The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1855-10-17
From the Wilmington Herald.
THE REFORM IN THE NAVY.

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suaace Of an act If the late Congress, 10 e.
feet certain reforms il the Navy, has come
out with protest against the Board, and as
signed MANY strong reasons why the result
OF lis deliberations should not be approved.
The protests too long for US to publish en-
tire, bat we will give its pith. Il : almost
certain that the proceedings OF the Board VIII
be brought before Congress, and ~ view "
this contingency. aud IN justice 70 those
deeply interested, it is proper that they
should be allowed the benefit Of evidence
in their favor.
Commodore Stewart, impressed with the
conviction that the Secretary OF the Navy
required, Gin his Instructions to the Boarsl,l
the individual opinions of each member on
all matters to be brought before il, suggested
this course but the convention refused to
accede, and constituted itself tribunal,
wherein the voices of the minority should
be stifed, and the vote of the majority oil
the officers assembled should decide all ques-
tions that were to BE- acted upon by i. ms
proceeding was highly Objectionable. The
efforts that we're made to defeat it were not
in some cases considered, and in no case
were they placed upon the record, and the
opium OF NOle VI Il VIZ NV
subject is nowhere to be found. The Com
mOdore saws that no board Of officers, how
ever pure, is competent 70 pass upon the
professional and moral qualifications Of any
officer, whether FOR promotion or for any nth
er purpose, unless under all the solemn OBJ
legations Of an cath to do justice--a close and
steady investigation into whatever dement's
may be ALLEGED, aided by all the lights Of
testimony III his behalf as well as against
him, and patient hearing Of whatever he
may have to advance in extenuatun or de-
fence.
Our naval organization IS such that It ls
hardly possible that the officers composing
board could have much personal know
ledge Of the qualifications or disqualified
tions Of those whose claims for promotion
are 10 be considered.
In illustration Of this, he says, that oil
the fifteen officers Mhose names have been
passed upon by the Board. he has no person
al knowledge of the qualifications Of more
than two Of them, although he has been Tor
weight years III the service. Most Of them
we're unknown 10 him, even BY name and
as The remainder Of the ,ficers Of the Board
average sea service Of but eighteen and a
halfyears, it is highly probable that major
itY Of the Board never had an opportunity
OF forming an opinion Of them from person
al knowledge in any one case. Yetnotwith-
standing this, this Board. BY joint aud Sc
cret ballot, has recommended tie promotion
ofcertain officers, 10 the injury Of others
and that certain other officers should be con.
sldered unworthy Of promotion altogether.
L. Z md rot hal {.
lot has gone far 10 render the proceedings 81
this Board Justly obnoxious. lthas assumed
for itself the detesiabse attributes OF The
Star Chamber Not recognized By any law
nor under the protection Of any law-with
out even the obligation Of an oath to do jus
tee to the officer on whose claims It ha
passed, or 70 the seryiee-withOut any eyi'
dence. Of their merits or disqua!ifcatlons
or without assigning any reason Tor y,
opinions, either Individually Or colectivel,
lit has given eondrnnatory Judgment o.
the regulations Of men long in the serylc,
Of their country, emphatically intimatin;
that they shall not be promoted, and thu
virtually di,graeing them forever IN public
estimation.
The Commodore then condemns in Sc
,ere terms the iudgmen, Of the Board;
Beard sitting ID secret calclaye-their vic
tin gnheard in his defence; without char
ges against him, without evidence Of an,
kind, acting on suspicion OF hearsay, with
nut personal knowledge of his gualifica
t.oBs, aud many u It's members influenced
perhaps by personal prejBdices and enml
ties. BeiOre such tribunal no one wuult
be ale.
III further illustration nf the hasts an
obnoxious mode adopted by the Board, a
dtspatehing officers, and disposing 81 thel
regulations, the Commodore states that j
one case papers were presented lroin th
tiles u the Department calculated " cre
ale prejudice against the officer whase IA
was u Dc passed upon-papcr. having y
claim 90 the character u evidence IN an
curt u honor OF jastice-and yet. at u
the saEle time, other papers and testimo
MAS d character highly favorable to q
individual, and designated as sBch 10 Il
synopsis accompanying the case, we're ne,
q presented to tile Buard.
such j. Tie substance the Commodore
protest, aud il makes a strong case again
tie action 81 tie Beard. We have no doul
wien il sail be sfied by Congress, tlia
il vail be found that great injustice has bee
done many gallant oiiieer. The ease
Lieutenant Maury Cir instance /. ii puin
- aiso Ut Lieutenant Rhind, known -
gagd oiicer aud tsDr0agh bred geniemai
From 40 hat ne can Hear concerning VI
Oeblllrss. tie course u the Board 10 Ii
case vas unjust.
Alr. Dobb,n, from he depreeatory To-
II his letter t. the President, commanci
ting TIE action II Tie Board, We incline
think, vas not satisfied concerning ihr =
suit u Tie investigation, yet approved y
finding because Of his confidence 10 Il
menibers composing il. The inference TO
dfaaa from his letter Is, that he was col