Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-07-01
THE NAVY.

/ Messrs EpToRs An article in late number Of the
loston Courier depicts very forcbly and convincing
the evils which will result from the adoption Of section
econd of the Senate's naval reform bill.
rite saying that the provisions Of the bill,
with but exception, excellent goes to remark
that the only Objectionable part is that which directs the
Secretary of the Navy to each captain commander
lieutenant medical officer and purser to report &C. the
officers Of their respective grades who qualified to
perform efficiently all their duties shore and aHoat
and that from his scrutiny Of such reports the Secre-
tary with the approval of the President shall retire
permanently furlough all officers not so qualified.
IT, says the writer this law be meant to be applied
only to the officers present the list and s'before
any change in the grades aforesaid shall take place. it
will operate as sort of Venetian lions mouth to
enable to crafty their personal resentments or to
advance their selfish interests under the secrecy of
inquistoral process in which not only officers must be
condemned unheard and untred but in which their
unknown and therefore their motives unde
tected We believe that the American navy is composed
of body of high-minded honorable and liberal
in sentiment can be found in any other profession
But they are also men, mortal men = and we know how
personal prejudice and resentment say
est may stutfy the clearest nellects bias the judy
ments of the strongest minds.
Military services, too, than almost any other,
tend to excite private eaouses and exasprate personal
antipahies and it is by the most capable off,
who is the most popular with his grade those be-
low him. We believe too, that there will be found
unexpected obstacle to the sautary operation Of this in
vdous clause in the reluctance which officers themselves
feel to be made spies and informers against their
professional brethren. The most chivalric and con-
scentious minds among them will reco from the odioas
duty of censorship which this regulation calls upon them
to perform and the result will be this If they
any thing favorable they will probably pursue discreet
and honorable silence upon dement's ascrbed their
socaes which perhaps have no foundation except in pre-
IL .usI1
we do not doubt and we believe all would be JUS
tilted by the laws of honor, if legally, in declining
pronounce opinions upon vague and underlined charge
necency of which quality perhaps no two men have
precisely the same conception.
But this is not the worst Whatever faith the officers
of the navy may repose in each others honor natural
to be suspicious of all secret and irresponsible methods of
investigation and nothing will tend more to excite mis-
trust than law Of this kind Confidence and that hearty
and cordial spirit and which
exist will be lost, and every officer will keep watch
full and dstrustful eye upon his brother blood Will
be fomented fatal will ensue and tits be
feared that the navy will gradually sink from its high
tone Of honor and generous emulation, and become a
theatre for the display of mean ealouses and undgni
fed passion The navy is not free from the spirit OF clique
and parisanship which pervades the whole community
We are told there is North and South and great
West" aboard ship and in the navy yard elsewhere
There is also the saints and the sinners the temper
party, the abolition Of corporal punishment party
there is the |" old fogie" and Young America there
the scientific and the seadrudgery cques and others
to mention in the navy, who not to be
coaxed driven Of their sms and their crotchets
than editors of newspapers popular leaders II
this law be enacted practical results will follow in this
manner The Southern will condemn the Northern Off
There will be dissensions grounded upon religious
feelings and the spirit of sectariansm. The scientific
officer who is employed at Washington will sheer at the
officer, and on, through division and subdi
vision of rank and function.
But all this has brought to the second part OF the
objection which portion Of the above structures may
apply If the law is intended to be prospective well
immediate in its action all these difficulties will be in
tensed and added thereto will be the certainty that
serving popularity seeking spirit will prevail which
will be far from promoting that honorable independence
of character and rankness of which now dstin
guish officers of the American navy