Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-05-14

United States requires reform in particulars
think there are bur few who doubt but this bill
secure the reforms ayered TO- some Of which will men
uon at the risk Of being tedious. II contains but little
power tha Is not already vested by law ia Executive
Department Of the Government The President of the
United States and the Secretary Of the Navy put
any omcer on THROUGH who cannot perform his duty and
why do they not perform that duty-un duty
grant Why is 1t that Senator's ask TO stand between
the Executive government and the people in regard
their proper responsibilities and duties The law sir
has aread given them power TO clear away n this rub
bsh OF which the honorable chairman of the Committee
on Military Affairs speaks. Such persons as he speaks
OF have no business in the navy. They ought to have
been furqughed Tonga The channel should have been
opened before this and in different way The best Off
GERS Of the navy should have been called up to the per-
formance OF the highest duties Of the profession without
regard to their rank The they have not been SO
called is to be found the mbecsty Of the Government
If they have not the power do it now let them take
the responsibility, and ask it,
But, sir III; is necessary for the Senate inter-
fere lei Us nave wel-consdered system Let US begin
and make thorough reform But is it wise to do this
now 10 90 TINS on the OF outgoing Administration
The COMMITTEE on Naval Affairs, believe for twelve
months, have thought OF nothing more earnestly and
anxiousy than naval reform and they design to submit
some Of these days. the Senate their views of that
form But some Of them wish to begin at the Navy
Department.
Sir, all the members of that committee cherish re
gard patriotic love- for the navy They cherish those
feelings Tor 1t not only of the remembrances
OF the past but the antcpatons Of the future They
to the army, or to all the other defensive institutions Of
the country for its present lofty and prosperous position
That say without fear Of contradiction Sir, when dis
may pervaded this country when the dark cloud of mis-
fortune lowering YOU when defeat followed de-
feat in your army whose shouts Of triumph terminated
and Refrigerated the patriot heart 1t your gal
liant navy And yet sir the honorable Senator from New
Hampshire Mr. HALEl only yesterday complained Of
the expenses of the navy Sir the expenses of navy
nothing in comparison with its Importance its
fulness. They never have been One battlehe battle
Inf rho fttnflo nd GIarr
this nation than all the treasure that has been
pended upon the navy. Remember that at the time Of
which speak the British navy and nvinciby were in
the minds of of our countrymen, one and the
thing; and remember Also that your Executive quaed
before the errors of that nyincibty Your ships
ordered to be laid up and your and mercantile
rine abandoned to the enemy.
1t was an officer of the navy (Hull) who, against
thority, without orders in opposition the will Of the
Government, went to sea- and with his noble ship and
gallant achieved For you that victory which
shed the world and electrified Government and
people, and, from its moral effect, worth have
said all the money you have expended upon the navy
The Importance the effect the value of that fight of Hus
il is impossible to measure or to explain. In fifteen min
the trident or Neptune wrested from the grasp
of that heretofore nvncble navy At that time sir the
idea of British invincibty was so common hardly
out of the navy perhaps who did not believe that
British frgate could take two three American
frigates Now, sir in this of pubic feelingwith
such odds against themet call up here before the
Senate "reminiscences of the past Let
fact If no more to show the obligation you under,
only to the ship but to the officer and illustrate
the of this victory have been the superiority of
your men. You have good materials now, but they
must keep up with the progress the Improvement Of the
age in which they live
"See the bold Constitution tie Guerrere oertakinr,
While the sea from her fury divides"
See likewise that naughty, nvineibe British frgate
lying TO leeward under easy SAIL impatienty waiting the
encounter See her crew. elaed with the remebrances
Of hundred battles in the hope the JOY the expectation
of easy conquest. Hear their shouts Of anticipated
triumph only checked by the certainty Of easy vic
tory. Now, sir, look to your Constitution !"
her bearing down that frigate that invincibe frgae
with ST. Georges imperious and arrogant ensign All is
silent no hurrying ro confusion all ready TO
fight and die for their country Again, sir board the
British ship al is buste and hurry and exultaton Of
anticipated victory AL still and silent death board
the Constitution They could not hope for easy victory
but there they speak merely Of their courage
but of their devotion TO their and they
resolved to do die They bore down the British
frgate without whisper being heard her peopled
/ deck They had heard Of rakng fires: they well knew
their destructive effect They had heard Of the
rable tactics of the British navy and perceived that
the captain Of the British frgae be satisfied
with simply taking them, but lie would do it in the
| approved Steadily Hull goes down, nothin,
daunted. The British frigatc fires raking broGdsde
and then round and fired another. Steadily HUI
keeps his Byandby the first lieutenant Of the
Constitution asked Captain Hull if he should return tho
fire? Hull inquired, Have you lost any men 2? ''No
sir" ''Wait awhile said Hull Steadily he keeps his
until he gets within pistol shot, and then round
ing to If for salute, with one broadsde gained the
victory.
Now, sir, Of these perhaps are amongst the mer
that you propose by this bill, nnceremonously If yeu
please by the will Of the President put upon retired
list and with them you would, perhaps put Of the
who from the defence Of the fgate Chesapeake
Would you sir put who when the English boarded
their ship ran below the list with the gallant
vctors Of the Constitution? Is that just Therefore
say that the chairman Of the Military Committee has in
my judgment well considered this BILL SO far il
CARDS the navy. If TO have o retired list we
should have two lists We should have one which would
be for such men as HULL and such men as Morgan-he
gentleman who before the Senate yesterday on ndc
ment by the Senator from New Hampshire lie is one Of
the most gallant ever knew, and when the Constu
ton got foul Of the Guerrero he up into the mize
rigging and having looked down. sung to his ship
mates ''They have all away from their guns let
board ~ And this he did amidst showers Of shot that fell
around him. That the officer who arraigned
here yesterday
Sir ask the honorable chairman Of the Committee on
Military Affairs allow the Committee on Naval Affairs
who perhaps reflected this subject much as any
other members OF this body TO take Of the interests
Of the navy for the presented them have further trial
But | must in candor say that that committee be-
eve are not ready to report important matter as
the reorganization Of the navy The navy has only
been important but with these resolutions and these
war speeches dngng in day after day consid-
er il more important this time than has been
II Is now will undertake TO say, good for nothing for
the purposes Of war; and would rather make motion
now 10 abolish the navy Of the United States than under
take to mead and patch up by piecemea Let 60 at
Il In cool earnest and what do for H. IL has
happened with the navy that since its first establishment
there has never been any overhauling Of its personne
but the navy has been nterfered With In that way
The Government has always acted on the presumption