The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-01-17
THE NAVY RETIRING BOARD.
THE SENATE DEBATE ON THEIR ACTION.
Speeches of Senator'S Mason, Brodh cad,
Benjamin, Mallory, Hale, and Others
From the Washington Globe, Jan. Il;

,>te iisntepapt in the United States navy who VAS
cropped from the rolls in accordance WIN aeeson OF
Ne late naval retiring board praying 70 % restored To
his former position in Service which was referred to
ne Committee on Naval Affairs: :.
ate Commander in the United States navy, asking for
An opporunity rebuff any charges upon which he may
have been dropped ron the navy ana ior sac6 ree a.
Also the petition of j. Howard March, late passed
sdshpman complaining of the action Of the late naval
beard under which he dropped from the SERVICE
and asking that such action with regard to himself may
be investigated which referred to the Committee on
Naval Affairs
Mr.. BRoDHEAp-r desire 70 present to the Senate the
memorial with some accompanying documents of T.
Who placed the retired list in accordance with
decision OF the late naval retiring board praying to be
ssstorsa 70 nus former Pos u a.. IN sns IN the csss
Il Commander Shaw, casts mpuati0n upon his integ
risy man and as officer he complains Of their de-
oison; and whilst occupy the foor beg leave 70 say
word in reference the proceedings of the board and
The Of Commander Shaw The Secretary OF the Navy
AYms that the law esta bshing this board was WISE
He Says in his annual report;-
The provisions Of the law generous ndeed sir ngly
Bbera but they are At the same time exacung and steniy
He also sfrms that the action Of the board has
salutsry useful reinvgoratiug the navy but not
withstanding this he remarks:-
nwould be indeed II thsr work were perfect and
entirely those they exist WI soon
surely discovered the developments of ume by
And while can by no means the adoption any
or n s5aof hs m
should be and win be found remedy any mistake or error
Judgment the service has thus been deprived OF mero
capable officer either by reservation dropping
In these sentiments OF the Secretary Of the Navy-so
wen expressed-in regard to the Law and the action o.
xhs beard under it. and in regard TO the errors into which
the board unintenonaly may have fallen, most fully
believe that the board has committed an unin-
Sentiona in the of Commander Shaw for con-
sder him fully competent discharge his duties both
ashore and afoat. He is friend and constituent or
mime and therefore in moving the reference of his
al and N hp
must ray that think they, in their wisdom, Will ma
this demanding compliance with the sugses-
aSous of the Secretary of the Navy Commander shaw
vas not during the deliberations of the board He
vas in the Indies in command of the sloop OF war
Falmouth He has been twenysx years In the service,
fourteen of them at Upon dgent inquiry respect
1pg his case cannot discover that he has ever oeen
wanting in the discharge of bis duty the Committee
Naval Affairs upon consultation with the Secretary Of
the Navy find his to be such as have stated It, and
believe it to be- trust they will discover some mode
BY which he be restored to active service l move
the reference of The memorial and papers to the Commit
Tee on Naval Affairs.
NJ. MAsoN-Mr President, in reference to what has
allen from the Senator from Pennsylvania suggesting
The probable action of the Committee Naval Affairs to
extend to inquiry into cases in which 1t has been
supposed this naval board rnay have fallen into error
honorable Senator-I rather disposed to think that
when the committee shall take that subject up for
ideration, it win be found almost mot entirely i'm
give that extended inquiry into the cases
particular officers which is suggested by the honora
Die Senator rom M s. Ken nas oesn
approved 1t has altogether without exception
discrimination by the Executive from the fact that
many officers of the navy-some in the highest grade.
