yer 10 give them claim TO the honor conferred on
them.
The question has often been asked, what led to
the appointment Of the present Secretary Of the
Navy No one can answer. No one knows of any
service he has rendered his country the contrary,
he has been bietcd upon his country, drawing his
livelihood from the public purse. 1t is true, he has
been known somewhat, in the literary world, as
penny -a-iinc icritcr.
That the Secretary is raised somewhat above him.
SELF and takes airs upon himself which he will find
to be somewhat repugnant to the feelings of Ameri
can trecmcn have good to believe. A friend
Of mine who has rendered the State more service,
and has done more for the party,than the Secretary
ever has or can do for either, were he TO live to
the age of Methusalah know, was short time
since treated by the Secretary in a most cavalier
| and ungentlemanly manner. He made application
| in behalf Of the poor widow Of an officer, whose
only legacy bequeathed to her by him, was the mu-
niicence Of his country, half Of the pay he
entitled to draw at the time of his decease. Upon
some forced construction OF the law, but against It's
rery letter. the Secretary decided that he could allow
| her only two thirds Of what she claimed The gen.
tleman, acting for her, very mildly remarked, that it
appeared TO him that the law carried very differ
ent Interpretation and so all had said with whom he
had conversed respecting it and proposed 10 refer
| the matter to the Attorney General to examine the
laws and give his opinion. This reasonable and just
proposition Casually acquiesced in in like casey the
Secretary ofthe Navy refused, and reposing on his
dignity replied In substance, my ipse di1s is supe-
rior to all law, and If you not satisfied with IT,
you may take your own course" So the poor wi
dow Is len TO go TO Congress 10 get that, which had
been awarded by his country TO her husband for a
long period of arduous service which an arbitrary
Secretary Of the Navy has withheld from her.
II seems, then, that il any officer shall feel him.
self aggrieved by any decision the Secretary may
make though of an unjust and arbitraru character r,
he is TO be precluded from coming TO Washiu gton
and appealing to his superiors for redress for says
the Globe I've sincerely hope that if the new
Secretary Of the Navy catches any officer campaign
ing al Washington IN this manner, he will kidnap
the gentleman forthwith, and employ him in some