Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1856-01-09


thew are at the same time ex.cting and sterhy just
1t provides for the careful support of some ane the
prompt removal of others; and however 'a'tniuiy,
honestly and carefully executed It IS measule %
reform, and Of that character Is ever eA
ecutcd without more or less inconvenience o'sap'
! pointmentS and discomfort.
Actuatcd, no doubt, by desire to seek truth anu
! Justice as nearly possible, Congress though' ~
safest to ertrust the reform not merely 10 the fes
dent and the Secretary. whose acquaintance Will
the officers both personally and officially, must nee
cssary be very limited, but chiefly to the officers OF
the three higher grades, whose knowledge of their
brother officers naturally enables them to perform
the duty more thoroughly, and with less liability to
err The task was delicate, and involved struggles
| between duty and feeling. They were men not m
fallibe. 1t would DC strange. indeed II their WORK
were perfect and entirely free from error. those
errors, if they exist, will aud surely be dscoV-
cred by the developments OF tlnc by cohtlhueu Ill
quiry, and by calm, dispassio,atc observation
! The officers of the Navy as class, arc prouo:
brave sensitive, patriotic and seiiSacf''c'hS' anu
the sword of any Of those gallant men has been
! incautiousy taken from him, all right.mnded men
vii! saw let his country restore it to him. with al
the ho,ors and repatriation due to injured merit ana
. while can by no means recommend '''e adopuoh
of any measure Of repea! any course OF proceed
ing in conflict with The general action of the Board,
have no doubt that there Sl',ild b., and Will BE-,
found a remedy for any mistake OF error OF JudS-
meat if the service has thus been deprived OF ner-
itoriouS aud capable officer, either 10y resignation or
. dropping. Facts which have come TO my knows-
edge assure ne that it would be but reasonable to
provide years pay for the officers who have been
suddenly dropped from service, Oh which they had
heretofore exclusively depended, without any
consideration for future scif-reiiance.
! But, sir, cannot conclude this branch OF my re-
por, without doing justice to the officers OF the Board
! From the spirit and temper with which they en-
tered upon Il painful and unSought duty, and from
II, ilir wit, "
searched the records "f the department, deem 1t
but act Of simple justice to express my conVic'
ton that they actuated by elevated cons!de'a-
tons ANA that their aim was truth! inparta''ty, and
the good of the Srry!.e; an;i although from the la
! bty of man to err, there nniy be discovered here
and there mistake of Judgment have an abiding
conviction that history will prove that this work re-
invigoratrd the Navy, impaired to it robust anu
active health, inspired the hearts Of the young and
gallant officers hitherto dropping with hopeless drs
pon'lcnry. with fresh energy and contcnsincnt With
the service warned the tirugllt!rSS and the lltiO
lent to Gi, the laun.S of i,lir, aud seek the path
OF duty leading to honor and caused the country to
rep,Sc with the pride and confidence III the de-
lief of the invncibi!its OF this right Of defence
. have hesitation. and take much pleasure in
: Saying that have already witnessed its happy et
fycts in the impulse and readiness Tor duy seen
! and felt at the department.
! "Ani, sir. though the number reported incompc-
tent seems :r ,e and may well attract attention, Is
that circumstance of itself sufficient to justify rctec
: ton upon y Board who were bound under the law
: to make a careful examination, and report the
! names of all !iom they a'!ui5e incompetent, OF
; every grade to 90 their whole duty promptly, and
efficiently ashore a!oat: Ii bu, small number
of officers had become inefficient, would the Secrc-
tarcs Of the Navy FOR the las, fifteen have again
and again urged with almost perllnacI",s Zea that
Some stringent measure vi reform was Indispensable
to save the navy from impending ruin! Would
aft hay
pressed such measures: Would grave members
arisen they did i'll Congress and have serious
iy moved to abolish the navy and bcgiu again. if but
h small defect existed? Would the Senate, every
session for some years have almost viii! u.an'lny
passed the for relieving the service OF the
inefficient, and for nnrart;ns yigor anu health by
promoting able ana brave officers before age had
crippled their cnvrs les and impaired their useful
ness: " onld the press in almost every town and
village have Illuminated its tunicrs for reform, aid
have terinc with articles Of laudd;ion and approval
when the measure prevailed if but small number
of the incapable blocked up the path OF promotion:
Or had it become manifest 10 all, to statesman and
citIzen that something radical, tnOroug, and search
ing, must be administered /" secu the navy from
the dangers which Imperfect it, and cinlnclatc it,
if possible, from the weight which seemed surely
to be bardening and pressing it down?
The regulations prcscribcd-whici have hereto
fore been puhisilrd-;he correspondence with and
tn" report Of the Board accompany this report
REPORT SECRETARY Of WAR.
The Secretary of War dion. jeff. iavi>) urges in
creased compensation i,.r:ny officers and Revision
Of the law respecting their allowances. Also, that
the provision OF the last Con srcSS increasing. the pay
OF the rank aud Tile, he cNtcm led al! culs ell n:.n
Also, increase Of medical .orp> IN the addition
OF five military store keepers. He recommends a
juliciols continuance of coast def nceS and es-
psrmsy rc'ews the suggestion for the foItyiny of
Ship Island todccnd The approaches to New Orleans.
Ii" presents also, neat and urcibie argument in
favor of the Pacific Rlii Road as u means of il ma
. tona defence, bat avoids recommending lis con-
stuct;oi 10y Governmental aid, although he distinct
!y intiina.> disposition to favor such ala II. show
the actual strength Of the army to be fifteen thou
sand seven hundred and fifty two men. Enstmcn,S
during the last twelve months ten thousand five
hundred and forty six cnStmcnts refused twenty
thousand five hundred and twenty-five; number Of
casualties, five Thousand five hundred Disposition
Of the troops remains pretty much as stated in last
ANNUAL report.
REPORT OF THE POSTMASTER GENERAL.
The Postmaster General (Jll;,c CamlbrlD sug-
geSts that the ranking privilege DC restricted pub
lie documents and letters public business merely ;
also, the charge of full upon newspapers in ali
cases, instead Of half rates. when pa quarterly in
advance. lie recommends compulsory prepayment
by stamps of postage on hooks, pamphlets circulars;
and al other transient matters. lie agan urges the
SIX months notice to the Collins steamers in dscon-
tlnuancc OF the extra pay voted them in July 1852
He presses this subject at some length.
The YEAR lS5G-Thc year lust commenced is
the latter part of the SOth and beginning of the
sist year of the Independence Of the Unites States
| the G569,h year Of the Julian period the latter
part of the 56l6th and beginning of the 56l7th
year since the creation of the world according to the
jews the 2609th year since the foundation Of Rome
according to Varro; 2632d year of the Olympiads
the latter part of the 1272d and beginning of the
l273d year Of the twelve unations since the IIEG,.