Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-11-07

that inc hon. Erastus BROOKS mas been re-
elected by over 1000 majority, notwithstand-
ing all the efforts made by Bishop Hughes,
the heavy business" men Of the custom
house, and the administration tools TO defeat
him. All the people cannot be purchased,
nor can priestly tyranny always prevail.
The Late Navy Retiring Board.
When the bill passed the last Congress for
the establishment of Retired List" the
press Of the country seemed TO have regarded
il as salutary and judicious, not doubling that
the Board would have boon properly selected,
and been governed by that wholesome princi-
pie, to act "under oath 10 do justice" But
public opinion has been reversed. Never, per-
haps, has it been more severely reversed upon
any branch Of tho public service, and growing
out entirely Of the il-advised course pursued
by Mr.. Dobbin and his Board. A very similar
procedure to the act Of Mr.. Secretary Dobbin
occurred during George Bancroft's adIninistra-
ton Of the Navy Department, which met a
stern rebuke from the Senate. That Board
consisted of twenty post captains, to decide
who of the commanders should be promoted to
fiji certain vacancies in the list Of post captains,
and, by very subtle arrangement, more than
two-thirds Of the Board went down the list Of
commanders exactly to the particular favorite
Of Mr.. Bancroft! Commodore Stewart Presi-
dent Of the Board, protested that its proceed
ings were lawless, and in violation Of every
principle of justice, honor, and right Three
other members added their protests and appro-
val of Commodore Stewards views.
The action the-secret star chamber "in-
quisitorial proceeding of the Board ofnaval
officers recently convened by orders Of Mr..
Dobbin, under the loose law passed Mt tho last
session, will doubtless meet the disapprobation
of the next Congress, as it will be found their
duty to test the competency of the retiring
board itself, as well as alleged charges against
portion of its members. " Persons and pa
pers," with joint committee from both
branches, will probe the matter to the core.
1t has been stated that Commodore Stewart
intimated, early after the passage of the bill,
that he claimed no exemption from its opera
ton; but is it reasonable to suppose that he
would have consented to proceeding, against
which he had already protested, and which
Congress and the country approved3 1t was
the "secrct proeeetling," WITHOUT AN OATH TO
DO JUSTICE, against which he protested; and
besides, he was not affected by the Bancroft
Board OF 1916, but THREE members of the
Do6bin Board, whose course he had reflected
upon could not forgive HIN noo, since they had
become his Judges because he refused to en-
dorse their inquitious scheme Of promoting
certain favorites over the heads of those legal
| ly entitled to hearing and a trial. 1t was,
doubtless, a rcvengeful, malicious and am
bilious influence that operated all
We are, however, not pleading the case OF
| Commodore Stewart, Far from it. Never
theless, we may be permitted TO remind our
readers that Commodore Stewart is the only
SURVIVING officer Dho commanded ship-efpar
during our last struggle with Great Britain.
lie encountered our enemies seventeen times,
and has taken eighteen vessels. Yet this gall
liant veteran was consigned to the retired hist by
Board Of Juniors Commodore Stewart has
been regarded as one Of the ablost minds Of
this country; whilst Presidents jefferson,
mho,sOn, monroe, rs Also uiu the late tme1
Justice Marshall consider him unsurpassed by
any ofour countrymen, in knowledge OF inter
national law.
II is true, that Presidents Pierce has so far
disapproved the sentence Of Mr., Dobbin's Board
as to continue Com. Stewart in command Of
the Philadelphia Navy Yard. And why2 Be
cause Com. Stewards great fame, and his ma
tiondl claims could not be disregarded9 II
was, we opine, that the erasurc Of such name
from the Navy Register, by any means other
than court-martisl, or by death, would have
met national rebuke; for, il was to Stewart
and his friend cambridge, that our Navy was
indebted for all ourgiorious successes upon the
ocean, from 1912 to 1916. When Mr.. Madi-
sons Cabinet had determined to lay up our
national ships in New York harbor, under the
protection of batteries, the personal remon-
STRANGE Of those two gallant men, induced Mr..
Madison to take the responsibility of sending
the ships to sen to search for the enemy. They
were searched for, found, and thoroughly
logged.
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Executive Coyrupfiou.