The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-02-05

conclusion follows from the premises ieoolieet once
OF hearing young lawyer defending client who had
happened TO have been soldier al bunker H and the
young man went on TO give very glowing description
OF The Bunker Hill battle The justice listened 10 II very
patiently but says he young man, do not exactly
under stand what you are alter" 81 want continuation
OF this case" said the young lawyer. "We, why don't
you say So" said the Judge think the conclusion and
The premises further apart in that than they
in this. What is the use, If have thirly-eighl
captains waiting orders, OF putting them into retiracy.
aud filling up their places with thirty eight more when
ii wanted the services of these we could not have
them The honorable senator does not TO say
that these thirty EIGHT captains are inefficient that they
are DID, and therefore unable 10 do thing for the fact
Is he Will look at the he will see that OF the
Oldest oil them are active duty, and that il is the
old, saperannualed officers that waiting orders |
believe Commodore Morris is the Oldest officer in the
navy with the exception of Commodore Stuart and he
s one that Is IN active service Ii is not the old
MAI are lying by officers that lying by doing
so because there nothing Tor them to do They put
on bureau duty, and in the navy yard and the fact
the young men IN the navy pressing and calling
gently Tor employment, and there is no employment Tor
them, because the ranks OF the officers OF the navy
already full that there is not enough for them TO do
Aud so far as the bill is concerned affords not the least
relief on earth because when you have removed those
ofhcers who are incompetent to the performance OF
duty through age inhrmty, or inefhciency OF any
sort, you fill up the ranks. and in tina, way you in
crease at least fifty per cent the number Of slose
ond sght-by what mesmeric communication or by
what reveation--the honorable senator from Florida
[Mr. MALLORY is enabled to tell just exactly how many
will be put the retired and the furloughed list
and just exactly what number-aye sir, what number
for he goes to The unit OF seyenteenae TO be left in
such situation, confess myself utterly al loss to i'm
agine. Why, sir, would not have believed that any
thing short OF onnscience could have revealed it, He
know it, Ii he does, there has been agency at
work to frame this bill with view to results which
makes me look Jpn il with suspicion that would not
have entertained had il not been Tor such suggestion
that which the honorable senator from Florida has made
do not know anything about but | do know that
ever since have been member OF Congress, in this and
The other House, the navy register has shown something
like half OF these officers ii moi who have nothing in
the world to do And the Secretary OF the navy has
commended 10 us to build some ships, not because Caor
MIA wanted be defended because the defence of
the country required not because the Interests Of COM
wanted it. but in order TO give these young officers
something TO do That is IT, Well, Suppose you go on
and build some ships, and you do not happen TO b ex
acily rights you build two or three ships more What
is the next thing The next thing is the Secretary Of
the Navy will come TO you and say he wants more
young officers TO take Of these Ships and then,
they do not tally exactly right, he will
| ships TO fill them with surplus officers.
Now, think the suggestion OF the senator from Vr-
GINA MIR. HuNTER is highly practicable one; and that
suggested that is great deal easier to add thun is
diminish If you diminish your navy officers by this
amendment-this little word active, and do not be-
lievc the word ever had more activity than in this
you insert that word as an amendment IN this clause,
just quickly magician changes the face OF things
avs be- TO
fifty per cent And, Mr. Presidents the childrens chill
dren of ihemen who st here will never see il reduced
1
navy, but You never diminish ii.
appears TO me- therefore, that the part OF prudence
would be TO begin with this system-which Is novel
in this counryhis retired list. upon the present
basis of officers that have got and let then
how operates; let us how many OF these old fogies
the senator from Michigan Mr. CAssl will pardon me-
do not mean anything personal-how many of these old
oges need 10 be sci asde and their places supplied by
young Americans That is going far enough now and If
turns out that we get nd Of so many OF them that there
acqualy requires TO be increase OF their numbers, il
will be time enough to do it The honorable senator
from New Jersey Mr.. STocKToNl is progressiyeemi-
nently SO, highly SOL but, SIR think he is little
progressive for this progressive There such thing
as making progress too last And sir he need not be
worried about there being ways and means OF disposng
TO this government and think that as we are going
will find ways enough to dispose Of the surplus
nue., if that is what he wants, without increasing this
corps of the navy.
| Mr. President, dsavow now and forever, any hostility
to the navy, except TO say, that think that in great
is entirely useless-a great part OF It, And as
am up, and as do not know that shall ever speak on
the subject again, will tell you what your policy
now. Dlsband the whole of your navy-the whole of
turn out every officer that is in commission cell out
every navy yard and dockyard that you have go and
when you want ship contract for have built
merchant does, aud you will ge, a vastly better
than you get under the present system You will
then have steamers that you build 10 TO japan that
cannot make their way down 10 Norfolk before their
boilers give out You will not have anything of In at
when you build your ships by contract merchants
do and when you want men TO command and work your
ships, do sagacous merchants do-go into the market
where to be obtained whose business il Bavi-
gate shipsand then you get intelligent active,
as energetic and as businesske men TO command your
ships ot.war the nercban OF the United States
have to command their vessels That you have got
now. Your system is all wrong-the whole of IT, But
do not expect 10 remedy it. 1t is too late is of
the abuses that have down 10 from other days,
other times, and other nations. II is part OF the system
which have inherited from British ancestry. II is
all wrong but do not propose TO amend it, because
that the attempt is useless, utterly useless at this
present time am willing 10 take the thing is and
il is to do the hes, that be done with H. | am
willing, have got these officers now, 10 do by them
everything that is fair and honorable and generous and
just but SIR do not want to increase the number
do not want when we have not got work for half that
we now have, TO increase the number still further, so
that we shall have still further to pay for whom
have nothing to do.
Now, sir ii the Senate understand what the effect OF
this amendment will be-and believe they do-and if
they ready to 90 home and tell their constituents tat
the aspect OF the world is threatening that the teors
and horrors OF war impending and so imminent,
that they thought IT necessary at this period 10 increase
the number Of officers in the navy OF the country the
manner which this bill proposes, | content as
anybody. My people well bear increase of
the burdens of this taxation those OF any other part Of
the country, and willingly They have been habit
uaed 10 il long But sir, believing that it is entirely
useless that ii is uncaed for and that 1t is improvdent,
will content myself with asking for the yeas and nays
upon this question and II the Senate by the vote which