The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-01-14

ton Of the Secretary himself should be directed
toa general superintendent of the various sub
departments proposed that the heads Of them
shall be amenable TO him--and that he should
exercise an appellate jurisdiction over them;
that he should direct what forces shall be EN-
ployed, and where they shall cruise; that he
should give instructions 10 our Commanders
abroad order courts martial and revise their pro-
ceedings; and be responsible for the great manage
ment Of the Navy. II is proposed that the style
and title Of this under Secretary be that of Com
missioner of the Navy; that his department be
constituted, like the rest, into separate Office or
Bureau and that, being next TO the Office of Sc
cretary, the Bureau Of Commissioner take pre-
cedence over all the others; which have been
named without any regard to the order in which
they should stand
Within the last twelve years there have been
four citizens called at different times to fill the
offce OF Secretary Of the Navy. This has given
US, on an average, new Secretary at the end
OF every three years. Within this time il is i'm
possible that any one of them could have formed
proper estimate of the professional merits OF
officers, more than a thousand in number. Al
though the archives of the Department contain,
for the most part, just account Of the peculiar
qualifications and capabilities of every officer,
they are Of but little avail to the new Secretary
for the brief time of his official career if devoted
to nothing else, would not suffice for overhauling
the musty records of the Department, in order to
get at the character and standing Of officers.
Therefore, whenever a change of Secretaries
takes place, the officers, especially the junior,
feel that their peculiar good name, as far as the
Navy Department is concerned, is blotted out
and forgotten. The Secretary knows nothing of
past services, and every officer has to commence,
as it were, his career anew. You know the
oh ehuroc ar.stsos IF tr.,a n,A IF Ent.t
merit. Your officer oftrue merit thrusts not him
self forward, but delights TO be sought out. Your
man OF mere pretensons is forward; he delights
TO be made conspicuous, and is loudest in his own
Communications. Under the present system,
when new Secretary comes into office, those
OF the latter order are most apt to crowd around
him, seeking to ingratiate themselves in his ia
vor. For this they are often pushed forward.
Hence II il re find the claims Of real merit mo-
destly set h, so often thrust aside in the Ma
Wy, and III. most honorable posts anG important
service confded and entrusted to those, whose
want Of qualifications many time totally units
them for such trusts. Such circumstances have
given rise to the remark which has become SO
common, and to the truth Of which most officers
will subscribe, viz: ga cruise of few months
in Washington tells more than three years
cruise at sea sea in an officers favor" In this
condition Of things we have found one or two
spirits among us base enough to stoop to acts Of
sycophancv and adulation-and we have even
seen such coming forth crowned with Naval no
nors, and commended with the official swell
done" Now, the details of the Office Of Secre-
tary, conducted in the manner proposed, would
put an end to all such scenes and acts. A change
OF Secretary would not be followed by change
Of Commissioners. And if it were, another Post
Captain would succeed to the office, who, hav-
ing spent his life in the Navy, would be, ex-offi-
clio, as well acquainted as his predecessor with
the character and standing of his brother officers
Had the modification proposed of the Secretary's
duties no other recommendation but this, it
would of itself justify the change. For one
source Of the present dissatisfaction in the Navy
is owing to the circumstance, that merit among
officers so seldom meets with its just reward but
Is rather made to give place to pretenson.
In adopting this system of Bureaux, every Of
Ger in the line Of promotion would look forward
to the day when he should himself preside at the
head Of some one ofthem. Therefore, as well from
motives Of economy as for the sake of making
officers familiar with the details of the SYSTEM it
is proposed that the clerks duties of the Post
Captains Bureaux be performed by Navy officers.
The chief assistant of each Bureaux should be
a Commander, who, in case of sickness, or
temporary absence Of the chief officer, might
supply his place and act in his stead. The sub
ordinate officers should be relieved at eastonce
in three years. It's necessary TO maintain more
officers in the Navy than are barely sufficient 10
perform the service connected with it in peace
Therefore, the duty of these Bureaux if con-
Quoted by Navy officers, in the manner proposed,
would afford them useful and honorable employ
ment, and would not be attended with the ad-
ditional cost of single dollar--for with or with
out Bureaux, those officers would receive their
regular salaries.
The taper is lighted and the wax is in my
hand, but before proceed to close up the
"Lucky-Bag" forever, and to seal it, allow me,
Mr.. Editor, to thank you for your kindness, and
your readers foi their attention. Permit me also
TO say to those of my brother officers, who Gf
there be SUCH may feel that any of the foregoing
statements bear hardly upon them, that have
sought