The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-12-31

DC nearly hse Thousand Oh these poor Creatures living but
The dhcsiy Will be 10 discover them. Such wondrous
meiamorphoses take place IN this island that II will be
found that nineteen out OF every twenty oil the negroes
Imported between the abovenamed years represent
ed to be dead, while the twentieth will be est nuens.
the lawyers say The truth 49, that this act has been
done quiet the anxislies Of the British and other abo
htionsts. VIII, however, prove most paIfable job.
Prom Springfield Republican.
Caimle Review OF the Armory Question The
late Commission.
AS the subject OF the management OF the national
moIies has recently excited considerable attention. and
the true merits OF the question seem to have been lost
sight Of in private feeling and self-nteres IL may be
WELL for the information OF those who really desire 10
understand the question, to give succinct and uDPeJu-
diced account OF IL embracing facts only, and excluding
all feeling for against either system OF superntend.
ence," az il is called.
1t is be supposed that the only interest which the
majority OF the people take IN the question IS, to
have The armoes OF The nation kept under the best sys-
TEN OF snperntendence, by whatever name It may be
called This consideration seems TO have been over
looked in The discussions and Investigations OF ar
mory matters, instead OF which mems peculiar views, as
derived from their vacations, passions or interests have
been applied both for regulating their inquiries and reach
ing their conclusions inns has been exemphed IN tue
of procedure OF the late board OF commissioners,
as the published account OF their proceedings and the
reports they said to have made fully prove An m.
biased examination Of these cannot fa u IS thought
to show unparalleled mind that the inquiry was
not much Tor the truth as for matter TO sustain pecon
ceyed views and the result said to have been attained
OIL separate report tiCu COmlnlssUHep
his special views OF the question, seems to strength
en- this conclusion.
Indeed apart from this view of the unreliable character
of the commissioners reports it has been confidently
asserted that the opinions OF most of them made
up before the inquiry began, and that some oil them
had themselves, while their own record ex-
hbits the extraordinary spectacle OF some OF them de-
scending from the judicial bench take the witness
stand and then returning TO the bench to sit in judgment
the reception OF their own testimony. II is not IRON
the opinions OF such Judges or their deductions
be abstract, that
true conclusions to be expected. The question OF
the best mode OF securing the proper and efficient man
agement OF the armory must be settled by facts and
between two modes which have been tried appeal TO
facts under each be had No one can know and APP
pecate these facts who has not been acquainted with
the amory and noticed It's general operations, state and
condition. under both modes oeuperntendency, by civil
ian and by ordnance officer To such person. viewing
the mal,a without the preutces OF personal feeling OF
motives OF seli-nteres TO warp his Judgment decided
Improvement the general management and condition. OF
the armory, since il has been under the latter mode OF
government must be evident. Whether the same im.
provements would no. have been made had the mode oil
superintendent continued unchanged, only be con-
ecured and will be answered by each man according to
his individual opinion.
Butb broad fact stands out and cannot be denied that
the Improvement did not take place while the supernen-
dence by civilian lasted, and that has taken place
tenn, while formerly there but little observance
focement OF rules, and each workman seemed 10 do IN
great measure, he pleased The public interest seems
the paramount consideration inse ad Of the ineres,
OF individuals To those in the daily habit OF seeing the
armory, the objection Of military control over citizen
chancs, and the term military system OF enendence,
unntelgibe. There Is nothing military in the sys.
lem OF managing the armory, unless the enforcement OF
rules requiring every 10 be regular and attentive in
the discharge oil his duties TO the government and to de-
vote all the time for which the government pays 10 the
public interest, be military trait Ii is only with people
not acquainted with The facts that the bugbea OF militia
ry rule aud discipline imposed free and independent
mechanics have any weight; and it must be con-
fessed this bugbca has been used by interested
to the greatest extent aud with much adotness in fur
therance OF their own ends.
The most extraordinary part OF the Investigation by the
ale board OF commissioners is, that they should have
omitted to 60 10 the obvious OF correct infoma
ton as 10 foos,he books, papers. and records Of the
armory under each mode OF superih,endence and m
stead OF that. should have relied upon the yirws and
opinions OF persons most OF them interested one or
the other side as 10 the facts and Their bearing on The
matters OF inquiry. This omission is extraordinary
only 10 he accounted for the supposiuon OF scci-
denial oversight were II not Tor the fact that IT was
brought to their notice by the statement presented to
them By the Officer in charge OF The afnory The refusal
10 receive that statement which purpoed TO contain facts
derived from official and reliable resources only, seems
TO indicate that the omission WAS not accidental but IN
tentona and that facts not the object OF inquiry
However little weight might have been allowed 10 the
arguments and OPTIONS in that paperindeed II they had
been entirely excuded-ii a reason for disregard
lug the facts particularly the means were at hand 10
verify or refoe them As they are the most reliable
facts which the investigation has elected, they furnish
The best OF judging OF the results of the two
modes OF management, OF the armory i, is by these re-
suits only that correct opinion be formed as to
what the public interest demands in this respect.
IT, therefore, the law be faithfully executed, which
authorizes the President, II. in his opinion, The public
interest demands it, To place any OF the a
superintendent who does not belong 10 The army" he
must FIRST ascertain whether the results OF the the
other mode OF supennendence are most for the public in
terest and ascertain these results be had
to facts derived from reliable sources.
80 far as these iacts have been made known IN APP
pareDuy authentic and reliable manner, they show not
only that the demands Of the public interest require
change, bat that they forbid any. II the facts se,
forth by Col Ripley not true, why did not the board
OF commissioners to the official records whence he said
they derived. and convict him OF incorporating
Of nissaiing bem' By negecng to do this they either
admit their accuracy acknowledge their unwIllingness
10 deal with these . stubborn things"
As The now stands, The investigation. which
authorized TO enable the President decide the question
TO bs sasfacton can have resulted in giving him moth
ing but the views and opinions OF few gentlemen, and
nothing wherein 10 form judgment to the demands
oil The public interest; and he must resort TO other
Of information for that purpose What those other
may be, il for him 10 decide but FAR they have
been made public. know OF plain and inieligi
be and apparently Authentic the statements refused
or rejected by the board.
La conclusion, repeat that the question TO he decided
is simply question OF fact, and IT is 10 be hoped that
every who - 10 exercise any influence in its set
Element will look at in that light, and in that alone.
In this communiiy-and the same is understood 10 he The
al Harpers Ferryit has been question Of feeling
and sef-ineresi--a question OF vo es and OF spos.
These considerations SHOULD have nothing 10 do with the
question: the afmories not local sectional bot
tionai Institutions. Do let try TO have one question
settled s merits alone, without regard 10 the patron
age may bring 10 pariy--o the votes IT may
or lose for particular candidate OF It's effect in iacila
~. Il - L..