Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1855-10-06
SECRETARY DoEBIN AND THE NAVY.

The man who would NEEDLE with ancient abuses
who would reform evils which have crept in so grad
uall, T." a.ure the show oflegality and prescrip
tyy s;-t,g ,n,lSt do with the full certainty of
counterng abuse and misrepresentation from the in
tercstcd and miSconception from the comparatively
indifferent lie must also be that thorough
reform can POSSIBLY be effected without working
some private Inconvenience or giving rise to much
personal vindictveness and heart-burnings. Nay,
from the nlperfections of human reason, and the
complexty of human interests and feelings is
to impossible that injustice to individuals in all
be avoided
At the sariiice of his health, and with the
full knowledge of the herculean and ungrateful la
Dor before him. Secretary DobbIn set himself to the
task of endcavoring to reform and increase the eff
cheney of the Navy. That Navy is too small to
keep pace with the expanding commerce of the
country while at the time it is unduly
expensive, somewhat od-Fogeyish dreadfuy aris-
tocratc and encountered with ineffectives has been
generally admtted-nay, complained Of The diff
Guilty of the work Of reform has deferred former
cretarieS, and the thing has gone The most
meritorous officers ranked by those VIGOROUSLY
most inefficient or inSubordinate, have fingered in
the lowest positions Of the profession, while the rolls
of the Navy bore the names eff officers never Sea-
and seldom any duty. 1t is but by the operation
of the late law, dropping some and retiring others,
on full or halfpay, that Mr.. Wilkes, the able COM
mander Of the great U. S. Exploring Expedition,
whose labors reflected so much honor on the coun-
try, has obtained his grade as Commander. He had
fingered until beyond middle life in the subordinate
position of a Lieutenant. This is but one instance
of several. \ reform and reorganization i'm
perativey demanded. Those old and worthy officers
whose deeds have thrown halo of glory around the
Naval service of the country-the heroes of the
of 1872 have nearly all arrived at that period of life
when the shades of honorable retirement will be
most suited to their physical strength, and in
cordnace with the feelings of age. For these
tired list upon full pay is proper and right, and
gratitude and Justice alike demand that thus a life
of labor should be crowned with age of But
the ineffectives-the azies have such claims.
The scale is graduated.
That some mistakes may have been made is prob
able. That all could have been avoided would have
been clearly impossible. Bnt that the complaints of
the disappointed or the dropped should be viewed
with great suspicion, is what all must admit Those
lacking in deeds will always be found most profuse
in complaints and protestations, and the aid of po
litca rancor will be invoked to bolster up personal
imbecility or impugn the motives af the most con-
sciencious tribunal. Time must elapse before just
judgment can be formed by the public, and results
must vindicate the prudence of the measures now
upon trial Certain it is, that of all the public
in the country, James c. Dobbin is about the last
to sacrifice tangible, practical good to visionary
schemes or doubtful experiments. The prevailing
characteristic of his mind is prudence, accompanied
by sense of duty. We feel assured that in taking
the responsibility which he has, in entering upon
the work of reforming and rendering more efficient
the naval service of the country, he took step
without counting the cost and calculating the result.
To a less reSolute and determined officer, feeble
health would have afforded convenient excuse for
pursuing the beaten track of routine, and avoiding
the arduous labors of the reformer with the oboquy
and detraction inseparable from the position. We
only trust that the close attention to business,
which has already brought severe illness, may
not work rreparable injury to physical system too
feeble for the active mind of which it is the instru
ment. A full and fair trial. rather than hasty
ctptiou& fault.fnding is due to Mr. Dobbin's self
sacrificing discharge of onerous and unpleasant
duties. WiL. Journal