Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-09-21
SPIRIT OF TIE MORNING PRESS.


The Union contains an official publication
of the letter to the President, with which the
Secretary of the Navy accompanied the report
of the late Retiring Board, the pith of which,
with the Presidents reply, we extract as fol-
lows, viz:
g The great end sought to be attained by
Congress wGs, to promote the efficiency of the
navy by removing from the active-service
Est' all officers found incompetent to do their
whole duty efficiently and promptly, both
ashore and aAoat, and by dropping entirely
from the rolls such as are to blame themselves
for their incompetencys Some mode, then,
was to be adopted, and some persons selected
TO examine and make finding of not
only the incompetent, but also of those who
had become so from causes for which they
were to blame The law on this point speaks
plainly and distinctly. 1t does not impose
this task upon, or intrust this delicate duty to,
the Secretary Of the Navy, or even the Presi-
dent. 1t does, however, provide that the per-
sons who are to perform this work shall be
fifteen naval officers to consist of five cap
tains, hve commanders, and FIVE lieutenants,
ordered by the President. After thus select
ing the persons who are to execute this work,
II then provides ho1O it is to be done This
board OF fifteen naval officers shall make O.
cGret"l examination into THE efficiency of tile
oTfceTS of tie grades specified. After this
careful examination what does the law next
require! Its terms are again plain They
shall report to the Secretary Of the Navy
not an argument to sustain their conclusions
not the facts, the evidence, nor the copies of
records by which they formed their Judgment
but simply tie names a1aI rank of all officers
OF the said grades who in the judgment of said
board shall be incapable &c, &C., and re-
commend those Ito be stricken altogether
rom the roila whenever said Joard shall be-
t1ere their ireOmpetency has arisen from causes
simplifying sufficient blame.
= It may not be uninteresting to call YOUR
attention to the fact that this mode of proceed
ing Is by no means novel, and on occasions
when Congress directed the reduction of the
army, by which many officers were necessarily
dropped from the service the delicate task
was performed in a somewhat similar manner
by the Presidents appointing board, who,
after examination, reported the names of such
Us in their opinion should be retained, without
assigning any reasons or facts which caused
them to prefer some and exclude others
have before me the report Of the board on the
reduction OF the army under the act of 1915.
They report names, and give merely the result
OF their examination, without facts or reasons,
and their report was adopted by the President
This finding this judgment'-Of the
board is not however, permitted to go into ex-
a.,
who is very wisely authorized to disapprove of
their action; by which means a safeguard is
provided to protect the public service from any
Iagrant abuse of power.
:" At your suggestion 1 have examined care
fully their report
g The peculiar fitness Of the officers selected
Tor this delicate and arduous duty has been
conceded with remarkable unanimity by
both officers and citizens. They were in ses-
sion many weeks; they applied for, and had
possession of, the records of the department:
there were among them men of age and ex-
perience whose achievements form part of
the history of the country, and young men OF
pride, intelligence, observation, and exalted
character.
And while I should be uncandid were to
say that L should have formed the same iudg-
lnent and the same classification in regard to
each individual precisely as they have dono,
without single variation; yet, so clear is my
conviction, from my own official knowledge Of
the correctness of their opinion in a large mum.
Der OF the cases, and such is my Difference to
the Judgment Of the board, and their superio,
knowledge Ofwhat renders an officer inefficient
and what constitutes real efficiency, that can.
not withhold from their report my approval,
nor advise you to do so unless your better
Judgment shall make suggestions which NAV
nave escaped me. have reflected much, sill
on this important proceeding, under a proper
appreciation Of the trying task deyolyed on
the board, and with feelings far from indifTer
ence or insensibility to the inconvenience and
pam to which many may be subjected"
EXECUTIVE OFFICE,
WASHINGTON 1Q6E