The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-06-06

captains 10 retire ut the age OF yve considering them
no longer t for duty To induce them retire she gives
them increased rank the retired list If they do not re-
tire she holds to them the certainty that she will not
employ them and that they viii become ncumbranco
Therefore the retirement 10 them is compulsory In
France too, age determines retirement and promotion is
governed by selection well as by senority-that is
every third vacancy is filled by senoriythe other two
being filled by selection.
The nineysey commanders In our service at the time
Of the passage of the of 1855 between fifty and
hfty-hve years OF age There three hundred and
wentysx leutenans between thirty and fifty years of
age ana one hundred and nney-seven mdshipmen,
which dear little mdshipmen, of whom the country
often hears and who always when referred TO- up to
the minds eye as active youth in their teens between
lhe ages OF twentyone and thrtyseven years This
the age OF mdshipmen, who called upon to do the
auy oil boys who have no rank on board their ships
who were maintaining their families upon $3.50 year /;
ana whose agreeable and responsible duty it to
company wooding and waeringboats the shore to
bring OIL the crews on liberty days Adopting the results
OF promotion which have been observable by experience in
the navy find that eutenants when promoted to com
manders would necessarily be ythree years of age and
that commanders when promoted to captains would be
seyenty-four years Of age.
This was most extraordinary state of things indeed
and II had called forth the astonshment of maritime
abroad that the United States would tolerate it, We know
the fact that Paul Jones when he captured the Seaps
thrtytwo years of age Hull when he captured the Guer
riere, was thrtyeight Decatur when he cut out the Phil
adepha was twenty Perry in his victory on Lake
Erie was twenyeght McDonough at the time OF his vic
tory on Lake Champain, thiry-one Stewart in his
Cyane and Levant victory thiry-nine and Balm
BRIDGE at the capture of the Java trtonethe old
est being thynine and the youngest The
oldest captain in last war concerned in of our
most brilliant victories but two years older than her
oldest midshpman when this law passed. No captain
could commence his novitiae when the law passed
until he had reached the age of seventy -four
whereas there was no hero in the last who had not
distinguished himself as captain at the age Of thirty
nine.
Common would dictate that if we adhere to SEMI
ory, seniors longer fit for s active duties should
not be placed in the responsible positions of command
ha ntlo
WILL the daring the courage and the energy of life These
should be given to in whom these qualities and hope
and ambition are predominant If you will retain
upon your navy list and expect them to perform promptly
es active duties when their hearts cheating funeral
marches to the grave common should assign them
to subordinate stations.
The true interests of the country demand that lust as
the Importance OF naval enterprises increases should in
crease the chances of the executive reaching the
types character to command hem but the very has
been the rule AS the Importance of the command has in
creased just have increased the probabilities of consgn
ing tito fes declining aculties- will say the i'm
becites OF age but to its usual consequences of mental
weakness and physical debility II need not be said that
the Executive choose any officer whom he peases for
any command because, although absracty he may do So
Is untrue in pracce for political influences at
work to control modify executive action upon this sub
ject as shall have occasion to show.
When we send our fleets abroad in command of cap
ians OF years of age they meet captains of for
eign ships scarcely one of whom is fifty France
makes retirement consequent upon certain age-ffty if
am not mistaken and although she recently had adm
raj during the present war-Admira Hamelin--beyond
the legal age ne was only retained in his command by the
special order of the Crown and he has lately been with
drawn from all active command account of his age and
made Minister of Marine
The state of our service which have dwet in re-
gard to promotion had an exceedingly dsprtng and
happy effect the service Our young men, thoroughly
educated and qualified for every branch Of their profession
with all their personal pride esprit du corps and ambition
predominant with everything to gain and nothing lose
by the pes OF their profession that they have spent
the best days OF life in qualifying themselves for profess
rvEp IN ranE and hFta
TO command-see that however hope may whisper
bton, the stern hand of time passes over themhat all
those garng dreams of carving out honorable fame
moekery deuslon, and snare = and that long before
their hand can grasp the scepre of command military
glory, and all the pomp pride snd circumstance of
upon the deep will have given place to thoughts of that
snug harbor above, where the weary at rest
The result of this state of things was obaer vabe in an
increasing dislike Of the active duties of the navy aaoa
but another feature of the service produced most depres-
sing influence upon its reliable men, and from time
TO time drove them from it.
1t cannot be concealed that in the navy in other pro-
ssons there have been men who not only did not
that profession but who would have shade Of
picion any profession of honorable men, say this
without distinguishing invdiousy against individuals
may add that could produce here CARLOAD of charges
and specifications Of charges-many of which have been
proved-against officers In the naYy for all shades Of Of
fences embrnced by the general charge known "caHda-
ous conduct unbecoHafHg officer and sbpersUe Of good
dsePtns'-a charge embracing every crime but murder
which is especially provided for Courts-martal have
tried and convicted them and sentenced them 10 uspen-
sion dismissal from the service and yet sir such the
nsdious workings Of political sympathy these very
with all their sins upon their heads have been restored by
the nevt or another administration. Sir let give you
case an illustration Of this wrecbed amperng with
the service
have In my eye the in which post-captain was
convicted by court Of his peers Of official asehood
der the most aggravatng direct
y 10 his own department longpremeditated plan sue
cessfully carried out The court knowing how easily
graver punshments had been avoided by previous pol-
cal influences deprived him of command and suspended
him for three years Fortunately the Secretary Of the
Navy regarded his crime as very grave and remand
ed the sentence back TO the they then suspended
him for FIVE years In this condition Of things he stood
when succeeding administration entirely relieved him
from his suspension, and gave him all his back pay and
sir reward for bis outraged feelings placed him in
command of OF the arst sauadrons Of the country
The effect Of this virtually the condemnation Of every
officer who formed the court-(nue must have formed II
at easlof every witness who gave testimony before
them Of the judge advocate and the Secretary Of the Navy
Political influences combined 10 place this the
quarter deck although he had been branded and proved
by jury Of bis peers 10 have been guilty Of official false
hood lie placed there and endorsed by the broad
seal Of the country the Of its honor and
w corps whose very fbood itself should be honor Dc
you sapposs that this bad dispirihng influence
oorps IKE thsl do not quote II as isolated case
NJ. CRIfTEEDEE What case is thatq
Mr NALLohf, ] do not feel At liberty 10 name the
lndysns becHss started with the declaration thai
did As' dsgn 10 add feathers weight TO the embar.
raasment of those who come 10 claiming relief Sir
might end hfy similar 10 this In which man hay,
been convicted o. various crimes and offences against good
moraa against good order and the very deccnces Of life
and yet ncoming administrations have taken them by Tho
hand and placed them IN command and not only that bu
rewarded them with the frat commands Of the country
Why then, should not young officers say, There Is nc
lag for pDst-cnpsinsT 2 The time has arrived when
iunior oncsr hcsaiss long and suffers long, before b,