others grades-rom the State of Virginia, have
been subjected to the action Of that board. Some Of
those Offices not many, personally known to me,
Al OF them were known in the portions OF the
whence they respectively caue and with very feS ex
ceptons it has been most orcbly pressed upon my at
tenton that homethat is, to in the State tom
whence they came and amongst those who had knovn
them well known their in the public service
they we're locked upon only competent and eff
INIT able officers. whose services the
country ought not to dispense with. say, for these
that the action of that board has been most
strongly brought my notice by the people OF
State well by the officers who have thus been dis
rated dropped have presented two or three memo
rAls which took the usual OF reference 70 the
Committee on Naval Affairs; but reserved my judgment
which is still reserved, all the queto affecting
the action of that board am disposed 10 think now
ever-I throw at present only a crude suggss
tion-hat ii the committee were to undertake., or the
Executive to undertake seems to be suggested 10
the of the Secretary OF the Navy TO MAKE inquiry
the ncorrectness OF the sentence
of the board in particular cases. they would find very
difficult task to execute and afeer they had executed it,
and had restored should they restore either to their
original position, back TO the navy those who have
dsraed and dropped that of necessity those officers
Who consider themselves aggeved by the sentencew be
the under cloud which could not be
aispeled by the future action either Of the Executive
Of the committee. The honorable Secretary OF dhe
Navy whose nigh and patriotic motives none esteem
more highly than / do, both in his letter to the
President, recommending the approval OF the &C
has been sent to since the commencement OF the
present session. in way to have placed the
executive action upon that board in the condition OF
court which CONDEMNS first, and hears afterward; be-
the onorabe Secretary has said that had he been
In the place OF the board there were many OF those OIL
GERS who thould have been exempted from this
action of the board; and yet taking II as a whole
he considered adsa to the navy the innocent
suffering with the offending, reservng to the Executive
TO Congress, it may be, power 70 inquire into and
to the OF that board should errors be
iound to exist BY restoration to rank or @
somewhat like a court which condemns first and hears
sfterward. The hearing the amends which they may
attempt to make cannot have the effect Of wpng of en-
trey the OF the board. We all know, Mr.. Presi
dent that law brought before the Senate at very
hate day of the last session-on the 18th OF February
tAink-and adjourned on the 4th OF March /
sponsibihty Which may result from it, when say
IN our power to do So pressed ny public bust
ness which had been accumulate during the last days
more have read it since very carefully and examined
and weighed it with great dehberaton. ! cannot but
think that the law was unfortunate In no. oeing sum
action Of that board and cannot but equally think that
the law has msinerpreted by those who were call
ed upon to administer it. In this state OF things have
yentured to trespass upon the Senate far throw
cut these IDEAS because Of the suggestion which fell
from the honorable Senator from Pennsyuana when ne
presented the memorial that redress TO be afforded
BY examination in each Individual case. do not think
that desired end can be attained in that way The
Number dsrated dismissed amounts, think TO TWO
hundred and one The causes hr any single Dismissal
assigned the innocent are confounde1 with those
who offended. II may be, anddoubtless Hue that
IN some cases-wheher in the majority not am utterly
unable say-but in many cases. the visitation of ,he
board deserved The bonorab Secretary admits that
h other ihas not been deserved. Weknow that one
who has not only illustrated American science 10
his department o, the navy but whs has contributed
more substantial benefits to the nautical world than
any who has lived since the days Of Newton, has
be- disrated by this board.
A SENATOR To whom do you alludeS
Mr. MAsoH-I mean Lieutenant Maury know another
of lieutenant in the navy who has been doing
honorable service upon the Pacific coast under special
order Of the Navy Department, whom personally, do
not know but who assigned to that branch, among
the most difficult, told appertaining to nautical
science and astronomy and he has been equally dsraed
Now cannot but think that in these casesI single
fhem out because in their branch Of the pro-
fession they deservedly at its heado illustrate
the suggestion that the decision Of the board has result
ed from misinterpetraton Of the law, and that dsss
txous consequences must ensue IL officers are
merely reinstated by the COMMITTEES or BY the
Erecutve-hat It will leave them under the shade Of
Ahe original unexplained imputation. ! am disposed
TO think therefore-but again say my Judgment Is not
formed on this embarrassing and difficult question-sha
AENrn tAA ~