The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-10-24
THE NAVY RETIRED LIST


have in defence Of the navy reorm which has of late
extted good deal Of public discussion have
which presents the subject ntellgbly and
bly, than the following from the Daily New London Con
necticut) Chronicle
sTHE NAVAL RETIRED LIsT.-For many years past the
voice Of the whole country loud and incessant in
favor of reform in the navyoud not only among the Off
of that but equally loud or louder STILL among those
who took interest in it outside OF the establishment The
press especially vehement in its denunciaons the
abuses that had crept INTO its management particularly with
regard long list of ted and officers
who retained without the ability render any equva
lent for the they received besides doing great injustice
Juniors by standing between them and their chance of
promotion in the service. When movement made in
Congress these abuses and place the navy
efficient footing by wnnowing the navy list of the in
efficient who incumbered it, it hailed the harbn
ger of better times and when the bill actually passed. and
board appointed Tor the purpose of selecting certain
ncumbens be placed upon retired list in order give
chance to younger and better to rise in their profess
and perform acceptable service for their country
there universal approval expressed, and
emphatic than that of the editorial brotherhood They look
ed upon the only salvation of navy and
Yve its dropping honors already greatly deeriorated and
quite certain without this remedy, to sink to perdon.
The board met and discharged its duties, and, though
the general justice of its decisions Acknowledged partic-
ular of hardship occurred certain mistakes be-
eved to have been made officers placed upon the
retired list who their friends thought ought to have been
thus dealt by and oTsooth another loud cutlery
up from the people and the press against the proceedings
the board. The navy to be ruined by cutting off
very whose retention destroy
its honor and its efficiency Among the presses thus
planning, it mories to the New York Courier and
Enquirer journal of which thought better things, and
which believed above bang general opinion upon partc
and isolated cases. and incapable of permitting its per-
ona parates to bias its judgment great questions of
national nterests but for this other substantial
SON. that paper has actually taken ground against the action
AZ. h,arS and
Der practice the borrd cruelty of condemnng people
heard &C., &C., the haowest and most fppant whiper
spaper press Nay the Courier like the rest of
Them DESTROYS of seeing Congress Interfere and renstate
the officers who have been dropped placed out of the
line promotion. Thus, the national legislature to be
asked undo its work, which it had been long and
urgently pressed perorm We protest against all this
1t unworthy of the and unworthy OF the people oil the
United States who have arrived years of discretion 1t
is the boys play 1t is only excusabe in schooboy
urchins who cry the accomplishment of the very OBJ
ec for which they have been previously crying because
they could reach them enough They have got their
wish, and are weeping because they hare got it.
eve certainly lament Of the results OF this etorma
ton There have been removals which have caused
personal pain and which unjust but do not
hold ourselves at liberty oppose Of high general
interest and Importance merely because few of its details
sect private feelings We think contemporaries of
the press and all others would do well to upon the
principle instead of permitting their impulses to impair the
sounder dictates of Judgment IL there individual
OF mistake let Congress be appealed to 10 correct hem but
let not the general result of this sauary movement be dis
turbed We have great respect for the opinions and
feelings of Commodore Stewart but he convince
a the action Of the navy board conducted upon
honorable principles that the principle which governed
it was not the correct II the navy list to be
needed till each individual is acted upon open court
with all the paraphenaa OF counsel witnesses &C. accom-
panied by all the technicatie and delays incident to that
mode OF trial. that list would 20 enargng in numbers
and abuses till doomsday If the proceedings Of the board
in set bp i'm
proved and il will not only be useless but utter folly
tempt it."